METHODS OF REDUCING PLANT STRESS
A method of regulating plant genes is provided. The method provides improved drought stress or salinity stress for plants. The method comprises treating a part of a plant or the locus thereof with a composition of matter, the composition of matter comprising an agriculturally acceptable mixture of compounds of natural organic material of defined composition.
1 .- 20 . (canceled)
21 . 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 an effective amount of a composition of matter, 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 dissolved organic 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.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein said composition of matter up regulates a receptor of the plant.
23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the composition of matter down regulates at least one plant gene selected from the group consisting of 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 (proton antiporter), glycolipid transporter gene, calmodulin-related protein, protein kinase/sugar binding, protease inhibitor genes, pectinesterase family protein, oxidoreductase, transmembrane receptor gene, heat-shock protein gene, and senescence associated protein.
24 . The method of claim 21 , wherein said composition of matter up regulates at least one plant gene selected from plant regulator production or response genes, auxin-responsive family protein genes, gibberellin 20 oxidase genes, encoding amino acid transporter genes, carbohydrate transporter genes, purine transporter genes, genes encoding enzymes, defense-related genes, genes encoding transcription factor or transcription regulators, or genes encoding ATPase/ion movement.
25 . The method of claim 21 , wherein said composition of matter up regulates at least one plant gene selected from genes encoding transcription factors, genes encoding enzymes, genes encoding protein kinases, or genes encoding hydrolases.
26 . The method of claim 21 , wherein said composition of matter up regulates at least one plant gene selected from plant regulator production or response genes, auxin-responsive family protein genes, gibberellin 20 oxidase genes, encoding amino acid transporter genes, carbohydrate transporter genes, purine transporter genes, 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 factor genes, transcription regulator genes, growth genes, defense genes, metabolism genes, or ion transport genes.
27 . The method of claim 21 , 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.
28 . The method of claim 21 , 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.
29 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the improvement in stress reduction 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.
30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the stress is drought.
31 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the stress is selected from the group consisting from exposure to salt water, flooding, prolonged darkness, pest herbivory, and temperature variations.
32 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the improved agronomical recovery comprises at least one of increased plant weight, increased number of leaves, and increased stalk weight after discontinuation of the stress as compared to a similar plant not treated with the composition of matter
33 . A method of regulating at least one gene associated with stress response of a plant species, the method comprising
contacting a part of a plant or a locus thereof with an effective amount of a composition of matter, 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 dissolved organic 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
regulating the at least one gene up or down.
34 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the at least one gene regulates at least one plant gene selected from genes encoding transcription factors, genes encoding enzymes, genes encoding protein kinases, or genes encoding hydrolases.
35 . The method of claim 33 , 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.
36 . The method of claim 33 , 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.
37 . The method of claim 33 , 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.
38 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the environmental stress is drought.
39 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the environmental stress is selected from the group consisting from exposure to salt water, flooding, prolonged darkness, pest herbivory, and temperature variations.
40 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the improved agronomical recovery comprises at least one of increased plant weight, increased number of leaves, and increased stalk weight after discontinuation of the environmental stress as compared to a similar plant not treated with the composition of matter