JP7568259B2 - Plant corolla regulator - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a corolla regulator for plants that contains an organic acid and/or its salt as an active ingredient.

Flowers and other plants have been cultivated since ancient times to enjoy the color and shape of the plant, or to enjoy the fragrance of the plant. Among ornamental plants, roses are particularly popular. In addition to the roses that bloom white or reddish purple flowers cultivated in medieval Europe, roses introduced from China added red and pale yellow pigments, and around 1900, yellow pigments were introduced into roses by crossing with Rosa foetida. In recent years, roses that bloom blue flowers have been added through genetic modification, and they are characterized by a rich variety of flower colors compared to other plants. However, methods for changing the color of plant flowers other than breeding and genetic modification are not well known.
In addition to being grown for decorative purposes, many people also enjoy the fragrance of plants, and roses in particular have been developed with a variety of distinctive fragrances. In recent years, the functionality of fragrance, such as refreshing and relaxing effects, has also been attracting attention (e.g., Patent Documents 1 and 2). However, as with color tone, there are not many known methods for changing the fragrance of plant flowers other than by selective breeding or genetic modification.
In addition, rose corollas tend to be considered beautiful when they are high in the center, with tightly rolled petals that are evenly open, but just like with color and fragrance, there are no known ways to change the shape of a plant's flowers other than through selective breeding or genetic modification.

JP 2002-265977 A JP 2005-281288 A

As mentioned above, there are few known methods other than selective breeding and genetic modification for changing the color, fragrance, shape, etc. of the corolla, which is the collection of petals in a plant.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a drug whose color, fragrance, shape, etc. can be adjusted to suit the user's preferences without using techniques such as breeding or genetic recombination.

As a result of intensive research into solving the above problems, the inventors discovered that applying an organic acid and/or its salt to a plant changes the color, fragrance, and shape of the plant's corolla, and thus completed the present invention.

In detail, the present invention relates to the following items.
1. A corolla regulator for a plant, comprising an organic acid and/or its salt as an active ingredient.
2. The corolla regulator of a plant body according to 1., characterized in that it regulates one or more properties selected from the color, fragrance and shape of the corolla.
3. A method for adjusting one or more selected from the color, fragrance and shape of the corolla of a plant, comprising applying to the plant a composition containing an organic acid and/or a salt thereof as an active ingredient.

According to the present invention, it is possible to adjust one or more of the color, fragrance and shape of the corolla of a plant body.
Regarding the color tone of the corolla of a plant body, the use of the adjusting agent of the present invention can significantly increase the content of anthocyanin pigments, which have already been reported to have a relaxing effect and to contribute to health benefits when eaten, making it possible to obtain a corolla of a plant body with a deeper color tone.
Furthermore, with regard to the fragrance of the corolla of a plant, since the content of aromatic components in the corolla of a plant can be significantly increased, it is possible to obtain a corolla of a plant with an enhanced fragrance.
Furthermore, since the degree of perfection of the shape of the corolla of the plant body can be improved, the excellent effect of obtaining a corolla of the plant body with excellent appearance can be achieved.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is extremely useful for obtaining a plant having a corolla excellent in appearance and fragrance.

1 is a photograph of the corollas of mini roses using the test specimens of Examples 1, 2, and Comparative Example 1 in the test 1 to confirm the effect of adjusting the color tone of the corollas of the plant body.

The present invention will be described in detail below.
<Plant corolla regulator>
The term "adjustment" in the case of the corolla regulator of a plant body of the present invention means adjusting the corolla of the plant body in the direction preferred by the user of the regulator. Specific items to be adjusted include color tone, fragrance, size, and three-dimensional shape, and the agent can be used as a corolla color regulator, corolla fragrance regulator, and corolla shape regulator.

