JP7664602B2 - Plant growth regulator, its manufacturing method, and plant growth regulator manufacturing system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a plant growth regulator, a method for producing the same, and a system for producing the plant growth regulator.

In crop cultivation, unused materials are generated (i.e., all or part of the crop that was not shipped as an agricultural product; hereafter referred to as "unused crop materials"), such as stalks that are thinned out during the cultivation process, side shoots and fruit that are removed, residues after harvest, and non-standard products that are removed during sorting.

JP 2009-136196 A JP 2012-19713 A JP 2019-42647 A

Until now, unused crop materials have been discarded, despite being a biological resource. Therefore, there has been a need to develop technology that can utilize unused crop materials as a biological resource in a simple and inexpensive way.

Patent documents 1, 2 and 3 describe a method and device for extracting specific components by steam decomposing plant tissue. By using this method or device, the components obtained by decomposing plant tissue can be obtained in the form of a liquid (extract) and a solid (paste), but the effectiveness and uses of these components have not been fully elucidated. Therefore, the inventor has conducted extensive research into new utilization technologies for unused crop materials by applying this steam decomposition method or device.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a technology that can easily and inexpensively utilize unused crop materials that have been discarded up until now as biological resources, and to provide a plant growth regulator, a manufacturing method thereof, and a plant growth regulator manufacturing system that do not adversely affect the ecosystem or the natural environment.

The plant growth regulator according to the present invention is characterized in that the unused crop material contains components decomposed under heated and pressurized steam by increasing the steam pressure and temperature in an enclosed space while controlling the steam pressure as a partial pressure in the enclosed space along a saturated steam pressure curve, and heating and pressurizing the space for 2 to 5 hours at a temperature of 120° C. to 149° C. As an example, the unused crop material is plum fruit, and the plant growth regulator can be an itaconic acid-containing plant growth regulator.

This means that unused crop materials that have been discarded up until now can be used as growth regulators for new crop cultivation.

The method for producing a plant growth regulator according to the present invention is characterized by including a preparation step of storing unused crop material in an enclosed space, a steam decomposition step of heating and pressurizing the unused crop material in the enclosed space at a temperature of 120°C to 149°C for 2 to 5 hours to decompose the unused crop material, and a recovery step of recovering the components decomposed by the steam decomposition step.

This makes it possible to obtain components with plant growth regulating properties (plant growth regulating functional components) by decomposing unused crop material tissues in a short time in a simple and inexpensive manner. Because unused crop material, which is a natural product, is used as the raw material and the product is obtained by a hydrolysis method using water vapor, the plant growth regulator containing the component is gentle on plants and soil and does not have a detrimental effect on the natural environment.

In addition, in the steam decomposition process, it is preferable to heat and pressurize the sealed space by increasing the steam pressure and temperature while controlling the steam pressure as a partial pressure in the sealed space along the saturated steam pressure curve. This allows the hydrolysis reaction to proceed using steam energy. In addition, in the recovery process, it is preferable to cool the sealed space while controlling the steam pressure along the saturated steam pressure curve. This makes it possible to prevent water from boiling and recover the decomposed components.

As another example, the unused crop material can be plum fruit, and in the steam decomposition process, the plum fruit can be decomposed to produce an itaconic acid-containing component.

The system for producing a plant growth regulator for use in new crop cultivation from unused materials generated in crop cultivation according to the present invention includes a water supply source, a hypochlorous acid water generator that generates hypochlorous acid water by diluting and mixing sodium hypochlorite and hydrochloric acid with water supplied from the water supply source, a water purification device that purifies the water supplied from the water supply source, and a steam decomposition device that heats and pressurizes plants with steam to decompose them, and is characterized by having a mechanism in place in which the steam decomposition device heats and pressurizes the unused materials that have been cleaned and disinfected with the hypochlorous acid water generated by the hypochlorous acid water generator, using steam generated from the water purified by the water purification device to decompose them, thereby obtaining plant growth regulator functional components.

The method for producing a plant growth regulator for use in new crop cultivation from unused materials generated in crop cultivation according to the present invention is characterized in that it includes a cleaning and disinfection step for cleaning and disinfecting the unused materials, a water purification step for purifying water, and a steam decomposition step for heating and pressurizing the washed and disinfected unused materials with steam generated from the purified water to decompose them, thereby obtaining plant growth regulator functional components from the unused materials.

