U.S. patent number RE34,594 [Application Number 07/955,927] was granted by the patent office on 1994-04-26 for preemergence weed control using corn gluten meal.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Iowa State University of Research Foundation, Inc.. Invention is credited to Nick E. Christians.
United States Patent |
RE34,594 |
Christians |
April 26, 1994 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Preemergence weed control using corn gluten meal
Abstract
Corn gluten meal is used as a natural preemergence
herbicide.
Inventors: |
Christians; Nick E. (Ames,
IA) |
Assignee: |
Iowa State University of Research
Foundation, Inc. (Ames, IA)
|
Family
ID: |
33424235 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/955,927 |
Filed: |
October 1, 1992 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
465475 |
Jan 16, 1990 |
05030268 |
Jul 9, 1991 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
504/116.1;
504/189 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01N
65/44 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A01N
65/44 (20090101); A01N 065/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;504/116 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Goetz, N. R. et al. "Nitrogen Fairway Fertilization Research,"
Midwest Turf, No. 15, Purdue University, 1957..
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Primary Examiner: Hollrah; Glennon H.
Assistant Examiner: Clardy; S. Mark
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Woessner; Warren D.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for selectively inhibiting growth of undesirable annual
and certain perennial grassy plants in an area containing an
established plot of desirable grassy plants, said method
comprising:
applying prior to emergence of undesirable grassy plants to said
area at a concentration of application which .Iadd.selectively
.Iaddend.inhibits growth of undesirable plants, corn gluten
meal.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the corn gluten meal is applied at
concentrations of from about 5 lbs./1000 sq. ft. to about 40
lbs/1000 sq ft.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the corn gluten meal is applied at
a concentration of about 20 lbs/1000 sq. ft.
4. The method of any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the desirable
grassy plants are bluegrass turf. .Iadd.
5. A method for selectively inhibiting growth of undesirable plants
in a plot of desirable plants, said method comprising:
applying corn gluten meal to said plot, prior to emergence of said
undesirable plants, at a concentration of application which
selectively inhibits growth of said undesirable plants by stopping
root formation. .Iaddend. .Iadd.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the undesirable plants are annual
grassy weeds. .Iaddend. .Iadd.7. The method of claim 5 wherein the
undesirable plants comprise crabgrass, creeping bentgrass, smart
weed, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, smooth bromegrass,
barnyard grass, Bermuda grass or tall fescue. .Iaddend. .Iadd.8.
The method of claim 5 wherein the amount of corn gluten meal
applied to the plot is from about 5-40 lbs. per 1000 square feet.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.9. The method of claim 5 wherein the desirable
plants are bluegrass turf. .Iaddend.
Description
.Iadd.This is a reissue of U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,298. .Iaddend.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a natural herbicide which may be applied
to soil plots to achieve preemergence weed control as a substitute
for chemical herbicides or as a supplement to chemical herbicides
to reduce their concentration in the environment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The use of herbicides to control undesirable weeds in a selective
fashion is commonplace. Chemical herbicides are a large business,
and involve millions of pounds of herbicide applied directly to the
soil on an annual basis. An effective herbicide must not only
control undesirable plants, dubbed weeds, but must also control
them in a selective manner so that desired plants will grow.
Preemergence herbicides refer to those which must be applied before
the weed emerges from the soil.
In recent times, especially since environmental awareness has
increased, many herbicides, including many preemergence herbicides
have come under disfavor as chemical pollutants. This is especially
true in areas of the country where these preemergence herbicides
are applied in large quantities. It has now come to be recognized
by many groups and associations, including the Environmental
Protection Agency, that these preemergence herbicides may have an
undesirable poluting effect, not only on the soil, but on the level
of contamination in ground water, etc.
There is, therefore, a real and continuing need to develop natural
herbicides. As used herein natural herbicides refers to herbicides
that come naturally from available growing, safe substances. One
example of natural treatments for soil includes biological controls
such as the addition of specific bacteria to accomplish a desired
result. Another more common example of natural product application
to soils would be manure as a fertilizer.