<Organic Acid and/or Salt>
The active ingredient of the plant corolla regulator of the present invention is an organic acid and/or a salt thereof.
Examples of organic acids in the present invention include carboxylic acids having a carboxyl group (-CO ₂ H group) and sulfonic acids having a sulfo group (-SO ₃ H group), and among these, carboxylic acids are preferred. Examples of carboxylic acids include saturated carboxylic acids such as formic acid and acetic acid, unsaturated carboxylic acids such as oleic acid, hydroxycarboxylic acids such as malic acid and citric acid, aromatic carboxylic acids such as benzoic acid, and dicarboxylic acids such as oxalic acid and succinic acid. Among these, organic acids having 1 to 10 carbon atoms are preferred, and examples thereof include saturated fatty acids such as formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, caproic acid, enanthic acid, caprylic acid, pelargonic acid, and capric acid, dicarboxylic acids such as oxalic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, fumaric acid, and maleic acid, hydroxycarboxylic acids such as lactic acid, malic acid, citric acid, and tartaric acid, and aromatic carboxylic acids such as benzoic acid, phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, terephthalic acid, and salicylic acid.
Among these organic acids, saturated carboxylic acids having 1 to 5 carbon atoms are preferred as the active ingredient of the plant corolla regulator of the present invention.
In addition, when acetic acid is used as an active ingredient of the plant corolla regulator of the present invention, it includes pure acetic acid, as well as brewed vinegar and synthetic vinegar, which are vinegars. These are commercially available, and for example, grain vinegar, extra-concentrated vinegar, high-concentration brewed vinegar, powdered vinegar (a mixture of acetic acid and dextrin, etc.), etc. can be used. Fruit vinegars such as wine vinegar and apple vinegar can also be used.
Examples of organic acid salts include sodium salts, potassium salts, calcium salts, magnesium salts, ammonium salts, ethanolamine salts, triethanolamine salts, etc., and when an organic acid salt is used as an active ingredient of the plant corolla regulator of the present invention, sodium salts, triethanolamine salts, ammonium salts, and potassium salts are preferred. These salts may be added to the plant corolla regulator as a single substance, but the organic acid and the corresponding neutralizing agent may be added separately to form a salt during preparation of the formulation. For example, the organic acid and sodium hydroxide as a neutralizing agent may be added separately to form a sodium salt. As the neutralizing agent, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, etc. are preferred.
The corolla regulator for a plant body of the present invention may contain the above organic acid and/or its salt, and may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds.

The corolla regulator for a plant body of the present invention can contain an organic acid and/or a salt thereof as an active ingredient in an amount of preferably 0.01% by weight or more, more preferably 0.05% by weight or more, and even more preferably 0.1% by weight or more, based on the total amount of the corolla regulator for a plant body. Furthermore, since some users find the organic acid odor annoying when too much organic acid and/or a salt thereof is used, the content is preferably 10% by weight or less, more preferably 5% by weight or less, and even more preferably 3% by weight or less.
The corolla regulator for plant bodies of the present invention can be applied to the plant bodies as it is, but a preparation containing a predetermined active ingredient can also be diluted with water at the time of use and then applied to the plant body. In this case, the content of the organic acid and/or its salt as the active ingredient in the preparation diluted with water is preferably 0.01% by weight or more, more preferably 0.05% by weight or more, and even more preferably 0.1% by weight or more, and can be prepared and used.

The plant corolla regulator of the present invention can be used in various formulations.
Examples of formulations include oil solutions, emulsions, wettable powders, flowables (suspensions in water, emulsions in water, etc.), microcapsules, powders, granules, tablets, liquids, sprays, aerosols, etc. Among these, spray formulations such as sprays and aerosols, and dispersions in which liquids are filled in containers with watering can heads, are suitable formulations that can make the most of the performance of the corolla regulator for plant bodies of the present invention. To prepare sprays and aerosols, aerosol cans or drug bottles equipped with a spraying device that supplies spray particles with a specified spray pattern can be used.
The corolla regulator for a plant body of the present invention is not limited to a liquid formulation, and may also be used as a solid formulation such as a dust formulation, granules, or fine particles, so long as it exerts the effects of the present invention.
One example of a method for producing the above-mentioned formulation includes a method in which an organic acid and/or a salt thereof is dissolved in a solvent, and if necessary, a surfactant is used, to prepare a solution (Liquid A), and then Liquid A is mixed with an appropriate amount of water and stirred to prepare a formulation, which can be used as a corolla regulator for a plant body that does not need to be diluted when used.
As the water, tap water, ion-exchanged water, distilled water, filtered water, sterilized water, groundwater, etc. can be used.