This system and method make it possible to construct an optimal system for utilizing unused materials generated during crop cultivation in new crop cultivation. Unused materials are cleaned and disinfected, and decomposed with steam generated from purified water, preventing pathogens and pests from contaminating the plant growth regulator functional components derived from natural substances, making it possible to produce a high-quality, safe plant growth regulator.

The present invention makes it possible to utilize unused crop materials, which have been discarded up until now, as biological resources in a simple and inexpensive manner, and to provide a plant growth regulator that does not adversely affect the ecosystem or the natural environment.

FIG. 1A is a vertical cross-sectional view of a steam cracking apparatus, and FIG. 1B is a plan view thereof. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of a system for monitoring the progress of a steam decomposition reaction that is carried out in a pressure vessel. FIG. 2 is a flow diagram showing a procedure for performing a steam decomposition process. FIG. 2 is a flow diagram showing a procedure for performing a steam decomposition process. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of a plant growth regulator production system according to an embodiment of the present invention. These are FT-IR spectra of plum extract (solid line) and plum acetone extract (dashed line) obtained using plums produced in Saitama Prefecture. This shows the FT-IR spectrum (solid line) of plum extract obtained using plums produced in Yamanashi Prefecture and the spectrum (dashed line) of polyitaconic acid searched from an FT-IR library. This shows the FT-IR spectrum (solid line) of plum extract obtained using plums produced in Yamanashi Prefecture and the spectrum (dashed line) of malic acid searched from an FT-IR library. This is the FT-IR spectrum (solid line) of plum extract obtained using plums produced in Yamanashi Prefecture and the spectrum (dashed line) of Z001#50; Pokka Lemon 100 searched from the FT-IR library ("Pokka Lemon 100" is a registered trademark). Photographs of rice plants grown from non-sterile seeds in tap water with or without added plant growth regulators. 1 is a graph showing the expression rate of the defense-related gene PBZ1 in rice in which sterilized seeds were grown on ½ MS agar medium with or without the addition of a plant growth regulator. Photographs of Arabidopsis thaliana that were germinated from non-sterile seeds in fungal-infested soil with or without added plant growth regulators and grown for 8 days. 1 is a graph showing the fresh weight of Arabidopsis thaliana that was grown for 8 days after pre-germination of non-sterile seeds and transplanting them into fungal-infested soil with or without the addition of a plant growth regulator.

The following is a detailed description of an embodiment of the present invention. The plant growth regulator according to this embodiment contains components obtained by decomposing unused crop material under heated and pressurized steam. The process of decomposing plants by heating and pressurizing them with steam is called steam decomposition, and will be described in detail later.

A plant growth regulator is a chemical that has the effect of promoting or inhibiting plant growth (in this application, "growth" includes growth (quantitative growth such as elongation and enlargement) and development (qualitative growth such as germination and organ differentiation), adjusting the shape and color of the harvested part (fruit, leaves, roots, etc.), and inducing resistance to pathogens and pests, thereby improving or stabilizing the quality or yield of the plant. As mentioned above, unused crop material refers to a part (crop pieces such as residues) or the whole (whole individual such as thinned plants) of the crop body that was not shipped as an agricultural product, and the crop is not limited. Examples of crops include celery, broccoli, tomatoes, eggplants, carrots, kidney beans, green onions, beets, corn, marigolds, blueberries, plums, peaches, etc. Below, an example will be explained in which the crop is plums and the unused crop material is plum fruit.

Plums contain various organic acids, including citric acid, malic acid, oxalic acid, and tartaric acid. They contain a particularly large amount of citric acid, which is known to have the effect of relieving fatigue. It is also known that the amount of nitrate nitrogen contained in vegetables can be reduced by irrigating or applying an organic nutrient solution containing citric acid to the vegetables (JP Patent Publication No. 2011-182658).

