PL248638B1 - Application of ammonium salts containing alkyl L-carnitate cation and gentisate anion as rooting agents for dicotyledonous plants and composition of rooting agent for dicotyledonous plants - Google Patents

Abstract

The subject of the application is the use of alkyl L-carnitate gentisates of the general formula 1, where R is an unbranched alkyl chain with a length of 2 to 18 carbon atoms as rooting agents for dicotyledonous plants, as well as a composition for rooting dicotyledonous plants.

Description

The subject of the invention is the use of ammonium salts containing the alkyl L-carnitate cation and the gentisate anion as rooting agents for dicotyledonous plants, as well as a composition for rooting dicotyledonous plants.

Rooting agents are biostimulants, a group of compounds that improve plant metabolic processes. They support the development of the root system and enable more efficient uptake of nutrients essential for proper plant development at every stage of its life. Rooting agents contain hormones that stimulate plant growth and accelerate fruit formation. Hormones that naturally occur in plants include auxins, such as indole-2-acetic acid (IAA) and phenylacetic acid (PAA). Rooting agents are crucial in the agricultural and food industries due to the increasing demand for food caused by the constantly growing global population. The use of such growth stimulants will significantly increase annual harvests.

L-carnitine is a naturally occurring substance found in nervous tissue, skeletal muscle, and the heart. In the human body, it is synthesized in the liver and kidneys from the amino acids lysine and methionine. It is used as a dietary supplement for athletes, supporting muscle performance during intense exercise. It also acts as a dietary supplement and supports the reduction of unwanted body fat. As a betaine derivative, L-carnitine can be classified as a green chemistry raw material. It is non-toxic to the environment and therefore does not cause environmental degradation.

L-carnitine supports plant growth under stressful conditions, such as those lacking sufficient light, oxygen, or water. It accelerates and supports the proper development of many cultivated plants. Therefore, we can assume it holds the future for the agricultural industry, which strives to minimize the negative impact of growth stimulants on the ecosystem.

Gentisic acid is an organic compound belonging to the phenolic acid group. It occurs in the form of light yellow crystals. It is naturally obtained from gentian root. It is used primarily in the cosmetics industry. It lightens existing pigmentation and prevents new pigmentation by being a strong inhibitor of the enzyme tyrosinase required for melanin synthesis. It is known for its gentle and safe action.

It should be emphasized that compounds containing an L-carnitine alkyl ester cation and a gentisate anion have already been described in patent application number PL447659 entitled "New quaternary ammonium salts containing an alkyl L-carnitine cation and a gentisate anion, a method for their preparation, and use as new forms of antioxidants." However, the use of these compounds as effective rooting agents is not described in this document, and the current state of knowledge does not indicate that such cation-anion combinations can be effective for this specific application. Therefore, in light of the current state of knowledge, the use of alkyl L-carnitine gentisates, the subject of this invention, as rooting agents for dicotyledonous plants is a scientific novelty.

The essence of the invention is the use of ammonium salts containing an alkyl L-carnitate cation and a gentisate anion containing an ester bond in their structure, of the general formula 1, where R is an unbranched alkyl chain with a length of 2, 6, 12 and 18 carbon atoms, as rooting agents for dicotyledonous plants - preferably in the form of aqueous solutions in which the concentration of the active substance is from 0.0044 g/L to 0.44 g/L.

The identified compounds are:

• Ethyl L-carnitate gentisate • Hexyl L-carnitate gentisate • Dodecyl L-carnitate gentisate • Octadecyl L-carnitate gentisate

The composition of the rooting agent for dicotyledonous plants is an aqueous solution of ammonium salts containing an ester bond in the cation, of the general formula 1, where R is an unbranched alkyl chain with a length of 2, 6, 12 and 18 carbon atoms, in a concentration of 0.0044 g/L to 0.44 g/L.

The invention is illustrated in the examples below. Phytotoxicity tests of the obtained salts were performed in accordance with OECD standards (OECD, Test No. 8: Terrestrial Plant Test: Seedling Emergence and Seedling Growth Test, OECD Publishing, no. July, 2006), using the Phytotoxkit,

PL 248638 Β1, allowing observations of plant germination and early growth. The experiments were carried out using a selected test plant – common garden cress (Lepidium sativum). 60 g of soil (17.5 g dry matter) was soaked in 40 ^cm3 of demineralized water containing selected salts dissolved in amounts corresponding to doses of 0.88, 8.8, and 88 g per 200 L of working solution, which corresponds to concentrations of 0.0044 g/L, 0.044 g/L, and 0.44 g/L. The concentrations were selected so that the amount of the tested compound corresponded to 10, 100, and 1000 mg/kg of dry soil. Soil saturated with appropriate solutions was then placed on plates in a volume of 40 ^cm3 (equivalent to 60 g of soil). The plates were then covered with filter paper, and 10 seeds were placed on top of the filter paper, in a single row, evenly spaced. The control sample consisted of soil saturated only with demineralized water, in which the test plants were arranged in the same manner. The samples were incubated vertically at 25°C, protected from light, for 7 days. After the designated test period, photographs of the final plates were taken, and roots and their lengths were identified using ImageJ software, after which their average growth was calculated.

