Application of mixotrophic chlorella for the improved yield and quality of solanaceae plants

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9386774-B2
Application number	US-201514602362-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2015
Priority date	Dec 16, 2014
Publication date	Jul 12, 2016
Grant date	Jul 12, 2016

Abstract

Methods of improving the yield and quality of plants in the Solanaceae family by administering an effective amount of a mixotrophic Chlorella based liquid composition in low concentration and low frequency applications are disclosed. The administration may comprise soil or foliar applications of the composition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for enhancing yield of a Solanaceae plant, the method comprising: administering a liquid composition treatment comprising a Chlorella culture in which the microalgae cell content of the culture consists essentially of whole pasteurized Chlorella cells in a concentration in the range of 0.001-0.400% solids by weight to a Solanaceae plant in an amount effective to increase utilization in a population of such plants compared to a substantially identical population of untreated plants.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the administration comprises contacting foliage of the plants with an effective amount of the liquid composition.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the liquid composition comprises a concentration in the range of 0.003-0.080% solids by weight of whole pasteurized Chlorella cells.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the liquid composition is administered at a rate in the range of 10-50 gallons/acre.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the liquid compositions is administered by spraying.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the liquid composition is administered every 3-28 days.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the liquid composition is administered every 4-10 days.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein the liquid composition is first administered 5-14 days after the plants emerges from the soil.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the administration comprises contacting soil in the immediate vicinity of the plants with an effective amount of the liquid composition.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the liquid composition comprises a concentration in the range of 0.003-0.055% solids by weight of whole pasteurized Chlorella cells.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the liquid composition comprises a concentration in the range of 0.040-0.360% solids by weight of whole pasteurized Chlorella cells.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the liquid composition is administered at a rate in the range of 50-150 gallons per acre.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the liquid composition is administered to the soil by a low volume irrigation system.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the liquid composition is administered to the soil by a soil drench application.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the liquid composition is administered every 3-28 days.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the liquid composition is administered every 4-10 days.

17. The method of claim 9 , wherein the liquid composition is first administered 5-14 days after the plant emerges from the soil.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Solanaceae plant comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of tomato and bell pepper plants.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the whole Chlorella cells have not been subjected to a drying process.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid composition further comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid and potassium sorbate.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Chlorella cells are cultured in mixotrophic conditions.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid composition does not contain an active ingredient for increasing utilization in the population of plants other than the culture of whole Chlorella cells.

23. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises increasing at least one from the group consisting of marketable plant weight, marketable plant yield, and marketable fruit weight.

24. The method of claim 1 , wherein the utilization is increased by at least 80% compared to a substantially identical population of untreated plants.

25. The method of claim 23 , wherein the marketable plant weight is increased by at least 200% compared to a substantially identical population of untreated plants.

26. The method of claim 23 , wherein the marketable plant yield is increased by at least 150% compared to a substantially identical population of untreated plants.

27. The method of claim 23 , wherein the marketable fruit weight is increased by at least 10% compared to a substantially identical population of untreated plants.

28. A method of enhancing yield of a Solanaceae plant, the method comprising:
a. Providing a liquid composition treatment comprising a Chlorella culture in which the microalgae cell content of the culture consists essentially of whole pasteurized Chlorella cells in a concentration in the range of 5-30% solids by weight;
b. Diluting the liquid composition with water to a concentration in the range of 0.001-0.400% solids by weight of whole pasteurized Chlorella cells; and
c. Administering the liquid composition treatment to a Solanaceae plant in an amount effective to increase plant yield in a population of such plants compared to a substantially identical population of untreated plants.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the liquid composition is administered to at least one of soil in the immediate vicinity of the plants and foliage of the plants.

30. The method of claim 28 , wherein the liquid composition is administered every 3-28 days.

Assignees

• Heliae Dev Llc

Inventors

• Shinde Sandip
• Donowitz Nicholas
• Rohlfsen Michael Clint

Classifications

• C12N1/12

  Unicellular algae; Culture media therefor (as new plants A01H13/00) · CPC title

• A01G33/00

  Cultivation of seaweed {or algae} · CPC title

• C12N1/005

  after treatment of microbial biomass not covered by C12N1/02 - C12N1/08 · CPC title

• A01N65/03 Primary

  Algae · CPC title