Abstract:
It has been discovered that applying diformylurea (DFU) to seed of crop plants enhances the feeder root capability of the plants to take up water and minerals from the soil environment. A further discovery is that crop plant cellular water and soil maintenance around feeder roots is increased by applying DFU to crop seeds prior to planting, to the soil surrounding the plants or to foliage of the plants. A still further discovery is that crop plant drowning is prevented when flooded by excessive rain or other types of flooding. A still further discovery is that crop plant yields are enhanced by combining DFU and nitrogen fertilizer to the soil of the crop plants.

Description:
BENEFIT OF FILING DATE OF PROVISIONAL APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority of Dec. 4, 2013 from Provisional Application 61/911,909. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    (1) Field Of the Invention 
         [0003]    This invention relates to new methods for enhancing the crop production by application of diformylurea (DFU) to crops. 
         [0004]    (2) Description of Prior Art 
         [0005]    Previous U.S. patents (U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,273, U.S. Pat. No. 6,448,440, U.S. Pat. No. 6,710,085) to Dean have described the beneficial effects of DFU applied to crop plants to enhance the rate of seed germination and seedling growth of a number of crop plant variables such as shoot and root fresh weights. 
       IDENTIFICATION OF OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    An important object of this invention is to apply DFU to achieve larger increases in the functional capacity of a crop plant root system to achieve selective root tissue synthesis resulting in more and effective feeder roots that can take up water and minerals from soil in contrast to thicker roots with less root tips for water and nutrient uptake from soil that are part of the heterogeneous overall root mass. 
         [0007]    Another object of the invention is to apply DFU to crop plants to enhance crop plant cellular water and soil moisture around feeder roots. 
         [0008]    Another object of the invention is to apply DFU to crop plants subject to flooding of the fields in which they are planted to prevent drowning of the plants in flooded fields. 
         [0009]    Another object of the invention is to apply DFU to crop plants to enhance crop plant growth and productivity while not suppressing the effect of pesticides, herbicides or fungicides. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    The method of DFU treatment of crop plant tissue of the invention includes exogenous treatment of the crop plants with a DFU solution at a rate of between 0.1 to 10 pints/acre over the crop growth stages or as a preferred rate of DFU at 0.5 to 1.5 pints per acre. 
         [0011]    The method of exogenous treatment of the crop plants can be achieved as foliar treatments after the first or second leaf has formed or later in the growing season of the crop plant (with repeated [preferred] or single applications) over the canopy (leaves) at rates from 2 to 16 ounces of DFU per acre of crop per individual application or applied as repetitive applications over the whole crop growing season of up to 10 pints /acre. 
         [0012]    The treatment of crop plants includes “in furrow” treatment at crop planting onto the seed and onto the soil in the opened sowing furrow at the rates of between 0.1 to 10 pints/acre, with a preferred rate of 0.5 to 1.5 pints per acre applied as an in furrow application. 
         [0013]    As a method of preferred treatment, exogenous DFU is applied in furrow at a rate between 0.1 to 10 pints/acre but with a preferred rate of 0.5 pints/acre to 1.5 pints/acre as a spray of the “opened” soil furrow, wherein the seed of the crop plant is first sown and the spray of the DFU solution then covers both the seed and the soil in the “opened” furrow, before closure of the furrow and subsequent compression of the soil over the closed furrow for an important and appropriate closed “soil” contact with the seed for optimal seed germination and growth of the crop plant seedling. 
         [0014]    A preferred time for such application as above is immediately at the time of sowing of the crop seed. DFU applications throughout the growing season of the crop, can be made as foliar or “in-soil” applications at the rates of 2 to 16 ounces per acre. The DFU applications are always more effective if additional water is applied with the DFU at rates between 5 to 25 gallons of water per acre. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    The patent or application file contains at least one drawing/photograph executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawings/photographs will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee. 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is a photograph illustrating root structure of two corn plants, one treated (on right) with DFU, the other untreated (on left); 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a photograph of a root structure showing dry soil around the roots of a corn plant that has not been treated with DFU; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a photograph of a root structure showing moist soil around the roots of a corn plant (grown under the same conditions as that of  FIG. 2 ) treated with DFU; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a graph which illustrates increase in guttation of DFU corn seedlings as a function of DFU application; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a photograph of a field of corn plants that has been flooded by excessive rain; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a photograph of the field of  FIG. 5  after water has partially receded, but showing corn plants that had been treated with DFU alive in the water; 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a close-up photograph showing a DFU treated corn plant of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a photograph of a DFU treated corn plant that survived the flood of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  is a photograph of corn plants that were not treated with DFU after flooding has receded; 