Liquid carriers used in formulation include, for example, alcohols (methanol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, butanol, hexanol, benzyl alcohol, ethylene glycol, etc.), ethers (diethyl ether, ethylene glycol dimethyl ether, diethylene glycol monomethyl ether, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran, dioxane, etc.), esters (ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, isopropyl myristate, ethyl lactate, etc.), ketones (acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, cyclohexanone, etc.), aromatic or aliphatic hydrocarbons (xylene, toluene, alkylnaphthalene, phenylxylene, phenylmethyl ether ... toluene, kerosene, diesel, hexane, cyclohexane, etc.), halogenated hydrocarbons (chlorobenzene, dichloromethane, dichloroethane, trichloroethane, etc.), nitriles (acetonitrile, isobutyronitrile, etc.), sulfoxides (dimethyl sulfoxide, etc.), heterocyclic solvents (sulfolane, γ-butyrolactone, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, N-ethyl-2-pyrrolidone, N-octyl-2-pyrrolidone, 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone), acid amides (N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, etc.), alkylidene carbonates (propylene carbonate, etc.), vegetable oils (soybean oil, cottonseed oil, etc.), vegetable essential oils (orange oil, hyssop oil, peppermint oil, lemon oil, etc.), and water.

Surfactants used in formulation include nonionic surfactants, anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, and amphoteric surfactants. Examples of nonionic surfactants include polyoxyalkylene allyl phenyl ether, polyoxyethylene alkyl ether, polyoxyethylene alkyl phenyl ether, polyoxyethylene allyl phenyl ether, polyoxyethylene styryl phenyl ether, polyoxyethylene alkyl phenyl ether formaldehyde condensate, polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene block polymer, polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene block polymer alkyl phenyl ether, sorbitan fatty acid ester (e.g., sorbitan monooleate, sorbitan laurate), polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester, glycerin fatty acid ester, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester, polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil, and polyethylene glycol fatty acid ether. Examples of the anionic surfactant include sodium, calcium, or ammonium salts of alkyl sulfate, polyoxyethylene alkyl ether sulfate, polyoxyethylene alkyl phenyl ether sulfate, polyoxyethylene benzyl (or styryl) phenyl ether sulfate, or polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene block polymer sulfate; sodium, calcium, ammonium, or alkanolamine salts of alkyl sulfonate, dialkyl sulfosuccinate, alkyl benzene sulfonate (e.g., calcium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, etc.), mono- or di-alkyl naphthalene sulfonate, naphthalene sulfonate formaldehyde condensate, lignin sulfonate, polyoxyethylene alkyl phenyl ether sulfonate, or polyoxyethylene alkyl ether sulfosuccinate; and sodium or calcium salts of polyoxyethylene alkyl ether phosphate, polyoxyethylene, mono- or di-alkyl phenyl ether phosphate, polyoxyethylene benzyl (or styryl) phenyl ether phosphate, or polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene block polymer phosphate. Examples of cationic surfactants include quaternary ammonium salts, alkylamine salts, alkylpyridinium salts, and alkyl oxides. Examples of amphoteric surfactants include alkylbetaines and amine oxides. Surfactants are also used as spreading agents.

Examples of propellants used in making an aerosol agent include butane gas, fluorocarbon gas, alternative fluorocarbons (HFO, HFC, etc.), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), dimethyl ether, and carbon dioxide gas.
Examples of solid carriers include clays (kaolin, diatomaceous earth, bentonite, clay, acid clay, etc.), synthetic hydrous silicon oxide, talc, zeolite, ceramics, other inorganic minerals (sericite, quartz, sulfur, activated carbon, calcium carbonate, hydrated silica, etc.), and porous bodies.

The plant corolla regulator of the present invention may contain antifoaming agents, preservatives, antioxidants, thickeners, etc., if necessary, during preparation.
Examples of the defoaming agent include silicone-based defoaming agents and fluorine-based defoaming agents.
Examples of preservatives include organic nitrogen-sulfur compounds, organic bromine compounds, isothiazoline compounds, benzyl alcohol mono(poly)hemiformal, 1,2-benzisothiazolin-3-one, 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one, 2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol, potassium sorbate, and sodium dehydroacetate.
Examples of antioxidants include tetrakis[methylene-3-(3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)propionate]methane, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), propyl gallate, vitamin E, mixed tocopherols, α-tocopherol, ethoxyquin, and ascorbic acid.
Examples of thickeners include polyvinylpyrrolidone, xanthan gum, polyvinyl alcohol, guar gum, and carboxyvinyl polymers.

