Method of improving yield and vigor of plants

A method for increasing the vigor and/or the yield of an agronomic plant or its propagation material comprising treating the seed and/or the foliage of such plant with a compound having the formula:

• 13
• wherein Z1 and Z2 are C or N and are part of an aromatic ring selected from benzene, pyridine, thiophene, furan, pyrrole, pyrazole, thiazole, and isothiazole;
• A is selected from —C(X)-amine, —C(O)—SR3, —NH—C(X)R4, and —C(═NR3)—XR7;
• B is —Wm—Q(R2)3 or selected from o-tolyl, 1-naphthyl, 2-naphthyl, and 9-phenanthryl, each optionally substituted with halogen or R4;
• Q is C, Si, Ge, or Sn;
• W is —C(R3)pH(2-p)—;
• or when Q is C, W is selected from —C(R3)pH(2-p)—, —N(R3)mH(1-m)—, —S(O)p—, and —O—;
• X is O or S;
• n is 0, 1, 2, or 3;
• m is 0 or 1;
• p is 0, 1, or 2;
• each R is independently selected from
• a) halo, formyl, cyano, amino, nitro, thiocyanato, isothiocyanato, trimethylsilyl, and hydroxy;
• b) C1-C4 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, and cycloalkenyl, each optionally substituted with halo, hydroxy, thio, amino, nitro, cyano, formyl, phenyl, C1-C4 alkoxy, alkylcarbonyl, alkylthio, alkylamino, dialkylamino, alkoxycarbonyl, (alkylthio)carbonyl, alkylaminocarbonyl, dialkylaminocarbonyl, alkylsulfinyl, or alkylsulfonyl;
• c) phenyl, furyl, thienyl, pyrrolyl, each optionally substituted with halo, formyl, cyano, amino, nitro, C1-C4 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, alkylamino, dialkylamino, haloalkyl, and haloalkenyl;
• d) C1-C4 alkoxy, alkenoxy, alkynoxy, C3-C6 cycloalkyloxy, cycloalkenyloxy, alkylthio, alkylsulfinyl, alkylsulfonyl, alkylamino, dialkylamino, alkylcarbonylamino, aminocarbonyl, alkylaminocarbonyl, dialkylaminocarbonyl, alkylcarbonyl, alkylcarbonyloxy, alkoxycarbonyl, (alkylthio)carbonyl, phenylcarbonylamino, phenylamino, each optionally substituted with halo;
• wherein two R groups may be combined to form a fused ring;
• each R2 is independently selected from alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and phenyl, each optionally substituted with R4 or halogen;
• and wherein, when Q is C, R2 may also be selected from halo, alkoxy, alkylthio, alkylamino, and dialkylamino;
• wherein two R2 groups may be combined to form a cyclo group with Q;
• R3 is C1-C4 alkyl;
• R4 is C1-C4 alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, alkylamino, or dialkylamino;
• R7 is C1-C4 alkyl, haloalkyl, or phenyl, optionally substituted with halo, nitro, or R4;
• or an agronomic salt thereof, except that the agronomic plant is not wheat when the compound is silthiofam.

A method for increasing the vigor and/or the yield of an agronomic plant or its propagation material comprising treating the seed and/or the foliage of such plant with a compound having the formula:

• 14
• where A is —C(X)-amine;
• B is —Wm—Q(R2)3;
• and A can be B when B is A except when the formula is f), then Q cannot be Si;
• Q is C or Si;
• W is —NH—, —O— or NCH3;
• X is O or S;
• m is 0 or 1, provided that m is 0 when Q is Si;
• n is 0, 1, 2, or 3;
• p is 0, 1 or 2, and n plus p is equal to or less than 3;
• each R is independently selected from
• a) halo, formyl, cyano, amino, nitro, thiocyanato, isothiocyanato, trimethylsilyl, and hydroxyl;
• b) C1-C4 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, and cycloalkenyl, each optionally substituted with halo, hydroxy, thio, amino, nitro, cyano, formyl, phenyl, C1-C4 alkoxy, alkycarbonyl, alkylthio, alkylamino, dialkylamino, alkoxycarbonyl, (alkylthio)carbonyl, alkylaminocarbonyl, dialkylaminocarbonyl, alkylsulfinyl, or alkylsulfonyl;
• c) phenyl, furyl, thienyl, pyrrolyl, each optionally substituted with halo, formyl, cyano, amino, nitro, C1-C4 alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, alkylamino, dialkylamino, haloalkyl, and haloalkenyl;
• d) C1-C4 alkoxy, alkenoxy, alkynoxy, C3-C6 cycloalkyloxy, cycloalkenyloxy, alkylthio, alkylsulfinyl, alkylsulfonyl, alkylamino, dialkylamino, alkylcarbonylamino, aminocarbonyl, alkylaminocarbonyl, dialkylaminocarbonyl, alkylcarbonyl, alkylcarbonyloxy, alkoxycarbonyl, (alkylthio)carbonyl, phenylcarbonylamino, phenylamino, each optionally substituted with halo;
• each R2 is independently selected from alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and phenyl, each optionally substituted with R4 or halogen;
• and wherein, when Q is C, R2 may also be selected from halo, alkoxy, alkylthio, alkylamino, and dialkylamino;
• wherein two R2 groups may be combined to form a cyclo group with Q;
• R4 is C1-C4 alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, alkylamino, or dialkylamino;
• or an agronomic salt thereof.

A method for increasing the vigor and/or the yield of an agronomic plant or its propagation material comprising treating the seed and/or the foliage of such plant with a compound having the formula:

• 15
• wherein R2 is ethyl, iso-propyl, propyl or allyl;
• A is N(CH3)1-nHnR5 or OR6 wherein n is 0 or 1, R5 is (CH3)m (CH3 CH2)3-mC, 1-methyl-1-cyclopentyl, 1-methyl-1-cyclohexyl or 2,3-dimethyl-2-butyl wherein m is 0, 1, 2 or 3 and R6 is independently R5, or 2,3,3-trimethyl-2-butyl;
• R3 is H or independently R4;
• and
• R4 is halo or CH3;
• with the proviso that when A is N(CH3)1-nHnR5, if R3 is H and R5 is 1-methyl-1-cyclohexyl or (CH3)m(CH2CH3)3-mC, where m is 0 or 3, or if R3 is halo and R2 is (CH3)m(CH3CH2)3-mC, where m is 3, then R2 cannot be ethyl;
• and with the proviso that when A is OR6 then m is equal to or less than 2, and if R3 is H or halo and R2 is ethyl or isopropyl, then R6 is (CH3)M(CH3CH2)3-MC where m is 1;
• or an agronomic salt thereof.