Natural herbicides would have a distinct advantage in that they
would be safe materials, and materials which would not cause any
concern for possible contamination of ground water from runoff of
soil movement.
Accordingly, it is a primary objective of the present invention to
provide a natural preemergence herbicide useful in controlling
weeds such as crabgrass, smart weed, barnyard grass, etc.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a natural
preemergence herbicide from corn gluten meal extracted from corn
meal.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a natural
corn gluten meal preemergence herbicide which can be used as a
substitute for chemical herbicides or as a supplement to chemical
herbicides to reduce their concentration in the environment.
A still further objective of the present invention is to provide a
method and means of preemergence control of annual grass weeds.
The method and manner of accomplishing each of the above
objectives, as well as others, will become apparent from the
description of the invention which follows hereinafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with this invention, preemergence weed control is
accomplished by applying to a soil plot, prior to weed emergence, a
herbicidally effective amount of corn gluten meal. Corn gluten
meal, when applied in this pre-emergence manner functions to
selectively inhibit annual grassy weeds.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
As earlier stated, this invention involves preemergence weed
control. Preemergence, as those skilled in the art know, refers to
weed control substances which must be applied before emergence of
the annual grassy weeds, usually in the Spring. There are of course
many commercially available preemergence chemical controls. In
accordance with this invention, a preemergence weed control which
is natural and not subject to the ordinary environmental risks is
provided. The natural weed control substance of the present
invention is corn gluten meal. Corn gluten meal is a fraction
extracted from corn meal. When the corn gluten meal is applied to a
soil plot prior to weed emergence in a small but herbicidally
effective amount, it will selectively inhibit undesirable plants
such as annual grassy weeds. Plants known to be effectively
inhibited in a preemergence manner by the application of corn
gluten meal include, but are not necessarily limited to crabgrass,
creeping bentgrass, smart weed, barnyard grass, Bermuda grass and
tall fescue. The amount of corn gluten meal which can be applied
can vary over a wide range, but is generally within the range of a
concentration from about 5 lbs/1000 sq. ft. to about 40 lbs./1000
sq ft. preferably from about 10 lbs./l000 sq. ft. to about 30
lbs/1000 sq. ft. and optimally, to about 20 lbs./1000 sq. ft.
The manner of addition of the corn gluten meal is the same as any
other conventional preemergence herbicide and it can be applied by
the use of a conventional lawn fertilizer spreader. It can be in
the form of a dust, powder, pellets, etc.
Corn gluten meal is a commercially available material extracted
from corn meal. It is commercially available from many sources such
as Grain Processing Corporation of Muscatine, Iowa, 52761.
Generally, as those skilled in the art know, corn gluten meal is
made by drying the liquid gluten stream separated from corn during
corn wet milling processing. While its composition can vary, it
commonly contains about 60% protein and is rich in xanthophills. It
is a mixture of protein, lipid, carbohydrate and ash material.
While corn gluten meal is known, and has been commercially
available, in the past its primary usage has been as a feed
substance for use with broilers, etc.
It is important to note in accordance with the present invention
that the material applied as a preemergence herbicide is corn
gluten meal, not corn meal. Corn gluten meal, as earlier stated,
differs considerably from corn meal in that it is extracted
material made by drying the liquid gluten stream separated from
corn during the corn wet milling processing. Thus, it represents a
fortified material in comparison with corn meal. Corn meal itself
has been tried as a preemergence herbicide for use in the present
invention. Corn meal is somewhat effective, but corn gluten meal is
much more effective.
