Patent ID: 8377851

Claim:
A method of decreasing the proportion of morphine and increasing the proportion of thebaine and/or oripavine in a poppy plant comprising the step of applying an effective amount of an acylcyclohexanedione compound or agriculturally acceptable salt thereof of Formula (II) wherein R 1 is optionally substituted alkyl or optionally substituted aryl; and A is OR 2 or NR 3 R 4 wherein R 2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted alkynyl and optionally substituted aryl; and R 3 and R 4 are independently selected from hydrogen, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted alkynyl and optionally substituted aryl; or one of R 3 or R 4 is alkoxy and the other as defined above or R 3 and R 4 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring which may contain an additional oxygen or sulfur atom; to said poppy plant or locus thereof.