ALTERNATIVE DEVICE AND METHODS FOR APPLICATION OF 1-METHYLCYCLOPROPENE TO FRUIT
The present disclosure relates to a device and methods for administering 1-MCP treatment as a substrate to inhibit ripening of agricultural plants and crops, such as fruit.
1 . A method of treating small quantities of plants or plant parts with a ripening inhibitor treatment comprising:
placing the plants or plant parts in a bin,
administering a ripening inhibitor treatment comprising a cyclopropene compound to the plants or plant parts in the bin, and
delaying the ripening of the plants or plant parts.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plants or plant parts comprise apples or pears.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ripening inhibitor treatment is administered to the bin of plants or plant parts as a liquid composition.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the ripening inhibitor treatment comprises about 0.5% to about 50% of the cyclopropene compound.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cyclopropene compound is 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) or an analog or derivative thereof.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the 1-MCP or analog or derivative thereof comprises the following structure:
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the R is methyl.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ripening inhibitor treatment comprises 0.10 g to 1.05 g of 1-MCP compound.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bin is sealed.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bin has a volume ranging from about 50 pounds to about 2000 pounds.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cyclopropene compound is selected from the group consisting of AFxRD-038, AFx701w, AFx701, and combinations thereof.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ripening inhibitor treatment is administered at a rate of about 100 gal/acre to about 500 gal/acre of plants or plant parts.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ripening inhibitor treatment is not recycled.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is effective in reducing the spread of infection and disease among the plants or plant parts.
15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein administering the ripening inhibitor treatment does not require a confined space.
16 . A wand device to perform the method of claim 1 , wherein the wand device comprises:
one or more sprayers located at the proximal end of the wand device,
one or more hoses located at the distal end of the wand device,
a shaft that connects the one or more sprayers to the one or more hoses, and
the ripening inhibitor treatment.
17 . The wand device of claim 16 , wherein the shape of the one or more sprayers is circular or straight.
18 . The wand device of claim 16 , wherein the one or more sprayers comprise one or more orifices through which the ripening inhibitor treatment is released.
19 . The wand device of claim 18 , wherein the one or more orifices are located around the circumference of a single side of the one or more sprayers.
20 . A method of administering a ripening inhibitor treatment to small quantities of plants or plant parts according to the method of claim 1 comprising:
placing the plants or plant parts in the bin for a treatment time period,
wherein the bin has a temperature and an atmosphere to which plants and plant parts are exposed during the treatment time period,
administering a ripening inhibitor treatment comprising 1-MCP to the plants or plant parts in the bin during the treatment time period.