METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR IMPROVING THE PROPERTIES AND PRODUCTIVITY OF PLANTS
Methods for improving the properties and productivity of plants are described. The methods include contacting the above-ground biomass of a plant with a composition that includes a monoglyceride. Applying the composition to the above-ground biomass can improve properties of the plant, including improved resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses, and can provide post-harvest benefits (e.g., extended shelf-life) to plant products (e.g., fruits or vegetables) that have not been harvested from the plant.
1 . A method of reducing the water requirements of a plant comprising contacting the above-ground biomass of the plant with a composition comprising one or more fatty acid derivatives.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more fatty acid derivatives comprise one or more fatty acids, fatty acid esters, or a combination thereof and one or more fatty acid salts.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more fatty acid esters comprise one or more monoglycerides.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the composition comprises from about 70% to about 99% by weight of the one or more fatty acids, fatty acid esters, or a combination thereof.
5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the composition comprises from about 1% to about 30% by weight of the one or more fatty acid salts.
6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the composition comprises from about 70% to about 99% by weight of one fatty acid or fatty acid ester; and from about 1% to about 30% by weight of one fatty acid salt.
7 - 11 . (canceled)
12 . The method of claim 2 , wherein each of the one or more fatty acids and fatty acid esters is an independently selected compound of Formula IA-A-i:
or a salt thereof,
wherein:
R A1 and R A2 are independently selected from H and C 1 -C 6 alkyl;
R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , and R 9 are independently selected from the group consisting of: H, OH, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, and C 1 -C 6 alkoxy;
each occurrence of R 10A , R 10B , R 11A , and R 11B is independently selected from the group consisting of: H, OH, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, and C 1 -C 6 alkoxy;
or any two R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10A , R 10B , R 11A , and R 11B on adjacent carbon atoms are taken together with the carbon atoms to which they are attached to form a double bond, a 3- to 6-membered ring heterocycle, or a C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl;
o is an integer from 0 to 17;
p is an integer from 0 to 17; and
wherein the sum of o and p is from 0 to 17.
13 . (canceled)
14 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the composition comprises a 1:1 by mass ratio of one or more monoglycerides selected from the group consisting of: 1-glyceryl palmitate, 1-glyceryl stearate, 1-glyceryl myristate, 1-glyceryl oleate, 1-glyceryl laurate, 1-glyceryl undecanoate, 1-glyceryl caprate, 2-glyceryl palmitate, 2-glyceryl stearate, 2-glyceryl myristate, 2-glyceryl oleate, 2-glyceryl laurate, 2-glyceryl undecanoate, and 2-glyceryl caprate,
and one or more fatty acid salts are selected from the group consisting of: SA-Na, PA-Na, MA-Na, SA-K, PA-K, or MA-K, (SA) 2 -Mg, (PA) 2 -Mg, (MA) 2 -Mg, (SA) 2 -Ca, (PA) 2 -Ca, and (MA) 2 -Ca.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the composition comprises 1-glyceryl palmitate, 1-glyceryl stearate and SA-Na.
16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the water requirements of the plant are reduced by between about 5% to about 50% as compared to a control group of untreated plants.
17 . A method of reducing damage to a plant due to an environmental factor comprising contacting the above-ground biomass of the plant with a composition comprising one or more fatty acid derivatives.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the one or more fatty acid derivatives comprise one or more fatty acids, fatty acid esters, or a combination thereof and one or more fatty acid salts.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the one or more fatty acid esters comprise one or more monoglycerides.
20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the composition comprises from about 70% to about 99% by weight of the one or more fatty acids, fatty acid esters, or a combination thereof.
21 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the composition comprises from about 1% to about 30% by weight of the one or more fatty acid salts.
22 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the composition comprises from about 70% to about 99% by weight of one fatty acid or fatty acid ester; and from about 1% to about 30% by weight of one fatty acid salt.
23 - 27 . (canceled)
28 . The method of claim 18 , wherein each of the one or more fatty acids and fatty acid esters is an independently selected compound of Formula IA-A-i:
or a salt thereof,
wherein:
R A1 and R A2 are independently selected from H and C 1 -C 6 alkyl;
R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , and R 9 are independently selected from the group consisting of: H, OH, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, and C 1 -C 6 alkoxy;
each occurrence of R 10A , R 10B , R 11A , and R 11B is independently selected from the group consisting of: H, OH, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, and C 1 -C 6 alkoxy;
or any two R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10A , R 10B , R 11A , and R 11B on adjacent carbon atoms are taken together with the carbon atoms to which they are attached to form a double bond, a 3- to 6-membered ring heterocycle, or a C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl;
o is an integer from 0 to 17;
p is an integer from 0 to 17; and
wherein the sum of o and p is from 0 to 17.
