Patent Description:
The invention relates to the field of biostimulants against biotic and abiotic stress.

Within the scope of this description a series of definitions are established beforehand:.

Primary nutrients: these are exclusively nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

Secondary nutrients: calcium, magnesium, sodium and sulfur.

Micronutrients: boron, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc, which are essential elements for plant growth, albeit in small quantities in comparison to primary and secondary nutrients.

Biostimulant: any substance that, when applied to plants, is capable of improving the efficacy of these in the absorption and assimilation of nutrients, tolerance to biotic or abiotic stress, or improving any of their agronomic characteristics, regardless of the nutrient content of the substance.

Biotic stress: stress caused in plants by living organisms such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, as well as by insects and other plants.

Abiotic stress: stress caused in plants by causes that are not biotic and which essentially are due to drought, high and low temperatures, salinity, heavy metals, ultraviolet radiation, soil acidity and applications of phytosanitary products.

Amino acid: organic molecule with an amine group(-NH<NUM>) and a carboxyl group(-CCOH) and that is the basic building block of proteins. Specifically, and for the present description, when amino acids are referred to, the following ones, listed by their name and abbreviation will be considered: alanine (Ala); arginine (Arg); aspartic acid (Asp); glutamic acid (Glu); cysteine (Cys); glycine (Gly); hydroxyproline (Hyp); histidine (His); isoleucine (Ile); leucine (Leu); lysine (Lys); methionine (Met); phenylalanine (Phe); proline (Pro); serine (Ser); tyrosine (Tyr); threonine (Thr); tryptophan (Trp) and valine (Val).

Aminogram: a list, in the form of a table of percentages, diagram or other means that shows the number of amino acids present and their quantity in a given product.

Protein hydrolysate or hydrolysed proteins: product obtained from proteins by a process of physical, chemical, enzymatic hydrolysis or by the combination of several of the aforementioned. Depending on the degree of hydrolysis, the resulting product will have a greater or lesser content of proteins, peptides, and amino acids in their free state.

Hydrolysed proteins are widely used in human and animal foodstuffs. However, the use of protein hydrolysates with a greater or lesser quantity of amino acids in the form of commercial products is relatively recent in agriculture. At the beginning of the 20th century the nutritional functions of protein hydrolysates and of amino acids on plants were begun to be studied. It was not until the decade of the <NUM> that more numerous, more specific scientific studies appeared on the effects of protein hydrolysates and amino acids on plants, as scientists began to understand the complex interactions between plants and the ecosystem where the roots are.

At the end of the decade of the <NUM> the first studies on the effects of liquid fertilizers with these substances on various fruit and ornamental crops were published. In these studies, it is described that applications by spraying increase plant vigour. In that regard, the high level of technical qualification of the professionals in the agricultural sector and their in-depth knowledge of the metabolic needs of plants brought about an increase in the use of fertilizers with free amino acids.

From the <NUM> onwards Spanish agro-chemical companies began to launch liquid fertilizers with amino acids.

Although the use of amino acids in agriculture is well established, they have a series of limitations that can be highlighted.

Therefore, any professional in the agricultural sector knows that it would be of great interest to develop commercial agricultural compositions that are not just fertilizers but are of use as biostimulants and that, in addition to solving the aforementioned problems, can be mixed with phytosanitary products to improve efficacy and/or agronomic results.

Numerous references to fertilizers with amino acids are known, such as those found, for example, in Patents <CIT> "Compositions with a biostimulating activity", <CIT> "Biostimulant formulation for plant growth and development and for inducing resistance, for the control of diseases caused by phytopathogenic viruses and method of preparation", <CIT> "Acid composition based on leonardite, amino acids and surfactants" or <CIT>" Organic product that enhances atrazine persistence in soil and acts as an edaphological biostimulant", but all of them present the drawbacks previously mentioned that are common to fertilizers with amino acids. Additionally, there are specific products, such as Aminopool®<NUM> and Aminopool®<NUM> MGX", comprising aminograms with <NUM> and <NUM> aminoacids, respectively.

Furthermore, there are certain products, such as those described in Patents <CIT> "Biological pesticide based on chitosan and entomopathogenic nematodes" and <CIT> "Biological pesticide based on chitosan" that use chitosan as a biostimulant.

Other solutions use an organic substrate as a biostimulant, as described in Patent <CIT> "Procedure for the production of an organic substrate of functional culture, inoculated, apt for the development of horticultural seedlings at seedbed level, with biopesticidal, biostimulating and/or biofertilizing capacity".

Other options are also known that convert the highly polluting liquids from evaporation ponds at oil mills to obtain a fertilizing, phytofortifying and biostimulating product that potentiates nutrient assimilation, as claimed in patent <CIT> "Composition containing a phytofortifier obtained from conversion of oil-mill wastewater".