           [0025]      FIG. 10  is a close-up photograph of non-DFU treated corn plants after having experienced a flooding condition; 
           [0026]      FIG. 11  is a close-up photograph of a dead corn plant (that was not treated with DFU) after flooding; 
           [0027]      FIG. 12  is another photograph of corn plants that were treated with DFU that survived flooding; 
           [0028]      FIG. 13  is a photograph of a corn cob of a plant that survived the flood of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 14  is a graph showing the effect of DFU treatment on corn plants thereby requiring less water use for growing; and 
           [0030]      FIG. 15  is a graph illustrating enhanced tissue development in DFU treated corn plants (enhanced volumetric capacity of the stem). The graph further illustrates enhanced efficiency and volume flow of internal water and “growth” solutes. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0031]    It has been discovered that application of DFU to growing crop plants results in a large increase in the functional capacity of the crop plant root system because of selective root tissue synthesis and development of fine small feeder roots that operate to take up water and minerals from the soil environment. Treatment of crop plant tissue described herein includes exogenous treatment of the crop plants with a DFU solution at a rate of between 0.1 to 10 pints/acre over the crop growth stages or as a preferred rate of 0.5 to 1.5 pints per acre. Preferably, the concentration of the DFU which is applied at the above rates is from stock solutions of 0.001 Molar to 1.0 Molar with a preferred Molarity of 0.001 Molar to 0.05 Molar.  FIG. 1  is a photograph of two plants: the plant on the left had no treatment with DFU; the plant on the right hand side was treated with DFU. The treated plant on the right hand side has a significantly greater fine small feeder root system development than does the untreated plant on the left hand side. The treated plant on the right hand side of  FIG. 1  is in contrast to the thicker deeper roots of the plant on the left hand side which has fewer “root tips” for water and nutrient uptake from the soil. The DFU treated plant on the right has smaller feeder roots for water, mineral, and nutrient uptake from the roots to the shoots. 
         [0032]    It has also been discovered that applying DFU to crop plants causes enhancement of crop plant cellular water and soil moisture around the feeder roots. Compare the feeder root system of  FIG. 2  of a plant that has had no DFU applied to it with the feeder root system of  FIG. 3  of a plant that has DFU applied to it. Much more moist soil can be seen around the root system of  FIG. 3 . 
         [0033]    The method of applying DFU to crop plants, which has been covered by natural rain or other types of flooding is a distinctive enhanced feature of DFU treatment of crop plants to ameliorate damaging effects of field soil excessive moisture such as flooding. The most efficacious method of DFU treatment for this feature is that of an “in furrow” application into the open soil furrow at time of crop seed sowing with a spray of DFU at a dose of one to one and a half pints per acre over the seed and unto the soil of the open furrow before closure of the open furrow and application of pressure to the closed furrow for optimal soil contact with the seed. 
         [0034]    It has also been discovered that treatment of crop plants such as corn increases guttation of the water on plant leaves.  FIG. 4  illustrates the results of increased guttation on seedling leaves as a function of DFU amounts. 
         [0035]    It has been further discovered that applying DFU to crop plants prevents drowning of the plants when a crop field is flooded by excessive rain or other types of flooding. The most effective method of DFU treatment to prevent drowning is that of an in furrow application of DFU open soil furrow at the time of crop seed sowing. DFU is preferably sprayed at a dose of 1 pint per acre to 1½ pints per acre over the seed and onto the soil of the open furrow before closure of the open furrow and application of pressure to the closed furrow for optional soil contact with the seed. 
         [0036]      FIG. 5  is a photograph of a corn field completely flooded by excessive rain.  FIGS. 6 and 7  show corn plants treated with DFU after the excessive water has retreated somewhat. The corn plants are seen to be growing.  FIG. 8  is a photograph of a corn plant that is seen to have survived the flood.  FIG. 9  is a photograph of a corn field which has not been treated with DFU, but after flooding, has been almost completely killed because of the water.  FIG. 10  is a close-up photo of corn that has been killed because of flooding.  FIG. 11  is a photo of the remains of a corn plant that has been killed by the flooding.  FIG. 12  is a photo of the corn plants treated with DFU with the plants growing in excessive moisture.  FIG. 13  is a photo of a corn cob of a corn plant that was treated with DFU and flooded as in  FIGS. 5 ,  6  and  7 . 
         [0037]    It has also been discovered that DFU treatment of corn plants increases the inter-nodal volume of corn plants. Table 1 below confirms that discovery where intermodal stalk volumes of untreated corn crop plants was calculated to be 311.71 cc per plant whereas the inter-nodal stalk volumes of the DFU-treated corn plant was 355.47, an increase of 14% over the control plant. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
                 Internodal Volume (cc) 
                 Internodal Volume (cc) 
               
