Compounds for Increasing Frost Tolerance in Plants

A method of increasing the abiotic stress tolerance of a plant, the method comprising administering to the plant a compound depicted in formula (II) as

• wherein R1 is H or
• and R2 is H,
• or wherein R1 and R2 together form an N-substituted maleimide structure:
• wherein R5 is H or
• wherein the bound depicted as connects the structure with the nitrogen (N—)
• and wherein R3 is H or
• wherein the bound depicted as connects the structure with the aryl moiety
• and wherein R4 is
• and wherein R6 is selected from the list consisting of
• wherein the bound depicted as connects the structures with the amide moiety, and the use of agronomically acceptable salts of these structures, and individual enantiomers and diastereomers thereof, for increasing the abiotic stress tolerance in plants.

A method for increasing the cold tolerance or frost tolerance of a plant, the method comprising administering to the plant a compound depicted in formula (II) as

• wherein R1 is H or
• and R2 is H,
• or wherein R1 and R2 together form an N-substituted maleimide structure:
• wherein R5 is H or
• wherein the bound depicted as connects the structure with the nitrogen (N—)
• and wherein R3 is H or
• wherein the bound depicted as connects the structure with the aryl moiety
• and wherein R4 is
• and wherein R6 is selected from the list consisting of
• wherein the bound depicted as connects the structures with the amide moiety, and the use of agronomically acceptable salts of these structures, and individual enantiomers and diastereomers thereof.