To resolve the problems that currently exist in the use of fertilizing/biostimulating products based on free amino acids, improving the state of the art, the use of an agricultural composition as a biostimulant on farms according to claim <NUM> has been envisaged, which presents better agronomic action. It is used against biotic and abiotic stress and, moreover and surprisingly, its use in combination with phytosanitary products improves their efficacy and/or agronomic results.

A reference composition used is characterised by :.

Their use is preferably by ground spraying, employing manual systems, motor pumps, or other similar means, although they can also be used in fertigation systems or by aerial spraying.

This use of an agricultural composition as a biostimulant affords numerous advantages over the products currently available, among which it is noteworthy that the product is presented in a soluble, solid format with a low moisture content and a high concentration of substances with biostimulating activity, for this reason its use allows a great deal of packaging to be eliminated, which leads to a reduction in both waste and in the costs of packaging, transport and labour.

It is important to highlight that, in addition to acting as a biostimulant against biotic and abiotic stress, strikingly it has been shown to have a surprising effect derived from its use as a biostimulant, in combination with the use of phytosanitary products, since it improves their efficacy and/or agronomic results.

Another noteworthy advantage of the product, obtained as a result of this surprising effect, is that it can be mixed with most phytosanitary products without any problems with the mixes; there are no precipitates, no emulsion break-ups nor problems with the efficacy of the product. This detail, from the point of view of its applications, is fundamental, since there are many fertilizers and/or biostimulants on the market that cannot be applied in combination with phytosanitary products.

It is important to point out that the product has a stable aminogram over time, compared to the variability of the products currently on the market. We obtain repetitive agronomic results with its use in successive applications, which implies a normalisation of the results.

Due to its high concentration of biostimulating substances, the product is free of other substances that may be toxic, such as nitrates, sulfates, heavy metals, etc., and thus its use presents a very positive toxicological profile according to international standards, and this will contribute to its possible registration. This facilitates the declaration of this composition as free of phytosanitary residues, with clear agricultural, sanitary, and economic benefits over the products.

In addition, it is important to highlight that the present agricultural composition does not include antioxidants or preservatives, as is usual in other liquid compositions with organic substances. This is due to the fact that the composition has a very low moisture content and, hence, low water activity. As a result, incorporating substances that may act as contaminants or increase the toxicity or phytotoxicity of the composition is avoided.

Another significant advantage is that its use in combination with phytosanitary products has been demonstrated, improving their efficacy and/or the agronomic results. Thus, the quantity of these can be reduced with the consequent reduction in costs, in environmental risks, in waste and in toxicity. Moreover, as better agronomic results are obtained, the crop is in better conditions to obtain an improved harvest or one of better quality. Indeed, it has been shown that the use of this composition as a biostimulant not only does not affect the efficacy of phytosanitary products but also produces a better response in plants to stress caused by temperature, resulting in a better stimulated plants that bear fruit of greater quality.

The use of an agricultural composition presented carries out a biostimulating treatment on agricultural farms against biotic and abiotic stress and improves the efficacy and/or agronomic results of phytosanitary products when it is combined with them. The agricultural composition used for this invention is characterised basically by the following characteristics:.

The solubility of the composition will be greater than <NUM> grams of the composition/litre of water, and preferably will be between <NUM> and <NUM> grams of the composition/litre of water.

The composition moisture is between <NUM> and <NUM>% by weight and preferably between <NUM> and <NUM>% by weight.

The composition presented will be in the form of powder or microgranules with an average particle diameter of less than <NUM> microns.

The composition will have a high nitrogen content, which is greater than <NUM>% by weight and preferably between <NUM> and <NUM>% by weight.

The composition will have a high organic nitrogen content, which is greater than <NUM>% by weight and preferably between <NUM> and <NUM>% by weight.

The composition will have a high free amino acids content, established at more than <NUM>% by weight. They are present in a proportion of between <NUM>% and <NUM>% by weight, preferably between <NUM>%-<NUM>% by weight with respect to the total weight of the composition.

The aminogram is characterised by having the following: alanine (Ala); arginine (Arg), aspartic acid (Asp); cysteine (Cys); glutamic acid (Glu); glycine (Gly); histidine (His); isoleucine (lle); leucine (Leu); lysine (Lys); methionine (Met); phenylalanine (Phe); proline (Pro); serine (Ser); tyrosine (Tyr); threonine (Thr) and valine (Val).

A reference aminogram is characterised by having at least <NUM> amino acids in its composition, in a percentage greater than <NUM>% by weight of amino acids from the group chosen from among the amino acids: alanine (Ala); arginine (Arg); aspartic acid (Asp); glutamic acid (Glu); glycine (Gly); leucine (Leu); phenylalanine (Phe); proline (Pro); serine (Ser); threonine (Thr) and valine (Val).