Thanks to the use of the solution according to the invention, the following technical and economic effects were achieved:

• Ammonium salts containing an ester bond in the cation and a gentisate anion have a rooting effect on dicotyledonous plants, supporting positive gravitropism;

• Ammonium salts containing an ester bond in the cation of the gentisate anion are used in the form of aqueous solutions, which is an additional advantage in terms of environmental protection, due to the limitation of the introduction of additional solvents into the ecosystem;

• Due to the presence of an easily cleavable ester bond in the molecule, they are more susceptible to degradation under the influence of biotic factors;

• Compounds that, thanks to the naturally occurring cation – carnitine, are characterized by low toxicity; L-carnitine, which is the source of the cation in the compound's structure, is a naturally occurring raw material that is relatively cheap and readily available. Gentisic acid is a natural, non-toxic source of the anion, which has not yet been used as a plant rooting agent.

Compounds used as rooting agents for dicotyledonous plants are:

1. Ethyl L-carnitate Gentisate [KarnC2][Gent]

2. Hexyl L-carnitate gentisate [KamCs][Gent]

3. Dodecyl L-carnitate gentisate [KarnCi2][Gent]

4. Octadecyl L-carnitate gentisate [KarnCis][Gent]

The composition of the rooting agent for dicotyledonous plants was an aqueous solution of ammonium salts containing the alkyl L-carnitate cation and the gentisate anion, of the general formula 1, where R is an unbranched alkyl chain with a length of 2, 6, 12 and 18 carbon atoms, i.e.:

1. Ethyl L-carnitate Gentisate [KarnC2][Gent]

2. Hexyl L-carnitate gentisate [KamCs][Gent]

3. Dodecyl L-carnitate gentisate [KamCi2][Gent]

4. Octadecyl L-carnitate gentisate [KarnCis][Gent] at a concentration of 0.0044 g/L to 0.44 g/L.

The results showing root growth relative to the control for the dicotyledonous plant - garden cress (Lepidium sativum), performed according to the methodology described above, are presented in Table 1.

Table 1

Root growth relative to the control for the dicotyledonous plant - garden cress (Lepidium sativum)

No. Relationship Length gain relative to control [%] 0.0044 [g/L] 10 mg/kg dry soil 0.044 [g/L] 100 mg/kg dry soil 0.44 ]g/L] 1000 mg/kg dry soil 1 [KarnCi] [Gent] 4.8 64.8 27.2 2 [Kani C„] [Geni] 6.0 20.8 10.0 3 [KarnC ₁₂ ][Gent] 18.8 95.6 9.6 4 [KarnCi ₈ ][Gent] 130.8 - 66.4

PL 248638 Β1

All tested compounds increased garden cress root length relative to the control. This increase ranged from 6% for [KarnCs][Gent] at a dose of 10 mg/kg dry soil to over 130% for [KarnCis][Gent] applied at the same dose. In all samples, most seeds germinated, with the lowest number occurring on the plate with the highest concentration (1000 mg/kg dry soil) for [KarnCi2][Gent]. The exception was [KarnCi8][Gent] at a concentration of 100 mg/kg. In this trial, only a few seeds germinated. The best results were achieved with [KarnCi8][Gent], which produced roots that were, on average, 130% longer than the control root length.

Claims (3)

1. Use of alkyl L-carnitate gentisates of general formula 1, where R is an unbranched alkyl chain with a length of 2 to 18 carbon atoms, as rooting agents for dicotyledonous plants. 2. The use of gentisates and L-carnitates according to claim 1, characterized in that they are used in the form of aqueous solutions in which the concentration of the active substance is from 0.0044 g/L to 0.44 g/L. 3. A composition for rooting dicotyledonous plants, characterized in that it is an aqueous solution of alkyl L-carnitate gentisates, of the general formula 1, where R is an unbranched alkyl chain with a length of 2 to 18 carbon atoms, in a concentration of 0.0044 g/L to 0.44 g/L.