It is not known precisely why corn gluten meal functions
effectively as a natural preemergence herbicide. While applicant
does not wish to be bound by any theory, based upon investigations
to date, it is believed that the corn gluten meal when applied to a
soil plot, selectively stops root development of annual grassy
weeds almost precisely at the time of germination. As a result, as
soon as the plant begins to grow, it will undergo root stress and
die. Thus, for some unknown reason, while the corn gluten meal does
not prohibit germination, it nevertheless does not allow the root
structure to develop sufficient that the weed can grow to a healthy
plant. As a result, it dies from the lack of root growth. It is
possible that some as of yet unidentified allelopathic compound is
present in the corn gluten meal. If this be the case, it may also
be possible to isolate the compound, and use it in a highly
fortified manner. Alternatively, such a compound could be
chemically synthesized and used or perhaps even produced
biotechnically by bacterial substances.
As those skilled in the art know, preemergence herbicides are
critical for application prior to weed emergence. The precise time
of application will vary, depending upon the area of the country in
which the natural herbicide of the present invention is applied and
the weed species involved, but in general, for areas of the
Midwest, application must be prior to May 1st of any growing
season.
It is possible that other extracts of other grain meals may
function in a similar manner, although others have not yet been
tested. However, one such apparent material for possible use would
be soybean meal.
The following examples are offered to illustrate the present
invention, namely use of corn gluten meal as an effective natural
preemergence herbicide.
EXAMPLE 1
To investigate the effect of cornmeal substances on seed
germination, a greenhouse study was conducted. Samples of (1)
industrial corn starch, (2) corn gluten meal, (3) dried corn germ,
(4) corn seed fiber, and (5) cornmeal were applied to the surface
of 16 square inch pots. The treatments included a control of each
of the material at 7 grams, 14 grams, and 28 grams per pot. The
study was conducted with both plain and autoclaved samples of each
corn component. All pots were seeded with creeping bentgrass.
The results of this study clearly showed that the component of the
corn that contains the greatest concentration of the inhibitory
substance is the corn gluten meal. All rates of this product
completely inhibited the establishment of creeping bentgrass.
Autoclaving has no effect, indicating that the inhibitory substance
is heat stable. It was observed in the greenhouse trial that the
effect of the corn materials is not to stop germination, but to
stop root formation of the germinated seed. Germination occurs, but
the seedling dies in a matter of days because of the lack of a root
system.
EXAMPLE 2
In further greenhouse trials, it was observed that from 6 to 8
grams of corn gluten meal on a 16 square inch pot was sufficient to
stop the establishment of creeping bentgrass. Corn gluten meal
applied to established Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) had no
detrimental effects at rates up to 20 grams per 16 square inch pot.
In fact, the gluten improves plant growth, likely as a result of
nitrogen release from protein. Trials with other plants species
have shown that the inhibitory substance in the gluten meal is
effective in preventing the establishment of crabgrass, smartweed,
barnyardgrass, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue,
smooth bromegrass, and bermudagrass seed.
The information gathered from these example studies indicates that
an allelopathic compound may exist in corn grain that has the
ability to inhibit the establishment of a variety of plant species
by stopping root formation during germination. This compound also
seems safe for use on plants that have already been
established.
EXAMPLE 3
In the following example, corn gluten meal was compared with
Milorganite, a natural and long commercially available nitrogen
source. They were compared in a crabgrass germination study.
In particular, crabgrass was seeded at a rate of 0.20 grams in
4".times.4" pots and in a preemergence manner, certain levels of
addition, namely 0 for a control, 2 grams, 4 grams, 6 grams, 8
grams, 10 grams and 12 grams of both corn gluten meal and
Milorganite were added to the surface of the crabgrass seeded pots.
The pots were grown and watered and the number of crabgrass plants
were periodically observed. The following table illustrates the
number of plants observed and the date and time of observance.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ CRABGRASS CONTROL IN
KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS TURF TREATED WITH CORN GLUTEN MEAL AND
MILORGANITE 0.5 1.0 2.0 4.0 CON- LBS LBS LBS LBS TROL N N N N
______________________________________ CORN GLUTEN MEAL 81 33 36 32
13 MILORGANITE 81 75 56 53 24
______________________________________
It can be seen from the above Table that corn gluten meal
effectively functions to selectively inhibit crabgrass germination
whereas a common natural nitrogen source, long commercially
available Milorganite, does not act to the same extent.
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