Ir the inventive composition, the aminogram comprises above <NUM>% by weight of amino acids from the group chosen from among the amino acids: glutamic acid (Glu); glycine (Gly); proline (Pro); serine (Ser). And more preferably above <NUM>% by weight of amino acids from the group chosen from among the amino acids: glutamic acid (Glu); proline (Pro); serine (Ser).

In that respect, Table <NUM> shows an example of an aminogram that fulfils the aforementioned conditions, which would be described as:.

To reflect the efficacy of the invention presented in this description, comparative studies were performed in commercial conditions. Thus, commercial application of the described agricultural composition will be carried out by ground spraying with manual sprayers, motor pumps, or other similar means or by fertigation or aerially. The invention is further characterised by a specific use, with a product dose of between <NUM>/ha and <NUM>/ha for sprayed application, between <NUM>/ha and <NUM>/ha of the composition described herein for application by fertigation and between <NUM>/ha and <NUM>/ha for aerial application, always on a dry basis.

As is shown in the following examples, the experimental studies performed have proven the efficacy of its use as a biostimulant against biotic and abiotic stress. Moreover, during the course of the experiments, surprisingly, the enhancing effect derived from its use as a biostimulant, on combined use with phytosanitary products has been shown, as it considerably improves their efficacy and/or the agronomic results obtained.

The objective of the protocol was to evaluate the effect of the agricultural composition of the present invention, applied in a curative mix with a fungicide (difenoconazole) to control apple scab (Venturia inaequalis). Location: Brazil. Variety: Gala.

Use of solution: <NUM> I/ha to dripping point.

The conclusions of the example indicate that the agricultural composition significantly improves the performance of difenoconazole fungicide on apple.

The objective of the protocol was to evaluate the effect of the agricultural composition of the present invention applied in combination with a phytosanitary product (cyproconazole+azoxystrobin) for the control of soybean rust (Phakopsora pachyrhizi). Location Brazil. Variety: NA5909 RG.

The conclusions of the example indicate that the agricultural composition improves the performance of the fungicide (Cyproconazole+ Azoxystrobin) on soybeans.

The aim of the protocol was to evaluate if the application of the agricultural composition of the present invention, applied in mixes of standard treatments with systemic fungicides, eliminates the need for contact fungicides due an improvement in the efficacy of former for controlling apple scab (Venturia inaequalis). Location: France Variety: Golden.

The conclusions of the example indicate that applying the agricultural composition to the treatment with systemic fungicides shows similar results to the use of systemic and contact fungicides.

The objective of the protocol was to evaluate the use of the agricultural composition of the present invention applied in a protocol in combination with a post-emergence herbicide (<NUM>,<NUM>-D and bromoxynil) for weed control in corn growing. Location: Romania.

Development: After <NUM> days of applying the post-emergence herbicide in a dose of <NUM> I/ha, phytotoxicity appeared on leaves. <NUM>/ha of the agricultural composition was applied, which resulted in the disappearance of this phytotoxicity after <NUM> days.

All of the information referring to examples or embodiments form part of the description of the invention.

The objective of the protocol was to evaluate the use of the agricultural composition of the present invention applied to lettuces subjected to salt stress. Location: Chile.

Parameters evaluated: Percentage of dry matter.

The conclusions of the example indicate that the agricultural composition, both in foliar application and in fertigation, significantly improves the percentage of dry matter, enabling the plant to overcome stress caused by high salinity.

The objective of the protocol was to evaluate the use of the agricultural composition of the present invention applied to banana plants subjected to biotic stress due to the presence of Black Sigatoka. Location: Costa Rica. Variety: Grand Nain.

The conclusions of the example indicate that the agricultural composition results in the banana plant being able to better withstand the biotic stress caused by the disease.

Claim 1:
- Use of an agricultural composition that comprises:
- a solid state in the form of powder or microgranules, soluble in the aqueous phase and with a low moisture content,
- a nitrogen content greater than <NUM>% by weight with respect to the total weight of the composition,
- an organic nitrogen content greater than <NUM>% by weight with respect to the total weight of the composition,
- a free amino acids content greater than <NUM>% by weight with respect to the total weight of the composition,
- a characteristic, stable aminogram that comprises alanine (Ala), arginine (Arg), aspartic acid (Asp), cysteine (Cys), glutamic acid (Glu), glycine (Gly), histidine (His), isoleucine (Ile), leucine (Leu), lysine (Lys), methionine (Met), phenylalanine (Phe), proline (Pro), serine (Ser), tyrosine (Tyr), threonine (Thr) and valine (Val) and optional hydroxyproline (Hyp) and tryptophan (Trp),
wherein the aminogram of the agricultural composition has, in its composition, a percentage greater than <NUM>% by weight of amino acids from the group formed by : glutamic acid (Glu), glycine (Gly), proline (Pro), and serine (Ser),
as a biostimulant against biotic and abiotic stress on agricultural farms.