Method for using mustard meal or an extract thereof

Abstract

Disclosed are embodiments of a method of using mustard meal or mustard meal extract. Certain embodiments concern controlling vegetable sprouting, such as potato sprouting. Vegetables, such as potatoes, may be exposed to products resulting from mustard meal, or an extract thereof, contacting water. Other embodiments concern a process for controlling plant pests, such as insects, nematodes, fungi, weeds, and combinations thereof, with specific embodiments being particularly useful for weed suppression. Certain embodiments comprise extracting glucosinolates from plant material, or processed plant material, selected from the family Brassicaceae, particularly from the genera Brassica and Sinapis. Extracted glucosinolates can be hydrolyzed to form active compounds, or alternatively, they can be hydrolyzed in situ, by simultaneously or sequentially applying myrosinase. The extract can be applied to plants, to the soil adjacent to the plant.

1 . A method, comprising spraying or fogging an atmosphere of a vegetable storage facility that contains a bulb vegetable, corm vegetable, tuber vegetable, or a combination thereof, with an aqueous composition comprising a volatile product formed by a mixture of water and  Brassica juncea  seed meal,  Brassica juncea  seed meal extract or a combination thereof, thereby preventing the bulb vegetable, the corm vegetable, the tuber vegetable, or a combination thereof stored in the storage facility from sprouting. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the volatile product comprises 2-propenyl isothiocyanate. 
     
     
         3 . A method, comprising:
 extracting  Brassica juncea  seed meal with an extraction solvent comprising from 60% to less than 100% ethanol and from greater than zero to 40% water to produce an extract;   concentrating and drying the extract to produce extracted compounds; and   forming an aqueous composition comprising the extracted compounds suitable for administration by spraying or fogging.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the aqueous composition comprises 2-propenyl isothiocyanate.