<About the corolla adjustment effect>
As will be described in detail in the Examples below, the corolla regulator of a plant body of the present invention is particularly effective in regulating one or more selected from the color tone, fragrance and shape of the corolla of a plant body.
By applying the corolla regulator of the present invention to a plant, the content of anthocyanin pigments in the petals can be significantly increased. By utilizing this effect, the user can modulate the original color tone of the corolla of the plant to a deeper color tone as desired.
By applying the corolla regulator of the present invention to a plant, the content of aromatic components in the corolla of the plant can be significantly increased. By utilizing this effect, the user can modulate the original aroma of the corolla of the plant to a deeper aromatic note that is in the user's preferred direction.
Furthermore, by applying the corolla regulator of the present invention to a plant, the degree of perfection of the shape of the corolla of the plant can be improved, making it possible to obtain a corolla of the plant with excellent appearance.

<About the plant>
In the present invention, a plant body means a plant having roots and stems and leaves, the roots of which are usually underground (or underwater in some cases) and support the above-ground parts, and does not include cut branches, cut flowers, or other plants that have no roots.
The plant body in the present invention is not limited as long as the corolla can be adjusted. Specific examples include plants having corollas that are ornamental, such as roses, lilies, carnations, dahlias, moth orchids, chrysanthemums, lisianthus, cyclamen, statice, cymbidiums, gerberas, dendrobiums, tulips, pelargoniums, petunias, and cattleyas.
The corolla regulator of the present invention is not limited to the part of the plant body to which it is applied, so long as it can be applied to the plant body, but from the viewpoint of good absorption efficiency, application to the stems and leaves or roots of the plant, treatment of the roots by stem and leaf treatment or irrigation treatment is preferred, and application to the surface of the plant leaves is particularly preferred. The time of application may be appropriately selected depending on the growth state of the plant body, but application before flowering is particularly preferred. The frequency of application is once every 1 to 10 days, preferably once every 1 to 7 days, and more preferably once every 1 to 4 days. The means of application is not particularly limited.
The amount of the corolla regulator applied to the plant body of the present invention is preferably 0.005 g/week or more and 10 g/week or less, preferably 0.01 g/week or more and 7 g/week or less, more preferably 0.02 g/week or more and 5 g/week or less, in terms of the cumulative amount of organic acid and/or its salt applied to the plant body, regardless of the frequency of application. In particular, for plants with an aboveground part of 10 to 60 cm, the cumulative amount of application may be 0.02 g/week or more and 7 g/week or less, preferably 0.05 g/week or more and 5 g/week or less, more preferably 0.1 g/week or more and 3 g/week or less.
In particular, when applying acetic acid and/or a salt thereof to roses, in the early growth stage before the new shoots emerge and the five leaves appear, it is preferable to apply an integrated treatment amount per rose plant of 0.02 g/week to 1 g/week, preferably 0.05 g/week to 0.5 g/week. After the early growth stage after the five leaves appear, it is preferable to apply an integrated treatment amount per rose plant of 0.05 g/week to 7 g/week, preferably 0.1 g/week to 5 g/week.