In this embodiment, it was found that the component (extract) obtained by decomposing plum fruit under heated and pressurized steam contains itaconic acid, which is thought to have been separated from the citric acid contained in raw plum fruit. Itaconic acid (CAS registration number 97-65-4) is known as a plant growth regulator, as indicated in the "Excluded Substance Assessment Report Itaconic Acid April 2015 Food Safety Commission." For example, as indicated in the same document, itaconic acid was developed as a flower thinning agent for apples, and it is said that spraying it after the completion of pollination of the terminal central flower inhibits pollen tube growth or burns the stigma with an organic acid, thereby inhibiting fertilization, thereby exhibiting a flower thinning effect.

When the extract obtained by decomposing plums under heated and pressurized steam according to this embodiment was diluted 5,000 to 10,000 times and sprayed on cherry tomatoes, it was found that they produced seven flower buds at a stage when they would normally produce five flower buds. The extract obtained by decomposing plums in steam contains itaconic acid as well as various organic acids such as citric acid and malic acid, as well as polyphenols. However, since the liquid obtained by soaking plums in ethanol and extracting them shows almost no growth-promoting effect on cherry tomatoes, it is believed that the growth of cherry tomatoes is promoted by the action of the itaconic acid in the extract obtained by decomposing plums in steam.

In addition, because the plant growth regulator of this embodiment is made from plums (plum fruits), which are natural products, it is gentle on the plants and soil in which it is used and does not destroy the natural environment.

The plant growth regulator according to this embodiment is obtained by steam decomposing plum fruit, which is unused crop material, and more specifically includes a preparation step of storing unused crop material (plum fruit) in an enclosed space, a steam decomposition step of heating and pressurizing the unused crop material (plum fruit) in the enclosed space at a temperature of 120°C to 149°C for 2 to 5 hours to decompose it with steam, and a recovery step of recovering the components decomposed by the steam decomposition step.

The above steam cracking process may employ the known steam cracking methods shown in Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3 and JP 2018-130112 A, but will be briefly described below. In addition, the steam cracking apparatus described in Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3 may be used as is.

Figure 1A is a vertical cross-sectional view of steam cracking device 28, and Figure 1B is its plan view. Steam cracking device 28 is a cylindrical pressure vessel 2 (corresponding to a "sealed space") equipped with a lid 1 that opens and closes the hatch. Heaters 3 are attached to the lower bottom and outer peripheral surface of pressure vessel 2, and the temperature inside pressure vessel 2 is detected by temperature sensor 4. The temperatures of the bottom and the peripheral surface of pressure vessel 2 are controlled separately. A temperature detection signal inside pressure vessel 2 is transmitted to control device 5.

The lid 1 is fitted with a pressure sensor 6 that detects the pressure inside the pressure vessel 2, and a solenoid valve 7 for pressure control. The solenoid valve 7 opens in response to a command from the control device 5, and controls the pressure inside the pressure vessel 2 by discharging the water vapor generated inside the pressure vessel 2 to the outside.

The plums, which are the material to be treated B, are placed in a basket 8 and inserted into the approximate center of the pressure vessel 2. A tray 11 is stored at the bottom of the pressure vessel 2 to receive the extract, which is the liquid obtained by steam decomposing the plums (the extract squeezed out of the plums and the condensed liquid of the soluble components that drip down the walls of the pressure vessel 2). After the steam decomposition process, a paste, which is the solid component, is obtained in the basket 8, and the liquid component (extract) and solid component (paste) correspond to the components obtained by steam decomposing the plums (i.e., the components obtained by decomposing the plums under heated and pressurized steam).

The plums can be stored in the basket 8 as is, without removing the seeds. In addition, plums as unused crop material can be effectively used as discarded plums, such as bruised plums that cannot be shipped for use in pickled plums or pickled plums. Usually, about 20 to 30 percent of the plums are discarded, so being able to effectively use such discarded plums is extremely advantageous in terms of cost.

Figure 2 shows an example of the configuration of a system for monitoring the progress of the steam decomposition reaction taking place in the pressure vessel 2. The control device 5 is a computer installed in the monitoring room 9, and controls the powering on (ON, OFF) of the heater 3, setting the processing time, opening and closing the solenoid valve 7, etc. Furthermore, the control device 5 executes the function of managing all the controls and setting information required for the component extraction process C, the function of monitoring the progress of the steam decomposition reaction, and the function of monitoring the extraction progress of substances extracted by decomposing the tissue of the plums with the monitor 10, as well as collecting this data in the autosampler 12 and sampling it. The reference numeral 13 denotes a sequencer.

