Methods of altering poppy characteristics
The present invention relates to the use of sulfonylurea compounds to alter physical and/or growth characteristics of poppy plants.
1. A method for effecting one or more of: reduction in the height of a Papaver somniferum plant, reduction in the lodging of a Papaver somniferum plant, reduction in the seed weight of a Papaver somniferum plant and increase in capsule weight of a Papaver somniferum plant, comprising the steps of applying an effective amount of a sulfonylurea compound or agriculturally acceptable salt or ester thereof to said Papaver somniferum plant or locus thereof.
2. A method according to claim 1 for reducing the height of a Papaver somniferum plant comprising the step of applying a height reducing effective amount of a sulfonylurea compound or agriculturally acceptable salt or ester thereof to said Papaver somniferum plant or locus thereof.
3. A method according to claim 1 for reducing lodging of a Papaver somniferum plant comprising the step of applying a lodging reducing effective amount of a sulfonylurea compound or agriculturally acceptable salt or ester thereof to said Papaver somniferum plant or locus thereof.
4. A method according to claim 1 for reducing the seed weight of a Papaver somniferum plant comprising the step of applying a seed weight reducing effective amount of a sulfonylurea compound or agriculturally acceptable salt or ester thereof to said Papaver somniferum plant or locus thereof.
5. A method according to claim 1 for increasing the capsule weight of a Papaver somniferum plant comprising the step of applying a capsule weight increasing effective amount of a sulfonylurea compound or agriculturally acceptable salt or ester thereof to said Papaver somniferum plant or locus thereof.
6. A method of increasing straw weight obtained from a Papaver somniferum plant comprising the step of applying a straw weight increasing effective amount of a sulfonylurea compound or agriculturally acceptable salt or ester thereof to said Papaver somniferum plant or locus thereof.
7. A method of increasing alkaloid yield and/or recovery from a Papaver somniferum plant comprising the step of applying an alkaloid yield and/or recovery increasing effective amount of a sulfonylurea compound or agriculturally acceptable salt or ester thereof to said Papaver somniferum plant or locus thereof.
8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the sulfonylurea compound is a compound of formula (1):
wherein A and B are independently an optionally substituted aryl or optionally substituted heteroaryl group, and R is H or C 1-4 alkyl.
9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the sulfonylurea compound is a compound of formula (1 a):
wherein A is an optionally substituted phenyl group or a 5-6-membered or 9-10-membered heteroaryl group; and B is optionally substituted 5-6-membered heteroaryl group.
10. A method according to claim 9 wherein B is an optionally substituted triazinyl or pyrimidinyl group.
11. A method according to claim 9 wherein A is an optionally substituted phenyl, pyridinyl, pyrimidinyl, thienyl, imidazo-pyridinyl or pyrazolyl group.
12. A method according to claim 9 wherein the sulfonylurea compound is selected from the group consisting of amidosulfuron, azimsulfuron, benzulfuron, chlorimuron, cyclosulfamuron, ethoxysulfuron, flazasulfuron, flucetasulfuron, halosulfuron, imazosulfuron, mesosulfuron, nicosulfuran, orthosulfamuron, oxasulfuron, primisulfuron, pyrazosulfuron, rimsulfuron, sulfometuron, sulfosulfuron, trifloxysulfuron, chlorosulfuron, ethametsulfuron, iodosulfuron, metasulfuron, prosulfuron, thifensulfuron, triasulfuron, tribenuron, triflusulfuron and tritosulfuron and their agriculturally acceptable salts and esters thereof.
13. A method according to claim 12 wherein the sulfonylurea compound is selected from metasulfuron methyl, triasulfuron, mesosulfuron-methyl, thifensulfuron methyl and sulfosulfuron.
14. A method according to claim 1 wherein the sulfonylurea compound is applied at a rate of less than 1g a.i per hectare.
15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the sulfonylurea compound is applied at a rate of from 5 to 800mg a.i per hectare.
16. A method according to claim 1 wherein the sulfonylurea compound is applied at one or more stages of: 4-6 leaf, 6-8 leaf, 8-10 leaf, row cover, ground cover, early run-up, mid run-up, late run-up, bud emergence, bud to hook, hook and flowering.
17. A method of obtaining alkaloid from a Papaver somniferum plant comprising the steps of:
(i) applying an amount of a sulfonylurea compound or agriculturally acceptable salt or ester thereof which is effective in reducing the height, lodging or seed weight or increasing capsule weight, alkaloid yield or alkaloid recovery, to said Papaver somniferum plant or locus thereof;
(ii) harvesting Papaver somniferum capsules and forming a straw therefrom; and
(iii) extracting the alkaloid from the straw.
18. A method of obtaining alkaloid from a Papaver somniferum plant comprising the steps of:
(i) applying an amount of a sulfonylurea compound or agriculturally acceptable salt or ester thereof which is effective in reducing the height, lodging or seed weight or increasing capsule weight, alkaloid yield or alkaloid recovery, to said Papaver somniferum plant or locus thereof;
(ii) harvesting opium from immature capsules; and
(iii) extracting the alkaloid from the opium.