In addition, depending on the purpose, for example, bactericides, fungicides, insecticides and miticides, repellents, fragrances, essential oils, etc. may be used in combination. For example, fungicides such as bitertanol, bromuconazole, cyproconazole, difenoconazole, hexaconazole, imazalil, myclobutanil, simeconazole, tetraconazole, thiabendazole, penthiopyrad, and mancozeb; antifungal agents such as benzethonium chloride, benzalkonium chloride, chlorhexidine hydrochloride, chlorhexidine gluconate, hinokitiol, phenoxyethanol, and isopropylmethylphenol; pyrethrum extract, natural pyrethrin, prallethrin, imiprothrin, phthalthrin, allethrin, bifenthrin, resmethrin, fenothrin, cyphenothrin, permethrin, cypermethrin, etofenprox, cyfluthrin, deltamethrin, bifenthrin, fenvalerate, fenpropathrin, empenthrin, silafluofen, transfluthrin, metofluthrin, profluthrin, Pyrethroid compounds such as torin, carbamate compounds such as carbaryl, propoxur, methomyl, and thiodicarb, oxadiazole compounds such as methoxadiazon, phenylpyrazole compounds such as fipronil, sulfonamide compounds such as amidoflumet, neonicotinoid compounds such as dinotefuran and imidacloprid, pyrrole compounds such as chlorfenapyr, insecticides and acaricides such as organophosphorus compounds such as fenitrothion, diazinon, malathion, pyridaphenthion, prothiophos, phoxim, chlorpyrifos, and dichlorvos; one or more of repellents such as DEET, di-n-butyl succinate, hydroxyanisole, rotenone, ethyl-butyl acetylaminopropionate, icaridin (picaridin), and 3-(N-n-butyl-N-acetyl)aminopropionic acid ethyl ester can be used. As for the fragrances and essential oils, one or a combination of two or more types appropriately selected from the group consisting of natural fragrances, synthetic fragrances, natural extracts, etc. can be used depending on the application.

The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.
In the examples, unless otherwise specified, all parts are by weight.

<Confirmation test 1 for color adjustment effect of plant corolla>
(1) Test Sample Example 1
A corolla regulator for plants was prepared using 0.125 parts by weight of acetic acid, 0.08 parts by weight of a spreading agent (polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate) and ion-exchanged water, with the total amount being 100 parts by weight.
Example 2
A corolla regulator for plants was prepared using 0.10 parts by weight of acetic acid, 0.08 parts by weight of a spreading agent (polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate) and ion-exchanged water, with the total amount being 100 parts by weight.
Comparative Example 1
A comparative agent was prepared using 0.08 parts by weight of a spreading agent (polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate) and ion-exchanged water, with the total amount being 100 parts by weight.

(2) Test Method Mini roses (flower color: pink) with above-ground parts of about 15 to 30 cm grown (test period: August to October) in polypots (No. 4: diameter 12 cm x height 10 cm) were used as test plants.
Test specimens (Examples 1 and 2, Comparative Example 1) were sprayed on the test plants for two weeks, three times in total, on the first day, one week later, and two weeks later, at 80 to 240 mL per spray using a hand sprayer until the entire test plant was sufficiently wet. Spraying was performed before flowering, and the liquid was not sprayed directly onto the buds or flowers.
The color intensity of the flowers that bloomed about one month after the initial spraying was evaluated by 10 panelists on a 5-point scale, with the color of the flowers in Comparative Example 1 being the evaluation standard (evaluation: 3 points). In this evaluation test, a rating of 4 points or more was determined to indicate that the flower color had become darker by using the corolla regulator of the plant body of the present invention.
It has been confirmed by a separate test that the wetting agent in the test sample does not affect the flower color of the plant.
[Flower color evaluation criteria]
5 points: darker than the flower color of Comparative Example 1 4 points: slightly darker than the flower color of Comparative Example 1 3 points: flower color of Comparative Example 1 2 points: slightly lighter than the flower color of Comparative Example 1 1 point: lighter than the flower color of Comparative Example 1 The evaluation scores and average evaluation score of each panelist are shown in Table 1, together with the composition of the test samples.
Photographs of the corollas of mini roses using the test specimens of Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Example 1 are shown in FIG.
When each color tone is shown in the Pantone color sample book (SOLID CHIPS/coated: product name), Example 1 corresponds to 236U, Example 2 corresponds to 250U, and Comparative Example 1 corresponds to 671U.

(3) Results As shown in Table 1, it was revealed that the corolla regulators for plants of Examples 1 and 2, which contain acetic acid as an active ingredient of the present invention, darkened the flower color compared to Comparative Example 1, which did not contain any active ingredient.
It was also confirmed that there were differences in the "degree of perfection," an index that expresses the beauty of the appearance of a corolla, by evaluating the corolla from the viewpoints of petal shape, number of petals, etc. This "degree of perfection" is an index that is evaluated as being higher the more evenly the petals open, the more petals there are, and the higher the central part of the corolla is raised (thickness of the corolla).
A confirmation test was conducted to confirm the "completeness" of this corolla.

