IP Library Granted Patent US 12687552
Granted Patent B2
US 12687552 · App. 18/008,076 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Method for sensing plant hormone using rare earth compound, sensor using the same, and method for early detection of disease infection in plant

Inventors: Katsumi Maeda (Tokyo, JP); Shigeyuki Iwasa (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
G01N33/74C09K11/06G01N21/6428G01N27/3277G01N27/48G01N33/54373C09K2211/1007C09K2211/182G01N2021/6439
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12687552
App. No.
18/008,076
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a method for sensing methyl salicylate, which is a plant hormone released when a plant is infected with a disease in cultivation of plants including agricultural crops, and thereby provided a method for early in-situ detection of disease infection in a plant. With the present embodiment, disease infection in a plant can be detected at an early stage by utilizing a rare earth compound that selectively recognizes and forms a complex with methyl salicylate, which is a plant hormone released when a plant is infected by a pathogen, as a receptor for sensing, and by utilizing a fluorescence emission phenomenon and a change in electrochemical behavior after the reaction with methyl salicylate.

Claims (23)

1 . A sensing method for sensing methyl salicylate, using a rare earth compound as a receptor that recognizes methyl salicylate.

2 . The sensing method according to claim 1 , wherein the rare earth compound is acetate, chloride, oxalate, nitrate, propionate, isobutyrate, or pivalate of:

scandium (Sc), yttrium (Y), lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), promethium (Pm), samarium (Sm), europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), terbium (Tb), dysprosium (Dy), holmium (Ho), erbium (Er), thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb), or lutetium (Lu).

3 . The sensing method according to claim 1 , wherein the rare earth compound is acetate, chloride, oxalate, nitrate, propionate, isobutyrate, or pivalate of:

samarium (Sm), europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), terbium (Tb), or dysprosium (Dy).

4 . The sensing method according to claim 1 , wherein the rare earth compound is a complex compound formed with a phosphine oxide derivative.

5 . The sensing method according to claim 1 , wherein the sensing utilizes a phenomenon in which methyl salicylate reacts with the rare earth compound to form a rare earth complex and exhibit fluorescence emission.

6 . The sensing method according to claim 1 , wherein the sensing utilizes a phenomenon in which electrochemical behavior is changed by a reaction of the rare earth compound and methyl salicylate.

7 . The sensing method according to claim 6 , wherein the sensing utilizes a change in current value caused by a reaction of the rare earth compound and methyl salicylate.

8 . A methyl salicylate sensor for detecting methyl salicylate, at least comprising:

i) a recognition section for methyl salicylate that comprises a rare earth compound; and

ii) a detection section that detects recognition of methyl salicylate by the recognition section.

9 . A method for detecting pathogen infection in a crop, comprising installing the methyl salicylate sensor according to claim 8 in a vicinity of the crop, and detecting methyl salicylate by the sensor.

10 . The methyl salicylate sensor for detecting methyl salicylate according to claim 8 , the detection section comprising an optical and/or electrochemical detection element and a computer, wherein the methyl salicylate sensor has a program that causes the computer to execute:

i) receiving a signal from the optical and/or electrochemical detection element;

ii) analyzing the received signal to determine presence or absence of methyl salicylate and/or a concentration thereof; and

iii) outputting an analysis result.

11 . The methyl salicylate sensor for detecting methyl salicylate according to claim 8 , the detection section comprises an optical detection section that optically detects recognition of methyl salicylate by the recognition section.

12 . The methyl salicylate sensor according to claim 11 , wherein the optical detection section at least comprises an excitation light source and a detection element.

13 . The methyl salicylate sensor for detecting methyl salicylate according to claim 8 , the detection section comprises an electrochemical detection section that electrochemically detects recognition of methyl salicylate by the recognition section.

14 . The methyl salicylate sensor according to claim 13 , wherein the electrochemical detection section comprises an electrochemical cell having an electrode that detects a current caused by oxidation of a complex formed by the rare earth compound and methyl salicylate.

15 . A method for detecting pathogen infection in a crop, comprising installing the methyl salicylate sensor according to claim 10 in a vicinity of the crop, and detecting methyl salicylate by the sensor.

16 . The method for detecting pathogen infection in a crop according to claim 15 , wherein the methyl salicylate sensor is installed within 2 m from the crop.