Compositions and methods for treating plant diseases
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Publication Number
US-9883670-B2
Publication Date
2018-02-06
Expiration Date
Abstract
Nanoparticle compositions for treating citrus greening disease and other plant diseases include a liquid or gel carrier and metal nanoparticles dispersed therein. The metal nanoparticles can be spherical-shaped and/or coral-shaped. Methods of treating plant diseases include applying a nanoparticle composition to an infected plant part to kill the microbe causing the disease. The method may further include removing an infected plant part, such as a branch, treating the infected plant part with a nanoparticle composition, and grafting the plant part (branch) back onto the plant. The plant may particularly be a citrus tree.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to treating citrus greening disease by applying a non-ionic nanoparticle composition comprising a liquid carrier and silver nanoparticles onto or into a citrus plant or a citrus plant part. The silver nanoparticles are formed by laser-ablation so as to be nonionic and spherical with no external bond angles or edges, and to have solid metal cores. The nanoparticles are characterized by a mean particle size in a range of about 1 nm to about 25 nm and a narrow particle size distribution in which least 99% of the metal nanoparticles have a particle size within ±3 nm of the mean particle size.
The nanoparticle composition kills or denatures microbes or bacteria that cause citrus greening disease on or in the citrus plant or citrus plant part without release of silver ions. The invention further characterizes the silver nanoparticles as non-toxic to humans or mammals and effective in killing or denaturing microbes or bacteria that cause citrus greening disease.
Additional described forms include co-formulated coral-shaped metal nanoparticles with a non-uniform cross section and a globular, non-linear strand structure having a particle size of about 15 nm to about 100 nm. A disclosed treatment workflow includes removing a diseased plant part from a citrus plant, applying the nanoparticle composition to or within the diseased plant part, and grafting the treated part back onto the citrus plant.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are directed to four core inventive feature categories: composition structure and attributes, laser-ablation morphology, particle size distribution limits, and antimicrobial effect with non-toxic performance. The claims are directed to methods for treating citrus greening disease by killing or denaturing microbes, to killing bacteria associated with citrus greening disease on or in a citrus tree, and to killing bacteria associated with citrus greening disease on or in a citrus plant.
Laser-ablated non-ionic spherical solid-core silver nanoparticles with narrow size distribution
Applying a non-ionic nanoparticle composition comprising liquid carrier and silver nanoparticles formed by laser-ablation so as to be nonionic and spherical with no external bond angles or edges and have solid metal cores, a mean particle size in a range of about 1 nm to about 25 nm, and a narrow particle size distribution in which at least 99% of the metal nanoparticles have a particle size within ±3 nm of the mean particle size.
Microbe killing or denaturing without release of silver ions while being non-toxic to humans or mammals
The nanoparticle composition kills or denatures microbes in the citrus plant or citrus plant part that cause citrus greening disease without release of silver ions, and the silver nanoparticles are non-toxic to humans or mammals and effective in killing or denaturing microbes or bacteria that cause citrus greening disease.
Non-ionic silver nanoparticle concentration range effective for killing or denaturing bacteria on or in a citrus tree
Applying a non-ionic nanoparticle composition onto or into a citrus tree, the nanoparticle composition comprising a carrier and silver nanoparticles that are spherical and non-ionic with no external bond angles or edges, have solid metal cores and a mean particle size in a range of about 1 nm to about 25 nm, are non-toxic to humans or mammals, are effective in killing or denaturing bacteria that cause citrus greening disease, and have a concentration in a range of about 10 ppb to about 100 ppm by weight of the nanoparticle composition.
Mean particle size less than 25 nm and at least 99% within ±3 nm distribution for bacterial killing on or in citrus plants
Applying a non-ionic nanoparticle composition onto or into a citrus plant, the nanoparticle composition comprising a carrier and silver nanoparticles made by laser ablation so as to be spherical-shaped with no external bond angles or edges and non-ionic so as to be effective in killing or denaturing bacteria that cause citrus greening disease while being non-toxic to humans or mammals, and so as to have a mean particle size of less than about 25 nm and in which at least 99% of the metal nanoparticles have a particle size within ±3 nm of the mean.
Across the independent claims, the patent coverage centers on applying a non-ionic nanoparticle composition with laser-ablated, spherical, solid-core silver nanoparticles defined by narrow particle size distribution and mean particle size constraints, combined with claimed microbial or bacterial killing or denaturing effectiveness. The independent claim set also emphasizes non-toxicity to humans or mammals and, in one claim, killing or denaturing without release of silver ions. One independent claim further includes a specified 10 ppb to 100 ppm by-weight concentration range for bacteria-killing on or in a citrus tree, while another specifies a mean particle size of less than about 25 nm for bacterial killing on or in citrus plants.
Stated Advantages
Killing or denaturing microbes or bacteria that cause citrus greening disease.
No release of silver ions (in the treating citrus greening disease method).
Non-toxic to humans or mammals.
Effective killing or denaturing of microbes or bacteria that cause citrus greening disease.
Documented Applications
Treating citrus greening disease by applying a non-ionic nanoparticle composition onto or into a citrus plant or citrus plant part.
Killing bacteria associated with citrus greening disease by applying a non-ionic nanoparticle composition onto or into a citrus tree.
Killing bacteria associated with citrus greening disease by applying a non-ionic nanoparticle composition onto or into a citrus plant.
Removing a diseased plant part from a citrus plant, applying the nanoparticle composition to or within the diseased plant part, and grafting the treated part back onto the citrus plant.
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