<Test to confirm the effect of adjusting the shape of the corolla of a plant>
(1) Test Samples The test samples (Example 1, Comparative Example 1) from the above-mentioned "Confirmation Test 1 for Effect of Adjusting Color Tone of Corolla of Plant Body" were used.
(2) Test method for confirming the effect of adjusting the shape of the corolla of a plant body As a test plant, a rose (variety: Marchen Königin) with an above-ground part of approximately 30 to 50 cm, grown (test period: September to October) in a No. 10 pot (diameter 30 cm × height 30 cm, capacity 11 liters) was used.
The test specimens (Example 1, Comparative Example 1) were sprayed on the test plants for one month from the early stage of growth, 2 to 3 times per week, using a hand sprayer to sufficiently wet the entire test plant, at 80 to 300 mL per spray. Spraying was started before the formation of buds, and the liquid was sprayed so as not to come into direct contact with the buds or flowers.
The shape of the corolla that bloomed about one month after the initial spraying was evaluated for "corolla height,""number of petals," and "circularity of the corolla" according to the following evaluation method.
Corolla height: The height of the corolla was measured laterally from the base of the petals to the highest point of the corolla.
Number of petals: The number of all petals forming the corolla was counted.
Circularity of corolla: The circularity of the corolla when viewed from directly above was calculated using the following formula.
[Calculation formula]: Circularity = 4π x (area) ÷ (perimeter) ²
Both the "area" and "perimeter" of the corolla were quantified using the image analysis software ImageJ.

(3) Results Using three corollas of roses treated with each test specimen, the average values of the evaluation results for "corolla height,""number of petals," and "circularity of corolla" are summarized in the following Table 2. In the "circularity of corolla" according to the above evaluation method, 1.0 is the highest rating for a corolla, meaning a perfect circle.

As shown in Table 2, it was revealed that the corolla of the plant treated with the corolla regulator of Example 1 containing acetic acid as an active ingredient of the present invention was about 10% higher in "corolla height" and about 20% higher in "number of petals" than the plant treated with Comparative Example 1 containing no active ingredient. Furthermore, the "circularity of the corolla" of the plant treated with the corolla regulator of Example 1 containing acetic acid as an active ingredient of the present invention was 0.96, which is almost a perfect circle, whereas the "circularity of the corolla" of the plant treated with Comparative Example 1 containing no active ingredient was 0.81, which was confirmed to be an irregular shape.
These results demonstrate that the corolla regulator of the present invention exerts a high shape-regulating effect in all of "corolla height,""number of petals," and "circularity of the corolla" compared to plants not treated with the corolla regulator of the present invention, thereby enhancing the perfection of the corolla shape.

<Confirmation test 2 for color adjustment effect of plant corolla>
(1) Test Samples The test samples (Examples 1 and 2, Comparative Example 1) in the above "Confirmation Test 1 for Effect of Adjusting Color Tone of Corolla of Plant Body" were used.
(2) Test to confirm the amount of pigment in the corolla of the plant body Mini roses (flower color: pink) with above-ground parts of about 15 to 30 cm grown in polypots (No. 4: diameter 12 cm x height 10 cm) (test period: August to October) were used as test plants. Test specimens (Examples 1 and 2, Comparative Example 1) were sprayed with a hand sprayer at 80 to 240 mL each time for a total of three times over a two-week period, on the first day, one week later, and two weeks later, until the entire test plant was sufficiently wet. Spraying was performed before flowering, taking care not to directly spray the liquid on the buds or flowers.
Using the corollas that had bloomed about one month after the initial spraying, the anthocyanin content in the corollas was measured according to the following procedure.
0.1 g of petals crushed with liquid nitrogen and 5 mL of 50% aqueous acetic acid were placed in a glass bottle and left to stand in a refrigerator (2°C) for 48 hours, and then filtered using a filter (0.45 μm). The anthocyanin content in 0.1 g of petals was calculated under the following analytical conditions.
[Analysis conditions]
Measurement equipment: High-performance liquid chromatography analyzer (Shimadzu Corporation)
Column: Inertsil ODS-2 (4.6 x 150 mm) (GL Sciences)
Oven temperature: 35°C
Flow rate: 0.8mL/min
Mobile phase: (A) 1.5% phosphoric acid aqueous solution, (B) phosphoric acid (1.5% by weight) + acetic acid (20% by weight) + acetonitrile (25% by weight) + water (adjusted so that the total is 100% by weight)
Gradient conditions: The mobile phase ratio was changed from "80 vol.% (A) + 20 vol.% (B)" to "15 vol.% (A) + 85 vol.% (B)" over 20 minutes, and then "15 vol.% (A) + 85 vol.% (B)" was maintained for 10 minutes.
Sample injection volume: 20 μL
The test was carried out three times, and the average values are shown in Table 3.