               
                 Growth Stage 
                 Untreated corn plant 
                 DFU-Treated corn plant 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 V1 
                 26.93 
                 33.49 
               
               
                 V2 
                 41.2 
                 45.02 
               
               
                 V3 
                 46.9 
                 55.76 
               
               
                 V4 
                 52.06 
                 59.14 
               
               
                 V5 
                 48.38 
                 54.34 
               
               
                 V6 
                 42.21 
                 47.79 
               
               
                 V7 
                 31.26 
                 35.02 
               
               
                 V8 
                 22.77 
                 24.9 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0038]    It has also been discovered that crops treated with DFU require less water for growing. See the results illustrated in  FIG. 14 . In two barrels that were sealed at the top, a precise amount of growing medium was added with appropriate fertilizer and a precise amount of water. One of the barrels had fertilizer only while the second had a 0.0015% solution of DFU. Seven corn seedlings were germinated and grown in the growing medium in each of the barrels for a period of 37 days. At 37 days the fresh weight and dry weights of corn plants were determined. The graph on the right side of  FIG. 4  depicts the combined weight of the water and the plants growing out of the barrels. The graph on the left depicts the average amount of water needed to grow the treated vs the untreated corn, indicating a twenty eight percent savings with the DFU-treated plants contrasted to the untreated plants. The two barrels were constantly weighed electronically. 
         [0039]    As further evidence the increase in crop production as a result of DFU treatment see Table 2 below. Untreated soybean plant yields were 52.5 bushels per acre. The DFU treated soybean plants yielded 111 bushels per acre. This represents an increase in water use efficiency of 111 percent. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 2 
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
                 Average 
                   
                 T test vs 
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Yield bu 
                 Standard 
                 control 
                 Rep 1 
                 Rep2 
                 Rep3 
                 Rep4 
               
               
                 Treatment 
                 per acre 
                 Deviation 
                 P = % 
                 Yield 
                 Yield 
                 Yield 
                 Yield 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 Control Untreated 
                 52.5 
                 1.68 
                   
                 60 
                 54 
                 54 
                 52 
               
               
                 Seed treatment 2 oz 
                 111 
                 1.22 
                 0.0000016 
                 109 
                 112 
                 111 
                 112 
               
               
                 DFU/cwt of seed 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0040]    Enhanced tissue development in DFU treated corn plants is illustrated by the experiment illustrated in  FIG. 15 . It has been also discovered that combining DFU and nitrogen fertilizer to the soil of a corn crop significantly enhances yield of the corn crop over simply using nitrogen fertilizer alone. 
         [0041]    It has been further discovered that applying DFU to crop plants facilitates the efficiency of pesticides or herbicides or fungicides to enhance crop plant growth and crop productivity while not diminishing or suppressing the function of the pesticides, herbicides or fungicides. 
         [0042]    It has also been discovered that greatly enhanced water use efficiency of up to 28% is achieved when crop plants have been treated with DFU. 
         [0043]    Table 3 below illustrates the increased performance of herbicides and fungicides for crop plants by addition of DFU to the crops. Quadris™ fungicide (product of Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc.) was applied at the R1 stage of growth and gave a yield increase of 15 bushels per acre. DFU by itself increased soybean yields by 40 bushels per acre. DFU and Quadris applied together increased the yields by 52 bushels. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 3 
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
                 Soybean 
                   