29 . (canceled)
30 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the composition comprises a 1:1 by mass ratio of one or more monoglycerides selected from the group consisting of: 1-glyceryl palmitate, 1-glyceryl stearate, 1-glyceryl myristate, 1-glyceryl oleate, 1-glyceryl laurate, 1-glyceryl undecanoate, 1-glyceryl caprate, 2-glyceryl palmitate, 2-glyceryl stearate, 2-glyceryl myristate, 2-glyceryl oleate, 2-glyceryl laurate, 2-glyceryl undecanoate, and 2-glyceryl caprate,
and one or more fatty acid salts are selected from the group consisting of: SA-Na, PA-Na, MA-Na, SA-K, PA-K, or MA-K, (SA) 2 -Mg, (PA) 2 -Mg, (MA) 2 -Mg, (SA) 2 -Ca, (PA) 2 -Ca, and (MA) 2 -Ca.
31 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the composition comprises 1-glyceryl palmitate, 1-glyceryl stearate and SA-Na.
32 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the damage to the treated plant due to the environmental factor is reduced by about 5% to about 50% as compared to a control group of untreated plants.
33 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the environmental factor is an abiotic factor, a biotic factor, or a combination thereof.
34 . (canceled)
35 . A method of extending the shelf-life of a plant product post-harvest, the method comprising contacting the above-ground biomass of a plant pre-harvest with a composition comprising one or more fatty acid derivatives.
36 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the one or more fatty acid derivatives comprise one or more fatty acids, fatty acid esters, or a combination thereof and one or more fatty acid salts.
37 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the one or more fatty acid esters comprise one or more monoglycerides.
38 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the composition comprises from about 70% to about 99% by weight of the one or more fatty acids, fatty acid esters, or a combination thereof.
39 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the composition comprises from about 1% to about 30% by weight of the one or more fatty acid salts.
40 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the composition comprises from about 70% to about 99% by weight of one fatty acid or fatty acid ester; and from about 1% to about 30% by weight of one fatty acid salt.
41 .- 45 . (canceled)
46 . The method of claim 36 , wherein each of the one or more fatty acids, fatty acid esters, or a combination thereof is an independently selected compound of Formula IA-A-i:
or a salt thereof,
wherein:
R A1 and R A2 are independently selected from H and C 1 -C 6 alkyl;
R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , and R 9 are independently selected from the group consisting of: H, OH, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, and C 1 -C 6 alkoxy;
each occurrence of R 10A , R 10B , R 11A , and R 11B is independently selected from the group consisting of: H, OH, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, and C 1 -C 6 alkoxy;
or any two R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10A , R 10B , R 11A , and R 11B on adjacent carbon atoms are taken together with the carbon atoms to which they are attached to form a double bond, a 3- to 6-membered ring heterocycle, or a C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl;
o is an integer from 0 to 17;
p is an integer from 0 to 17; and
wherein the sum of o and p is from 0 to 17.
47 . (canceled)
48 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the composition comprises a 1:1 by mass ratio of one or more monoglycerides selected from the group consisting of: 1-glyceryl palmitate, 1-glyceryl stearate, 1-glyceryl myristate, 1-glyceryl oleate, 1-glyceryl laurate, 1-glyceryl undecanoate, 1-glyceryl caprate, 2-glyceryl palmitate, 2-glyceryl stearate, 2-glyceryl myristate, 2-glyceryl oleate, 2-glyceryl laurate, 2-glyceryl undecanoate, and 2-glyceryl caprate,
and one or more fatty acid salts are selected from the group consisting of: SA-Na, PA-Na, MA-Na, SA-K, PA-K, or MA-K, (SA) 2 -Mg, (PA) 2 -Mg, (MA) 2 -Mg, (SA) 2 -Ca, (PA) 2 -Ca, and (MA) 2 -Ca.
49 . The method of claim 48 , wherein the composition comprises 1-glyceryl palmitate, 1-glyceryl stearate and SA-Na.
50 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the plant product is harvested from the pre-harvested plant on the same day that the pre-harvested plant is contacted with the composition.
51 .- 73 . (canceled)