As shown in Table 3, it was revealed that the anthocyanin content of the corollas of the plants treated with the corolla regulators of the plants of Examples 1 and 2 containing acetic acid as an active ingredient of the present invention was dramatically improved compared to the plant treated in Comparative Example 1 containing no active ingredient. In particular, it was confirmed that the anthocyanin content of the corollas of the plants treated with the corolla regulator of the plant of Example 1 was increased to about twice that of Comparative Example 1.
It was also revealed that the dramatic increase in the amount of anthocyanins in the petals was so great that it was visible as a darker change in flower color.
From these test results, it became clear that the corolla regulator of the plant of the present invention has a function as an anthocyanin enhancer in the corolla.

<Confirmation test 1 of the fragrance adjusting effect of the corolla of the plant body>
(1) Test Samples The test samples (Example 1, Comparative Example 1) from the above-mentioned "Confirmation Test 1 for Effect of Adjusting Color Tone of Corolla of Plant Body" were used.
(2) Test method for confirming the fragrance-modulating effect of the corolla of the plant The test plant used was a rose (variety: Fragrant Hill) with an above-ground part of approximately 30 to 50 cm grown (test period: March to April) in a No. 10 pot (diameter 30 cm x height 30 cm, volume 11 liters).
Test specimens (Example 1, Comparative Example 1) were sprayed on the test plants for two weeks, three times in total, on the first day, one week later, and two weeks later, at 80 to 300 mL per spray using a hand sprayer until the entire test plant was sufficiently wet. Spraying was started before the formation of buds in the early growth stage, and the liquid was sprayed so as not to come into direct contact with the buds or flowers.
The fragrance of the corollas that had bloomed about one month after the initial spraying was evaluated for the fragrance of the corollas of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1. Twenty-two panelists (five of whom were odor judges) evaluated the fragrance intensity, tea-like fragrance intensity, fruity fragrance intensity, and fragrance quality of each corolla using absolute evaluation on a five-point scale as shown below. The evaluation criteria were set with reference to the evaluation method used to indicate the degree of pleasantness/unpleasantness of odors (a nine-point pleasantness/unpleasantness indication method).
The tea aroma and fruity aroma are two of the seven types of rose aromas.
[Fragrance Intensity Evaluation Criteria]
5 points: Strong 4 points: Slightly strong 3 points: Neither strong nor weak 2 points: Slightly weak 1 point: Weak [Fragrance quality evaluation criteria]
5 points: good 4 points: somewhat good 3 points: neither good nor bad 2 points: somewhat bad 1 point: bad The average scores of the evaluations by each panelist are summarized in Table 4. It has been confirmed by a separate test that the wetting agent in the above test sample does not affect the fragrance of the corolla of the plant body.

(3) Results As shown in Table 4, the corolla of the plant treated with the corolla regulator of Example 1 containing acetic acid as an active ingredient of the present invention was evaluated as having a stronger fragrance than the plant treated with Comparative Example 1 containing no active ingredient. The fragrance quality was also evaluated as good. In terms of specific fragrance types, the fragrance intensity of tea-type and fruity-type fragrances was stronger in Example 1 than in Comparative Example 1.

