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AssigneeBiotechnologies for Horticulture, Inc.
InventorsJames Daly, Bob Kourelis
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The present invention generally relates to the regulation of plant physiology, in particular to methods for inhibiting the ethylene response in plants or plant products, and has three embodiments. The first embodiment relates to methods of minimizing impurities capable of reversibly binding to plant ethylene receptor sites during the synthesis of cyclopropene and its derivatives such as methylcyclopropene, thereby avoiding the negative effects these impurities have on plants treated with cyclopropene and its derivatives. The second embodiment relates to complexes formed from molecular encapsulation agents such as cyclodextrin, and cyclopropene and its derivatives such as methylcyclopropene, in addition to cyclopentadiene and diazocyclopentadiene and their derivatives, thereby providing a convenient means for storing and transporting these compounds capable of inhibiting the ethylene response in plants, which are reactive gases and highly unstable because of oxidation and other potential reactions. The third embodiment relates to convenient methods of delivering to plants these compounds capable of inhibiting the ethylene response in the plants in order to extend their shelf life.
A complex formed from a molecular encapsulation agent and a compound having the following structure ##STR8## wherein n is a number from 1 to 4 and R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, saturated or unsaturated C1 to C4 alkyl, hydroxy, halogen, C1 to C4 alkoxy, amino and carboxy.
A complex formed from a molecular encapsulation agent and methylcyclopropene.
A method of delivering a compound to a plant to inhibit an ethylene response in the plant, the method comprising the step of contacting a complex formed from a molecular encapsulation agent and a compound having the following structure ##STR9## wherein n is a number from 1 to 4 and R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, saturated or unsaturated C1 to C4 alkyl, hydroxy, halogen, C1 to C4 alkoxy, amino and carboxy, with a solvent capable of dissolving the molecular encapsulation agent, and thereby liberating the compound from the molecular encapsulation agent so that it can contact the plant.
A method of delivering methylcyclopropene to a plant in order to inhibit an ethylene response in the plant, the method comprising the step of contacting a complex formed between a molecular encapsulation agent and methylcyclopropene with a solvent capable of dissolving the molecular encapsulation agent, and thereby liberating the methylcyclopropene from the molecular encapsulation agent so that it can contact the plant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.