The control device 5 washes unused crop material (raw plum material including plum fruit) A, cuts it to an appropriate size or removes unnecessary parts as necessary, places the treated material (plum fruit) B in the pressure vessel 2 (corresponding to the "preparation process"), subjects it to component extraction process C (corresponding to the "steam decomposition process" and "recovery process"), removes the components obtained by component extraction process C (the extract obtained from tray 11 and the paste obtained from basket 8) D from the pressure vessel 2, and, by subjecting this to purification process E as necessary, manages the process until high-purity components are obtained.

Prior to component extraction process C, the hatch of pressure vessel 2 is opened and a small amount of water is poured into pressure vessel 2. Next, the plums B to be subjected to component extraction process C are placed in basket 8, which is stored in pressure vessel 2, the hatch is closed, and component extraction process C of the plums B begins in pressure vessel 2. In this way, from the preparation process of storing the treated material (plums) B in pressure vessel 2, the process moves to the next process, the steam decomposition process. The steps of component extraction process C (the "steam decomposition process" and the subsequent "recovery process") are explained with reference to Figures 3 and 4.

Figures 3 and 4 are flow diagrams showing the procedure for performing the steam decomposition process. As shown in Figure 3, first, the solenoid valve 7 installed in the pipe connecting the inside and outside of the pressure vessel 2 is opened to open the pressure vessel 2 to the atmosphere, and the heater 3 is turned on (ON) (steps S1 and S2). While the pressure vessel 2 is being heated by the heater 3, the temperature (t) and pressure (P) inside the pressure vessel 2 are detected by the temperature sensor 4 and pressure sensor 6, respectively, at appropriate time intervals (step S3).

The detected temperature data and detected pressure data are transmitted to the control device 5 each time, and the control device 5 determines whether the detected temperature (t) is within a set temperature range (for example, 70°C≦t≦80°C). This set temperature range is a temperature at which the water in the pressure vessel 2 does not boil, and for safety, it is preferable to set it to a temperature range of 70°C to 80°C (70°C to 90°C is also acceptable).

In this embodiment, as described above, the solenoid valve 7 is opened and the pressure vessel 2 is heated by the heater 3 while being open to the atmosphere. As a result, as the water vapor pressure increases, the air in the pressure vessel 2 is expelled. Therefore, if the temperature inside the pressure vessel 2 is about 80°C, most of the air in the pressure vessel 2 is expelled, and the detected pressure (P) (actual measured pressure value) becomes almost close to the saturated water vapor pressure.

If the detected temperature (t) has not reached the set temperature range, step S3 and the above judgment are repeated. Temperature measurements should be performed in increments of temperature increase as small as possible (for example, about 5°C) to be safer and avoid boiling. If the detected temperature (t) reaches the set temperature, the solenoid valve 7 is closed (step S4). Heating by the heater 3 continues.

After closing the solenoid valve 7, the steam decomposition processing time is set to 2 to 5 hours (e.g., 3 hours) at an appropriate stage using a timer (not shown) (step S5). The temperature (t) and pressure (P) inside the pressure vessel 2 are detected at appropriate time intervals (or at appropriate temperature rise intervals) (step S6). The detected temperature data and detected pressure data are transmitted to the control device 5 each time, and the control device 5 substitutes the temperature value detected by the temperature sensor 4 into an approximation equation for a saturated water vapor pressure curve that has been input in advance, and calculates the saturated water vapor pressure (calculated pressure value) based on the approximation equation (step S7). The approximation equation may be, but is not limited to, the Tetens equation.

The control device 5 compares this calculated pressure value with the pressure value (P) (actual pressure value) detected by the pressure sensor 6, and determines whether the deviation of the actual pressure value (P) from the calculated pressure value is within a required set range (step S8). If the actual pressure value (P) deviates from the calculated pressure value by more than the set range, the output of the heater 3 is adjusted (step S9) to control the actual pressure value (P) to be as close as possible to the calculated pressure value. Note that, even at the stage leading up to step S4, the same control as in steps S6 to S9 may be performed, and the heater 3 may be controlled to be turned ON and OFF so that the actual pressure value (P) approaches the calculated pressure value. In this way, the water vapor pressure and temperature in the pressure vessel 2 are increased to heat and pressurize the pressure vessel 2 while controlling the water vapor pressure as a partial pressure in the pressure vessel 2 along the saturated water vapor pressure curve.

