Herbicidal composition and a method of using a naturally-occurring organic compound as a herbicide

Abstract

A method of controlling unwanted plants, the method including providing an herbicidal composition, the herbicidal composition containing at least a naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound, and applying the herbicidal composition to the unwanted plants.

1 . A method of controlling unwanted plants, the method comprising: 
 providing an herbicidal composition, the herbicidal composition comprising a naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound; and    applying the herbicidal composition to the unwanted plants.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound is glycine betaine.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound is selected from the group consisting of glycine betaine, alanine-betaine, proline-betaine, histidine-betaine, tryptophan-betaine, pipecholate-betaine, and any of these in any combination.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound is a quartenary ammonium salt.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound is less toxic than common table salt.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound has an LD 50  that is greater than about 11,000 mg of the naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound per kilogram of rat body weight when the naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound is orally administered to rats.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound kills the unwanted plants after the herbicidal composition is applied to the unwanted plants.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the unwanted plants are selected from the group consisting of aquatic weeds and terrestrial weeds.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the unwanted plants are dicotyledonous plants.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the herbicidal composition is effective for killing any dicotyledonous plant; and  
 post-embryonic monocotyledonous plants are not harmed by the herbicidal composition.  
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising applying a fertilizer to the unwanted plants prior to, during, or after application of the herbicidal composition to the unwanted plants, the fertilizer causing increased uptake of the naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound by the unwanted weeds.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the unwanted plants cause diminished water clarity in a body of water, the naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound increasing the water clarity after application of the herbicidal composition to the unwanted plants.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the herbicidal composition comprises a molasses processing byproduct that is derived from sugar beets.  
     
     
         14 . A method of killing weeds, the method comprising: 
 providing an herbicidal composition, the herbicidal composition comprising glycine betaine; and    applying the herbicidal composition to the weeds, the glycine betaine effective to kill the weeds.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein: 
 the herbicidal composition is effective for killing any dicotyledonous plant; and  
 post-embryonic monocotyledonous plants are not harmed by the herbicidal composition.  
 
     
     
         16 . A method of improving water clarity in a body of water, the method comprising: 
 providing an herbicidal composition, the herbicidal composition comprising a naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound; and    distributing the herbicidal composition in the body of water where water clarity is diminished, the naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound effective to enhance the diminished water clarity.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound is glycine betaine.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound is capable of increasing the water clarity without harming fish or amphibians present in the body of water.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound has an LD 50  that is greater than about 11,000 mg of the naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound per kilogram of rat body weight when the naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound is orally administered to rats.  
     
     
         20 . An herbicidal composition, the herbicidal composition comprising glycine betaine.  
     
     
         21 . An herbicidal composition, the herbicidal composition comprising a molasses processing byproduct that is derived from sugar beets.  
     
     
         22 . An herbicidal composition, the herbicidal composition comprising a naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound, the naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound capable of killing unwanted plants after the herbicidal composition is applied to the unwanted plants.  
     
     
         23 . The herbicidal composition of  claim 22  wherein the herbicidal composition is effective for killing any dicotyledonous plant without harming any post-embryonic monocotyledonous plants.  
     
     
         24 . The herbicidal composition of  claim 23  wherein the naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound has an LD 50  that is greater than about 11,000 mg of the naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound per kilogram of rat body weight when the naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound is orally administered to rats.  
     
     
         25 . The herbicidal composition of  claim 22  wherein the unwanted plants cause diminished water clarity in a body of water, the naturally-occurring, plant-derived organic compound capable of increasing the water clarity after application of the herbicidal composition to the unwanted plants.