COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR PROTECTING PLANTS FROM ORGANISMS
A method for protecting a plant from an arthropod may include applying an amount of a repellant composition including diatomaceous earth to a plant. According to some aspects, the repellent composition may render the plant unpalatable to the arthropod, resulting in death of the arthropod by starvation. A method for protecting a plant from an arthropod may include applying an amount of a repellant composition including diatomaceous earth to a plant. The arthropod may not include an exoskeleton, and the repellent composition may render the plant unpalatable to the arthropod, resulting in death of the arthropod by starvation.
1 . A method for protecting a plant from an arthropod, the method comprising:
applying an amount of a repellant composition comprising diatomaceous earth to a plant,
wherein the repellent composition renders the plant unpalatable to the arthropod, resulting in death of the arthropod by starvation.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the repellent composition does not directly cause mortality of the arthropod.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the repellent composition causes the arthropod to avoid contact with the plant.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plant is one of a corn plant, a citrus tree, a chickpea plant, a broccoli plant, a lettuce plant, a cabbage plant, and a strawberry plant.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the arthropod does not include an exoskeleton.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the arthropod is a soft-bodied organism.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the soft-bodied organism comprises a caterpillar.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the caterpillar comprises at least one of a caterpillar of moths, a caterpillar of earworm, a caterpillar of armyworm, a caterpillar of looper, and a caterpillar of leafminer.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the arthropod is one of a corn earworm, a psyllid, a thrip, an aphid, and a beetle.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the repellent composition further comprises at least one of soap and a composition including at least one of pyrethins and azadirachtin mixed in water.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the repellent composition is a slurry and comprises from 0.1 lbs. to 1.5 lbs. of diatomaceous earth per gallon of repellent composition.
12 - 19 . (canceled)
20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plant comprises one of a cereal, an oilseed, a fruit tree, a berry plant, a vegetable, a pasture plant, a forage plant, and a fungi.
21 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the arthropod is a corn earworm, and the plant is a chickpea plant.
22 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the arthropod is a psyllid, and the plant is a citrus tree.
23 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the arthropod is one of a thrip and a beetle, and the plant is a strawberry plant.
24 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the arthropod is a thrip, and the plant is a broccoli plant.
25 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the arthropod is an aphid, and the plant is a lettuce plant.
26 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the arthropod is a beetle, and the plant is a cabbage plant.
27 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the arthropod is an earworm, and the plant is one of a corn plant, a tomato plant, and a cotton plant.
28 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the arthropod is a corn earworm, and the plant is a chickpea plant.
29 . The method claim 1 , wherein the diatomaceous earth has a water adsorption ranging from 125% by weight to 175% by weight.
30 - 32 . (canceled)
33 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the diatomaceous earth has an oil adsorption ranging from 105% by weight to 155% by weight.
34 - 38 . (canceled)
39 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mineral composition is modified by silanization.
40 . (canceled)
41 . A method for protecting a plant from an arthropod, the method comprising:
applying an amount of a repellant composition comprising diatomaceous earth to a plant,
wherein the arthropod does not include an exoskeleton, and
wherein the repellent composition renders the plant unpalatable to the arthropod, resulting in death of the arthropod by starvation.
42 - 44 . (canceled)