While carrying out the control of steps S6 to S9, as shown in FIG. 4, when the detected temperature (t) in step S6 rises to a set temperature between 120°C and 149°C, the output of heater 3 is adjusted (or turned off) (step S10), and the set temperature is maintained for the time set by the timer, and the necessary steam decomposition process is carried out.

In this embodiment, the steam decomposition process is carried out with the temperature inside the pressure vessel 2 in the range of 120°C to 149°C. If the temperature rises to 150°C or higher, the plums B will carbonize. When the timer turns off (step S11), the heater 3 is turned off (step S12). By doing as described above, it is possible to control the temperature and pressure inside the pressure vessel 2 to rise almost along the saturated water vapor pressure curve until step S12 is reached. If the temperature is even slightly higher than the saturated water vapor pressure, carbonization will occur, and if it is lower, there is a risk of impurities being liquefied and mixed in due to incomplete decomposition.

By turning off the heater 3, the process enters the recovery process stage, in which the components decomposed by the steam decomposition process are recovered. In this embodiment, the heater 3 is kept OFF and the pressure vessel 2 is naturally cooled (step S13). This natural cooling causes the temperature and pressure inside the pressure vessel 2 to drop while remaining approximately along the saturated water vapor pressure curve. In this way, the pressure vessel 2 is cooled while controlling the water vapor pressure along the saturated water vapor pressure curve. During this time, the temperature (t) inside the pressure vessel 2 is detected by the temperature sensor 4 at appropriate time intervals (step S14). When the detected temperature (t) drops to a temperature that can avoid boiling of water, for example, about 90°C, the solenoid valve 7 is opened (step S15), and the pressure vessel 2 is naturally cooled (step S16), and the process ends.

In this way, even after step S12, the temperature and pressure inside the pressure vessel 2 can be controlled to drop almost along the saturated water vapor pressure curve. As shown in step S15, when the temperature (t) inside the pressure vessel 2 drops below 90°C, the solenoid valve 7 is opened, so that the water inside the pressure vessel 2 can be reliably prevented from boiling.

If the pressure vessel 2 is large and it takes a long time to cool naturally in step S13, after turning off the heater 3 in step S12, the solenoid valve 7 may be opened for a short time at predetermined time intervals to release the water vapor, thereby increasing the cooling rate within the pressure vessel 2.

In this case, the temperature (t) and pressure (P) inside the pressure vessel 2 are detected by the temperature sensor 4 and pressure sensor 6, respectively, and the calculated pressure at the detected temperature (t) is calculated using an approximation equation for the saturated water vapor pressure curve in the same manner as above. The opening interval and opening time of the solenoid valve 7 are controlled so that the measured pressure (P) approaches the calculated pressure. This makes it possible to control the temperature and pressure inside the pressure vessel 2 to drop along the saturated water vapor pressure curve, even during cooling, without boiling the water inside the pressure vessel 2.

In this way, itaconic acid-containing components can be produced by steam decomposition of plum fruits. A conventional method for obtaining itaconic acid involves vacuum distilling a concentrated aqueous solution of citric acid at 200°C or higher to obtain a mixture of itaconic acid and citraconic acid or their anhydrides, and then separating itaconic acid from this mixture, but this method has the problem of being expensive. Another conventional method involves obtaining itaconic acid through itaconic acid fermentation, but this method has the problem of taking a long time. In contrast, the steam decomposition process of this embodiment makes it possible to obtain itaconic acid in a short time in a simple and inexpensive manner from unused crop materials that have been discarded up until now. This itaconic acid-containing component can be used as a plant growth regulator as it is, but as described above, as shown in Figure 2, it may be subjected to purification treatment E as necessary, or other substances may be added.