<Confirmation test 2 of the fragrance adjustment effect of the corolla of the plant body>
(1) Test Samples The test samples (Example 1, Comparative Example 1) from the above-mentioned "Confirmation Test 1 for Effect of Adjusting Color Tone of Corolla of Plant Body" were used.
(2) Test method for confirming the fragrance adjusting effect of the corolla of the plant The test plants used were roses (varieties: Fragrant Hill, Queen Elizabeth, Nicole, Double Delight) with above-ground parts of approximately 30 to 50 cm grown in No. 10 pots (test period: March to April).
[Method of collecting aroma components]
Test specimens (Example 1, Comparative Example 1) were sprayed on the test plants for two weeks, three times in total, on the first day, one week later, and two weeks later, with a hand sprayer at 80-300 mL each time until the entire test plant was sufficiently wet. Spraying was started before the formation of buds in the early growth stage, and the liquid was sprayed without directly contacting the buds or flowers. Aroma collection was carried out about one month after the start of spraying.
The scent of the corolla that had bloomed about one month after the initial spray was collected by covering the flower with a bag (made of polyvinyl fluoride, volume: 2 liters) and placing a collector (manufactured by GL Sciences, MonoTrap RCC18) inside. Collection was carried out for 5 hours (7:30-12:30).
[Method of extracting aroma components]
Dichloromethane and the collector that had trapped the aroma components were placed in a vial (MT Extract Cup with Vial, manufactured by GL Sciences) and subjected to ultrasonic treatment for 15 minutes, after which the aroma components were measured under the following analytical conditions.
[Analysis conditions]
Measurement equipment: Gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (Shimadzu Corporation)
Column: DB-WAX (Agilent Technologies)
Column temperature: 40°C (5 min) → 4°C/min → 250°C (5 min)
Carrier gas: Helium, 120 kPa
Injection temperature: 250°C, Splitless 0.5 min
Detection: MS Scan (m / z: 40-350)
Sample injection volume: 1.0 μL

(3) Results The aroma components of the rose flowers treated with the test sample of Example 1 were compared with the aroma components of the rose flowers treated with the test sample of Comparative Example 1, and the extent to which the aroma components were increased for those that were changed is summarized in Table 5 below.

As shown in Table 5, it was confirmed that the corollas of plants treated with the corolla regulator of Example 1 containing acetic acid as an active ingredient of the present invention had significantly improved aroma components, dimethoxytoluene, hydro-β-ionone, and phenethyl alcohol, compared to plants treated with Comparative Example 1 containing no active ingredient. In particular, it was revealed that the aroma component dimethoxytoluene of Queen Elizabeth increased dramatically to 8.8 times that of Comparative Example 1, and the aroma component phenethyl alcohol of Fragrant Hill increased dramatically to 11.8 times. Although the aroma components differ depending on the variety, it was revealed that the main aroma components of each variety increased.

The corolla regulator of the present invention can significantly increase the content of anthocyanin pigments, which have been reported to contribute to a relaxing effect and, when consumed, to health benefits, resulting in a corolla of a plant with a deeper color tone. In addition, the content of aromatic components in the corolla of the plant can be significantly increased, resulting in a corolla of a plant with a stronger fragrance.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is extremely useful in that it makes it possible to obtain a plant having a corolla excellent in appearance and fragrance.
Furthermore, since the degree of perfection of the shape of the corolla of the plant body can be improved, the excellent effect of being able to obtain a corolla of the plant body with excellent appearance can be achieved.

Claims (2)

Corolla aroma regulators for plants that contain acetic acid as an active ingredient (excluding black vinegar) (excluding plant activators containing edible acid, red koji extract and chitosan, excluding compositions containing methyl-α-naphthyl acetate, sodium phenolate, acetic acid and potassium phosphate, and excluding crop nutritional supplements that combine vinegar with fructose-containing sugars). A method for adjusting the fragrance of the corolla of a plant body (excluding a method for cultivating a plant to which black vinegar is applied), which comprises applying to the plant body a composition containing acetic acid as an active ingredient (excluding plant activators containing edible acid, red koji extract, and chitosan, excluding compositions containing methyl-α-naphthyl acetate, sodium phenolate, acetic acid, and potassium phosphate, and excluding crop nutritional supplements containing vinegar combined with fructose-containing sugars ) .