Methods of reducing plant abiotic stress by applying a composition comprising lignins, tannins, and hydrocarbons

1. A method of improving abiotic stress-response in a plant, the method comprising contacting a part of a seed, a plant, or a locus thereof with a composition of matter at a rate of about 0.01 gram/hectare to about 10.0 gram/hectare dry weight, the composition of matter comprising two or more of:

a. a mixture of condensed hydrocarbons, lignins, and tannins and/or condensed tannins;

b. an oxygen-to-carbon ratio for the composition of matter of greater than about 0.5;

c. a total number of tannin compounds greater than about 200, the tannin compounds having a hydrogen to carbon ratio of about 0.5 to about 1.4, and an aromaticity index of less than about 0.7 as measured by mass spectroscopy; or

d. a mass distribution of about 55-60% lignin compounds, 27-35% tannin compounds, and about 8-15% condensed hydrocarbon as measured by mass spectroscopy and

improving the abiotic stress response of a plant exposed to an abiotic stress.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition of matter up regulates a cell surface receptor of the plant.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition of matter down regulates at least one plant gene selected from WRKY element, an ethylene-responsive element, ABA repressor, salt tolerance zinc finger motif, high light responsive element, a putative disease resistance gene, putative chitinase protein, calcium ion binding proteins, zinc ion binding proteins, phosphate induced protein, ABC transporter family protein, cation/hydrogen exchanger, glycolipid transporter gene, calmodulin-related protein, protein kinase/sugar binding, protease inhibitor genes, pectinesterase family protein, oxidoreductase, transmembrane receptor gene, heat-shock protein gene, or senescence associated protein.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition of matter up regulates at least one plant gene selected from plant regulator production or responses, auxin-responsive family proteins, gibberellin 20 oxidase genes, encoding amino acid transporters, carbohydrate transporters, purine transporters, genes encoding enzyme, defense-related genes, genes encoding transcription factor or transcription regulators, or genes encoding ATPase/ion movement.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition of matter up regulates at least one plant gene selected from genes encoding transcription factors, genes encoding enzymes, protein kinases or hydrolases.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition of matter up regulates at least one plant gene selected from plant regulator production or responses, auxin-responsive family proteins, gibberellin 20 oxidase genes, encoding amino acid transporters, carbohydrate transporters, purine transporters, genes encoding enzyme, defense-related genes, genes encoding transcription factor or transcription regulators, or genes encoding ATPase/ion movement; and down regulates at least one plant gene selected from transcription factors, transcription regulators, growth, defense, metabolism, or ion transport.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition of matter comprises a mixture of condensed hydrocarbons, lignins, and tannins and/or condensed tannins, wherein at least 10% of the total % of compounds of the composition are tannins and/or condensed tannins.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition of matter comprises a mixture of condensed hydrocarbons, lignins, and tannins and/or condensed tannins, wherein at least 20% of the total % of compounds of the composition are tannins and/or condensed tannins.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the improvement in stress response comprises improved agronomical recovery of the plant after said stress is reduced or discontinued as compared to a similar plant species not treated with said composition of matter.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the stress is drought.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the stress is exposure to saline water.

12. A method of regulating at least one gene of a plant species, the method comprising

contacting a part of a plant or a locus thereof with a composition of matter at a rate of about 0.01 gram/hectare to about 10.0 gram/hectare dry weight, the composition of matter comprising two or more of:

a. a mixture of condensed hydrocarbons, lignins, and tannins and/or condensed tannins;

b. an oxygen-to-carbon ratio for the composition of matter of greater than about 0.5;

c. a total number of tannin compounds greater than about 200, the tannin compounds having a hydrogen to carbon ratio of about 0.5 to about 1.4, and an aromaticity index of less than about 0.7 as measured by mass spectroscopy; or

d. a mass distribution of about 55-60% lignin compounds, 27-35% tannin compounds, and about 8-15% condensed hydrocarbon as measured by mass spectroscopy;

wherein the at least one gene regulates plant function associated with growth, defense, metabolism, or ion transport.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one gene regulates at least one plant gene selected from genes encoding transcription factors, genes encoding enzymes, protein kinases or hydrolases.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the composition of matter comprises a mixture of condensed hydrocarbons, lignins, and tannins and/or condensed tannins, wherein at least 10% of the total % of compounds of the composition are tannins and/or condensed tannins.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the composition of matter comprises a mixture of condensed hydrocarbons, lignins, and tannins and/or condensed tannins, wherein at least 20% of the total % of compounds of the composition are tannins and/or condensed tannins.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one gene regulated provides improved agronomical recovery of the plant after an environmental stress is reduced or discontinued as compared to a similar plant species not treated with said composition of matter.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the environmental stress is drought.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the environmental stress is exposure to saline water.

19. The method of claim 2 , wherein said composition of matter up regulates a cell surface receptor of the plant and down regulates another cell surface receptor of the plant.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein said composition of matter up regulates at least one plant gene selected from plant regulator production or responses, auxin-responsive family proteins, gibberellin 20 oxidase genes, encoding amino acid transporters, carbohydrate transporters, purine transporters, genes encoding enzyme, defense-related genes, genes encoding transcription factor or transcription regulators, or genes encoding ATPase/ion movement; or down regulates at least one plant gene selected from transcription factors, transcription regulators, growth, defense, metabolism, or ion transport.

21. A method of improving abiotic stress-response in a plant, the method comprising contacting a foliar surface of a plant with a composition of matter at a rate of about 0.01 gram/hectare to about 10.0 gram/hectare dry weight, the composition of matter comprising two or more of:

a. a mixture of condensed hydrocarbons, lignins, tannins and/or condensed tannins;

b. an oxygen-to-carbon-ratio for the composition of matter of greater than about 0.5;

c. a total number of tannin compounds greater than about 200, the tannin compounds having a hydrogen to carbon ratio of about 0.5 to about 1.4, and an aromaticity index of less than about 0.7 as measured by mass spectroscopy; or

d. a mass distribution of about 55-60% lignin compounds, 27-35% tannin compounds, and about 8-15% condensed hydrocarbon as measured by mass spectroscopy and

improving the abiotic stress response of a plant exposed to an abiotic stress.