In addition, the components obtained by steam decomposition may contain a mixture of multiple types of components with plant growth regulating functions (components with plant growth regulating functions). As an example, if the raw crop (crop used as a raw material) is plum, the itaconic acid contained in the components obtained by steam decomposition of plum fruits, etc., mainly has the functions of promoting plant growth, elongation, and flower bud differentiation, while 4-hydroxy-2-pentanone and dimethyl-2-methoxysuccinate mainly have the functions of inhibiting plant elongation and elongation. It is believed that plant growth can be adjusted according to purpose by adjusting the dilution ratio, spraying time, etc.

The plant growth regulator in this embodiment is a technology that utilizes unused crop materials that have been discarded up until now as biological resources, and can be used as a growth regulator for newly cultivated crops. There are no limitations on the target crops (crops used), but since it can be used for the same crops as the raw material crops, for example, unused materials generated in a farm field can be treated in the steam decomposition device 28 and used in the same farm field, thereby realizing low-cost agriculture that can generate resources for the cultivation of the next crop along with the agricultural products during crop cultivation.

Next, referring to FIG. 5, a system 20 for producing a plant growth regulator for use in new crop cultivation from unused materials generated in crop cultivation will be described. The plant growth regulator production system 20 according to this embodiment includes a water supply source 22, a hypochlorous acid water generator 24 that generates hypochlorous acid water by diluting and mixing sodium hypochlorite (including sodium hypochlorite aqueous solution) and hydrochloric acid (including dilute hydrochloric acid) with water supplied from the water supply source 22, a water purification device 26 that purifies the water supplied from the water supply source 22, and a steam decomposition device 28 that heats and pressurizes plants with steam to decompose them.

The water supply source 22 may be a water supply or the like. The hypochlorous acid water generator 24 may suitably be a hypochlorous acid water generator manufactured by Technomax Co., Ltd. The water purification device 26 may be an RO water purifier or the like. The steam decomposition device 28 may be a device described in the above-mentioned Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3, and may suitably be a color difference decomposition device manufactured by Technomax Co., Ltd.

In the plant growth regulator manufacturing system 20 according to this embodiment, the steam decomposition device 28 heats and pressurizes unused materials that have been cleaned and disinfected with hypochlorous acid water generated by the hypochlorous acid water generation device 24, using steam generated from purified water by the water purification device 26 to decompose them, and obtains plant growth regulator functional components. This is an optimal mechanism for using unused materials generated in crop cultivation for new crop cultivation. As a result, the unused materials are first cleaned and disinfected with hypochlorous acid water (cleaning and disinfection process), and then steam decomposed with steam generated from purified water through the water purification process (steam decomposition process) to obtain plant growth regulator functional components. Therefore, it is possible to prevent pathogens and pests from being mixed into naturally derived components, and it is possible to produce high-quality and safe plant growth regulators.

Ume fruit was steam-decomposed using the steam decomposition device 28 shown in Figures 1 and 2, according to the procedure shown in Figures 3 and 4. In steps S2 and S3, the pressure vessel 2 was heated with the solenoid valve 7 open (open to the atmosphere) until the temperature inside the pressure vessel 2 rose to approximately 80°C. Thereafter, the solenoid valve 7 was closed and heating continued (step S4), until the temperature inside the pressure vessel 2 rose to 132°C (pressure approximately 3.0 atm), and this temperature was maintained for approximately 4 hours.

The heater 3 was then turned off and the pressure vessel 2 was allowed to cool naturally. When the temperature inside the pressure vessel 2 had dropped to approximately 90°C, the solenoid valve 7 was gradually opened, air was introduced into the pressure vessel 2, and the pressure vessel 2 was allowed to cool further naturally. No liquid boiled inside the pressure vessel 2. After the pressure vessel 2 had cooled, the liquid content (extract) and solid content (paste) inside the pressure vessel 2 were collected. In this example, the liquid content (extract) was used as a plant growth regulator.

Figures 6 to 9 show the FT-IR spectra (vertical axis is absorbance) of the above extract (hereafter referred to as "ume extract") obtained by decomposing ume fruits under heated and pressurized steam, and the acetone extract (hereafter referred to as "ume acetone extract") obtained by slicing ume fruits and soaking them in acetone for one day or more. The analysis was carried out at the Industrial Technology Testing Institute of the Minami Shinshu Iida Industrial Center, a public interest incorporated foundation, using a Fourier transform infrared microspectrophotometer IRT-5000 (manufactured by JASCO Corporation).

