Methods for delaying maturity of crops
Methods for delaying the maturity, coloration and/or senescence of fruits, vegetables, ornamentals, or non-food crops by applying phosphorous acid and/or its salts to the plants; or by applying mixtures of gibberellic acid and/or its salts and phosphorous acid and/or its salts to the plants. Applications may be made pre- or post-harvest at various temperatures and pH ranges. The unique combinations of phosphorous acid/salts with gibberellic acid/salts in embodiments of the present invention have been found to increase the effect of the gibberellic acid/salts on delaying maturation, coloration and senescence of plant tissues, thereby prolonging the shelf life of fruit, vegetables and/or non food crops in ways not previously realized.
1. A method of delaying the maturation of a crop comprising the steps of:
a. preparing a mixture comprising at least one phosphite source selected from the group consisting of phosphorous acid, a salt of phosphorous acid, and combinations thereof, wherein the total concentration of said at least one phosphite source in said mixture is not greater than about 2% and about 3% (w/w); and a gibberellic acid source selected from the group consisting of gibberellic acid, a salt of gibberellic acid, and combinations thereof wherein said mixture comprises an aqueous solution; and
b. applying said mixture to exterior surfaces of said crop in order to delay the maturation of said crop.
2. The method of claim 1 where the concentration range of said gibberellic acid source is about 100 ppm.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said crop is sprayed with the mixture in situ pre harvest.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the pH of said mixture is between about 3 and about 9.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the pH of said mixture is about 6.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said mixture is applied post harvest.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said mixture is applied at a temperature of between about 45° F. and about 150° F.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein said mixture is applied at a temperature of about 50° F.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein said mixture is applied at a temperature of about 75° F.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein said mixture is applied at an ambient temperature.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein said mixture is sprayed onto crop in a field having night temperatures of between about 0° C. and about 10° C., and day temperatures of between about 10° C. and about 25° C.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein said mixture is sprayed onto crop in a field having an ambient temperature range of between about 10° C. and about 30° C.
13. A method of delaying the maturation of a crop comprising the steps of:
a. harvesting a crop; and
b. applying a mixture to exterior surfaces of said harvested crop in order to delay the maturation thereof, said mixture comprising an aqueous solution comprising
at least one phosphite source selected from the group consisting of phosphorous acid, a salt of phosphorous acid, and combinations thereof, wherein the total concentration of said at least one phosphite source in said mixture is not greater than about 2% and about 3% (w/w), and
a gibberellic acid source selected from the group consisting of gibberellic acid, a salt of gibberellic acid, and combinations thereof.
14. The method of claim 13 where the concentration range of said gibberellic acid source is about 100 ppm.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein the pH of said mixture is between about 3 and about 9.
16. The method of claim 13 wherein the pH of said mixture is about 6.
17. The method of claim 13 wherein said mixture is applied at a temperature of between about 45° F. and about 150° F.
18. The method of claim 13 wherein said mixture is applied at a temperature of about 50° F.
19. The method of claim 13 wherein said mixture is applied at a temperature of about 75° F.
20. A method of delaying the maturation of harvested crop comprising the step of applying to exterior surfaces said harvested crop a mixture comprising
at least one phosphite source selected from the group consisting of phosphorous acid, a salt of phosphorous acid, and combinations thereof, wherein the total concentration of all said phosphite sources in said mixture is not greater than about 2% and about 3% (w/w), and
a gibberellic acid source selected from the group consisting of gibberellic acid, a salt of gibberellic acid, and combinations thereof.
21. A method of delaying the maturation of a crop comprising the steps of:
a. preparing a mixture comprising at least one phosphite source selected from the group consisting of phosphorous acid, an ammonium salt of phosphorous, a calcium salt of phosphorous acid, a potassium salt of phosphorous acid, a sodium salt of phosphorous acid, and combinations thereof, wherein the total concentration of all phosphite sources in said mixture is not greater than about 2% and about 3% (w/w); and a gibberellic acid source selected from the group consisting of gibberellic acid, a salt of gibberellic acid, and combinations thereof wherein said mixture comprises an aqueous solution; and
b. applying said mixture to exterior surfaces of said crop in order to delay the maturation of said crop.
22. The method of claim 21 wherein said crop is sprayed with the mixture in situ pre harvest.
23. The method of claim 21 wherein the pH of said mixture is between about 3 and about 9.
24. The method of claim 21 wherein the pH of said mixture is about 6.
25. The method of claim 21 wherein said mixture is applied post harvest.
26. The method of claim 21 wherein said mixture is applied at a temperature of between about 45° F. and about 150° F.
27. The method of claim 21 wherein said mixture is applied at a temperature of about 50° F.
28. The method of claim 21 wherein said mixture is applied at a temperature of about 75° F.
29. The method of claim 21 wherein said mixture is applied at an ambient temperature.
30. The method of claim 21 wherein said mixture is sprayed onto crop in a field having night temperatures of between about 0° C. and about 10° C., and day temperatures of between about 10° C. and about 25° C.
31. The method of claim 21 wherein said mixture is sprayed onto crop in a field having an ambient temperature range of between about 10° C. and about 30° C.
32. The method of claim 21 wherein the pH of said mixture is between about 3 and about 9.