NEW METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DELIVERING A PHYTOPROTECTION PRODUCT

Abstract: A method of delivering a phytoprotection product to a cut banana or plantain tree and a device for use in the method.

Description: New Method and Device for Delivering a Phytoprotection Product The present invention relates to a new method and device for the delivery a phytoprotection product, particularly to the trees of the families Musaceae (banana) and Plantanginaceae (plantains). British Patent Application GB2304575 describes a general method of protecting two or more trees of the families Musaceae (banana) and Plantanginaceae (plantain) by cutting one of the trees and and the introducing a phytoprotection product into the said cut tree. An object of the present invention is to provide an improved method for delivering a phytoprotection product to a banana or plantain tree. Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for the rapid introduction of a phytoprotection product into a banana or plantain tree. These objects are met in whole or in part by the present invention. The present invention provides a method of delivering a dose of phytoprotection product to a cut banana or plantain tree comprising: (a) placing against a cut surface of the tree a device comprising an outer tube one end of which is adapted to cut and remove a plug of material from the tree and means to expel from the tube the said plug; (b) forcing the outer tube into the tree to a predetermined depth; (c) extracting the tube and the plug contained therein from the tree; (d) placing into the hole thus formed the product; (e) placing the tube against the tree in register with the hole; (f) expelling the plug from the tube by the said means; (g) removing the device from the tree. The phytoprotection product is substantially systemic. The phytoprotection product is generally an insecticide, nematicide, fungicide or plant growth regulator, preferably an insecticide or nematicide. The phytoprotection product is generally translocatable and more preferably water soluble at ambient temperature, the water solubility being generally higher than 0.5 g/1, preferably higher than 2 g/1 at ambient temperature.. The phytoprotection product can be provided in a formulation that is generally translocatable and more preferably water soluble at ambient temperature. Those species of banana or plantain trees according to the present invention are Musa textilis, Musa sapientum, or Musa paradisica. A preferred group of insecticides or nematicides according to the invention are carbamates. Carbamates are a well-known group of phytoprotection products: those skilled in the art will recognise these in The Pesticide Manual 10th ed., edited by C. Tomlin, British Crop Protection Council, United Kingdom, 1994. A preferred group of carbamates are N-methyl carbamates, that is those substances that possess the substituent -OC(O)NHMe. A particularly preferred carbamate that can be used according the instant invention is 2-methyl-2(methylthio)propionaldehyde 0- methylcarbamoyloxime (aldicarb). Other carbamates that can be used according to the invention are 2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethylbenzofuran-7-yl methylcarbamate (carbofuran) and N,N-dimethyl-2-methylcarbamoyloxyimino-2- (methylthio)acetamide (oxamyl). A carbamate can be used alone or in combination with other phytoprotection products. Other insecticides or nematicides that can be used according to the instant invention either alone or in combination with other phytoprotection products include: nitromethylenes or nitroimines including l-(6-chloro-3-pyridylmethyl)-N- nitroimidazolidin-2-ylideneamine (imidacloprid) ; cyanoimines including (E)-N 1 -[(6-chloro-3-pyridyl)methyl]-N 2 -cyano-N 1 - methylacetamidine (acetamiprid); and organophosphates including S,S-di-^ec-butyl O-ethyl phosphorodithioate (cadusafos); (RS)-S- sec-butyl O-ethyl 2-oxo-l,3-thiazolidin-3-ylphosphonothioate (fosthiazate); and O-ethyl S,-dipropyl phosphorodithioate (ethoprophos). Fungicides that may be used according to the present invention include ethyl hydrogen phosphonate, aluminum salt (fosetyl-aluminum or fosetyl-al) and phosphorous acid. The phytoprotection product dose is generally placed in the hole within one hour, preferably within 30 minutes, preferably within 5 minutes of the formation of the hole. The plug is replaced in the hole within 5 minutes of placing the dose in the hole. The phytoprotection product dose is generally delivered to the tree in the form of a delayed release composition. The composition may comprise the phytoprotection product and a water soluble enclosure. Generally the hole is from 2 to 20 cm deep, preferably from 2 to 10 cm deep. Alternatively said, the predetermined depth is generally from 2 to 20 cm, preferably from 2 to 10 cm. The product is placed in the tree such that when the plug is replaced the dose is substantially inaccessible from the outside of the cut tree. The present invention also provides a cutting device for removing and replacing a plug of material from a banana or plantain tree which device comprises a tube having a first end edged for cutting, and disposed within said tube a means to expel the plug. In one embodiment, the means to expel the plug generally comprises a member slidable within the tube along the longitudinal axis of the tube. Preferably the slidable member is a disk of just slightly smaller diameter than the inner diameter of the tube. The member may be mounted on a rod which extends from the member to beyond the non-cutting end of the tube and through a guide means at the non-cutting end of the tube. The said guide means maintains movement of the rod along the longituidinal axis of the tube when the device is in use. The rod, at the end remote from the slidable member, generally comprises a stop means to prevent the end of the rod from moving beyond through the guide means and into the tube. The rod is preferably fixed to the slidable member. At the end of the rod remote from the slidable member is generally attached a secondary handle means in order to operate the rod. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the guide means comprises a hole at the non-cutting end of the tube which is centered along the longitudinal axis of movement of the slidable member. The rod is maintained along the axis by being fixed to the slidable member and extending through the bore. In another embodiment, the guide means comprises two bores aligned along the longitudinal axis of the tube, the first bore comprising a hole at the non-cutting end of the tube which is centered along the direction of movement of the projection, the second bore being substantially coaxial with the first hole and through a main handle which is attached to the tube. The tube generally has a hole at the non-cutting end of the tube to allow fluid movement in and out of the tube when the device is in use. The device of the present invention preferably further comprises at least one longitudinal, closed-end slot in the material of the tube body. Most preferably there are one or two slots. The or each slot is preferably parallel with the tube's longitudinal axis. The means to expel the plug generally comprises at least one projection each of which engages slidably a slot. The projection is most advantageously a bar or metal member which engages one or more slots. The means to expel the plug is preferably resiliently biased toward the cutting edge of the tube, more preferably by a spring means which are compressed when the tube is forced into the tree. The spring means is most preferably a helical spring within the tube and interacts with the means to expel the plug. The device of the present invention preferably comprises a means to retain the means to expel the plug, more preferably at a predetermined distance from the cutting end of the tube. Generally the means to retain is a notch in a side of a slot such that the or each projection engages the slot in use. Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of the device of the present invention. In use, a worker grasps the handle (2) of the device of Figure 1 and places the cutting edge (3) against a cut surface of a banana or plantain tree such that the said cut surface and the cutting edge (3) substantially abut one another. The tube (1) is forced into the tree by pressure applied to the handle (2) by the operator to a predetermined depth, which is generally from 2 to 10 cm. In forcing the tube into the tree, the disk (4) has a lateral projection (4a), visible behind the disk (4) in the drawing, which engages the tube along slot (5) and is slidably moved along slot (5) thus compressing the spring (6). The projection (4a) is moved laterally into a notch (7) by the operator to hold the disk (4) retracted. There is now a plug of banana or plantain tree material inside the tube. The plug is removed by lifting the tube from the tree. A dose of phytoprotection product is placed inside the hole thus formed, and the tube is placed against the tree in register with the hole. The projection (4a) is moved out of notch (7) by the operator and the spring (6) forces the disk (4) back toward the cutting edge (3) thus expelling the plug from the tube and into the hole. The device is removed from the tree. Figure 2 illustrates another embodiment of the device of the present invention. In Figure 2 the cutting edge (9) is shown as lying in a plane oblique to the axis of the tube. In use, a worker grasps the main handle (8) of the device of Figure 1 and places the cutting edge (9) against a cut surface of a banana or plantain tree such that the said cut surface and the cutting edge (9) are in contact. The tube (10) is forced into the tree by pressure applied to the main handle (8) by the operator to a predetermined depth, which is generally from 2 to 20 cm. In forcing the tube into the tree, the disk (11) which engages the rod (12), is slidably moved. The device is optionally rotated about the longitudinal axis by the operator one or two turns. There is now a plug of banana or plantain tree material inside the tube. The plug is removed by lifting the tube from the tree. A dose of phytoprotection product is placed inside the hole thus formed, and the tube is placed against the tree in register with the hole. A secondary handle means (13) is grasped by the operator and the rod (12) is forced down into the tube which thus forces the disk (11) back toward the cutting edge (9) thus expelling the plug from the tube and into the hole. The device is removed from the tree.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A method of delivering a dose of phytoprotection product to a cut banana or plantain tree comprising: (a) placing against a cut surface of the tree a device comprising an outer tube one end of which is adapted to cut and remove a plug of material from the tree and means to expel from the tube the said plug; (b) forcing the outer tube into the tree to a predetermined depth; (c) extracting the tube and the plug contained therein from the tree; (d) placing into the hole thus formed the product; (e) placing the tube against the tree in register with the hole; (f) expelling the plug from the tube by the said means; (g) removing the device from the tree. 2. The method according to Claim 1 wherein the phytoprotection product is substantially systemic. 3. The method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the phytoprotection product is 2-methyl-2(methylthio)propionaldehyde 0- methylcarbamoyloxime or ethyl hydrogen phosphonate, aluminum salt. 4. The method according to any one of the foregoing claims wherein the dose of product is contained in a delayed release composition 5. A cutting device for removing and replacing a plug of material from a banana or plantain tree which device comprises a tube having a first end edged for cutting, and disposed within said tube a means to expel the plug. 6. The cutting device of Claim 5 wherein the means to expel the plug further comprises a member slidable within the tube along the longitudinal axis of the tube. 7. The cutting device of Claim 5 wherein the means to expel the plug further comprises a disk mounted on a rod which extends from the disk to beyond the non-cutting end of the tube and through a guide means at the non-cutting end of the tube. 8. The cutting device of Claim 7 wherein the rod further comprises a stop means at the end remote from the disk. 9. The device of any one of claims 5-8 wherein the device further comprises a means to retain the means to expel the plug and hold it retracted at a predetermined distance from the cutting end of the tube. 10. The device of any ond of claims 5 to 9, wherein the cutting edge is in a plane oblique to the axis of the tube. 11. The device as substantially hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

Inventors: BOCANEGRA JUAN, CEPEDA JORGE, BOCANEGRA, JUAN, CEPEDA, JORGE
Applicants: BOCANEGRA JUAN, CEPEDA JORGE, RHONE POULENC AGROCHIMIE, BOCANEGRA, JUAN, CEPEDA, JORGE, RHONE-POULENC AGRO
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A01G7
IPC codes: A01G7