Composition and Method for Stress Mitigation in Plants

Abstract

A composition and method to mitigate plant autophagy and/or apoptosis of newly developing cells in plants grown under environmentally stressful growing conditions, such as high temperature. Exogenous application of a cytokinin, preferably kinetin, to either the roots or the foliage (i.e., flowers and leaves) of plants has been discovered to overcome, or at least substantially mitigate, autophagy when applied during or just prior to flowering. Experimental results indicate that high temperature-induced autophagy, and subsequent new cell apoptosis, is the result of a deficiency of cytokinin in the plant tissues. The application of low concentrations of potassium together with the cytokinin appears to provide a synergistic effect by amplifying the effect of the cytokinin to lessen autophagy and increase crop productivity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A method of farming comprising the steps of:
 readying an autophagy-inhibiting agent for application to growing plants, said autophagy inhibiting agent consisting of a plant hormone, said plant hormone including a cytokinin,   readying a potassium salt for application to said growing plants, and   applying said autophagy-inhibiting agent and said potassium salt in an aqueous solution to the foliage or flowers of said growing plants, or to the soil in which said plants are growing, during or just prior to flowering, said aqueous solution applied to said growing plants such that between about 0.09 grams to about 0.76 grams of cytokinin are applied per acre of growing plants wherein, said potassium salt is applied to the foliage or flowers of said growing plants, or to the soil in which said plants are growing, at the rate of about 0.25 lb. to about 0.50 lbs. potassium salt per acre.   
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A method of growing plants comprising the steps of:
 readying a plant hormone and potassium for application to foliage or flowers of plants that grow in an average daytime temperature above about 20 degrees Celsius, said plant hormone having cytokinin as a majority component, and   applying an aqueous solution of said plant hormone and said potassium to the foliage or flowers of said plants, or to the soil in which said plants are growing, during or just prior to flowering, said cytokinin applied to said plants at a rate between about 0.09 grams per acre to about 0.76 grams per acre wherein, said potassium is applied to the foliage or flowers of said plants, or to the soil in which said plants are growing, at a rate of between about 0.25 lb. to about 0.50 lbs. per acre.   
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein,
 said average daytime temperature above about 20 degrees Celsius occurs during or just prior to flowering. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein,
 said average daytime temperature exceeds about 30 degrees Celsius. 
 
     
     
         14 . A composition for mitigating environmental stress in growing plants, said composition comprising:
 a plant hormone including primarily a cytokinin, said cytokinin being present in an aqueous solution of said composition at a concentration of between about 0.1 ppm to about 3.4 ppm cytokinin, said composition being an amount effective to lessen plant autophagy under an average daytime growing temperature above 30 degrees Celsius and a potassium salt present in said composition at a concentration of between about 500 ppm to about 4,000 ppm potassium salt.   
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A composition for lessening environmental stress in growing plants, said composition comprising:
 a plant hormone having cytokinin as a majority component, said cytokinin being present in an aqueous solution of said composition at a concentration such that between about 0.09 grams to about 0.76 grams of cytokinin may be applied per acre of said growing plants when said composition is so applied, said composition being an amount effective to lessen plant autophagy under an average daytime growing temperature above 30 degrees Celsius and   a potassium salt being present in said aqueous solution of said composition at a concentration such that between about 0.25 lb. to about 0.50 lbs. of potassium salt may be applied per acre of said growing plants when said composition is so applied.