                 T test vs 
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Yield 
                 Standard 
                 Control 
               
               
                 Treatment 
                 Bu/acre 
                 Deviation 
                 P value 
                 Rep 1 
                 Rep 2 
                 Rep 3 
                 Rep 4 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 Control 
                 55.0 
                 3.35 
                   
                 53.0 
                 57.2 
                 50.6 
                 59.1 
               
               
                 DFU @ 1 pt/acre 
                 95.1 
                 4.49 
                 1.47E−05 
                 92.7 
                 95.8 
                 89.9 
                 102 
               
               
                 Quadris @ recommended 
                 70.4 
                 6.25 
                 0.0016 
                 65.4 
                 72.9 
                 63.9 
                 79.5 
               
               
                 rate 
               
               
                 DFU together with 
                 107.0 
                 3.39 
                 0.00044 
                 109.0 
                 106.0 
                 111 
                 102 
               
               
                 Quadris at above rates 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0044]    Table 4 below illustrates mineral use efficiency achieved with DFU applied to crop plants. A total of 180 lb of nitrogen fertilizer/acre, with ½ of nitrogen applied at V4 (forth leaf) and ½ at V7 (seventh leaf) as a side dress (3 inches to the side of the plant and 3 inches below the soil surface). The field corn cultivar DKC 66-96 was planted on Feb. 11, 2013 and harvested on Jul. 12, 2013. The harvested yield results reflect a 60.7% increase in efficiency of use of the available nitrogen mineral fertilizer by the DFU treatment of the seed. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 4 
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
                 Average 
                   
                 T test vs 
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Yield bu 
                 Standard 
                 control 
                 Rep 1 
                 Rep 2 
                 Rep 3 
                 Rep 4 
               
               
                 Treatment 
                 per acre 
                 deviation 
                 p = % 
                 Yield 
                 Yield 
                 Yield 
                 Yield 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 Control Untreated 
                 112.6 
                 9.3 
                   
                 120.9 
                 122.5 
                 106.5 
                 100.6 
               
               
                 Seed treat 2 oz/cwt 
                 180.6 
                 3.7 
                 0.00098 
                 175.5 
                 188 
                 178.7 
                 185.1 
               
               
                 V4 ½ pt V9 1 pt 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0045]    Table 5 below illustrates the effect of foliar application of DFU applied at V4 (4th leaf stage of crop growth) at either the rate of ½ pt/acre along with the herbicide Round-Up™ herbicides on field corn. Both the control and the treatments also had 0.9 lb of ammonium sulfate applied along with the herbicide and di-formylurea (DFU). The field corn was planted in southern Texas on Mar. 3, 2012, at a population density of 35,000 plants per acre. The weed control was comparable and good with all the treatments. The large difference was in the harvestable yields of the di-formyl urea treated plants over the control which received the herbicide only. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 5 
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 T test 
                   
                 Yield 
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Yield 
                   
                 vs control 
                 Yield increase bu/ 
                 % 
                 Yield 
                 Yield 
                 Yield 
                 Yield 
               
               
                 Treatment 
                 Bu/acre 
                 SD 
                 p = % 
                 acre vs control 
                 increase 
                 rep1 
                 rep2 
                 rep3 
                 rep4 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 Control 
                 209 
                 2.6 
                   
                   
                   
                 208 
                 206 
                 208 
                 213 
               
               
                 V4 di- 
                 230 
                 5.0 
                 0.0013 
                 29 
                 13.9% 
                 227 
                 232 
                 224 
                 237 
               
               
                 formylurea 
               
               
                 ½ pt/acre 
               
               
                 V4 di- 
                 254 
                 6.7 
                 0.00025 
                 45 
                 21.5% 
                 246 
                 251 
                 256 
                 264 
               
               
                 formylurea 
               
               
                 1 pt/acre