Figure 6 shows the spectra of plum extract (solid line) and plum acetone extract (dashed line) obtained using plums produced in Saitama Prefecture. As a result of FT-IR analysis, absorptions presumably due to carboxylic acid hydroxyl groups were observed around wave numbers 2600 to 3600 cm ^-1 , -NH groups around 3300 cm ^-1 , carboxylic acids and carboxylic acid hydroxyl groups around 1720 cm ^-1 and 1410 cm ^-1 , amide groups around 1650 cm ^-1 , and hydroxyl groups and ethers around 1000 to 1100 cm ^-1 . From these spectra, it is presumed that the mixture is composed of substances having hydroxyl groups and ether groups, carboxylic acids, and substances having amide groups.

It is known that plums contain a significant amount of citric acid as an acid component, but in Figure 6, the plum extract and the plum acetone extract have reversed absorbance at wavenumbers of around 3400 cm ^-1 , 1700 cm ^-1 , and 1100 cm ^-1. This is presumably due to a spectral change resulting from the plum extract, i.e., the extract obtained by decomposing plum fruits under heated and pressurized steam, in which acid components have been highly decomposed, and in particular, part of the citric acid has been decomposed into itaconic acid.

Figure 7 shows the FT-IR spectrum (solid line) of plum extract obtained using plums from Yamanashi Prefecture and the spectrum (dashed line) of polyitaconic acid (HU#559; POLY (ITACONIC ACID)) searched from the FT-IR library. As is clear from Figure 7, the trends of these two spectra are almost identical, and it is presumed that the plum extract contains polyitaconic acid. As can be seen from the solid lines in Figures 6 and 7, the FT-IR spectra of plum extract obtained from plums from Saitama Prefecture and plums from Yamanashi Prefecture are almost identical, so it is presumed that the components are almost the same even if the plums are from different places of origin.

Figure 8 shows the FT-IR spectrum (solid line) of plum extract obtained using plums produced in Yamanashi Prefecture and the spectrum (dashed line) of malic acid (HP#2907; S(-)-hydroxysuccinic acid) searched from the FT-IR library. As is clear from Figure 8, the trends of both spectra are almost identical, suggesting that the plum extract contains malic acid.

Figure 9 shows the FT-IR spectrum (solid line) of plum extract obtained using plums produced in Yamanashi Prefecture and the spectrum (dashed line) of Z001#50; Pokka Lemon 100 searched from the FT-IR library. "Pokka Lemon 100" is a registered trademark and is made from 100% concentrated reconstituted lemon juice produced by Pokka Sapporo Food & Beverage Co., Ltd. According to the 2020 edition (8th edition) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, 100g of lemon juice contains 90.5g of water and 6.7g of organic acid, of which 6.5g is citric acid and 0.2g is malic acid. As is clear from Figure 9, the trends of both spectra are almost identical, and it is inferred that the plum extract contains citric acid.

Furthermore, the plum extract and plum acetone extract obtained from plums grown in Saitama Prefecture, as well as the plum extract obtained from plums grown in Yamanashi Prefecture, were subjected to component analysis by gas chromatography. The analysis was carried out at the Industrial Technology Testing Institute of the Minami Shinshu Iida Industrial Center Public Interest Foundation. PTAH (Phenyltrimethyl Ammonium Hydroxide) was used as the methyl ester derivatizing agent.

The analysis conditions are as follows:
<GC>
Injection volume: 10 μl
Method: 40℃3min-10℃/min-240℃5min (Run Time: 28min)
Injection: 240℃ Split Flow: 3ml
DB-WAX 30m, 0.25mm, 0.25μm
<MS>
Scan time: 2-28min, m/z30-550EI+

As a result, 4-methylitaconate was detected in both plum extracts obtained by decomposing plum fruits under heated and pressurized steam, but 4-methylitaconate was not detected in the plum acetone extract (graph not shown). From the above, it was found that the plum extract obtained by decomposing plum fruits under heated and pressurized steam contains itaconic acid, which is a decomposition of some of the citric acid contained in the plum fruits.

As mentioned above, when this plum extract was diluted 5,000 to 10,000 times and sprayed on cherry tomatoes, it was found that they produced seven flower buds at a stage when they would normally produce five. The extract obtained by decomposing plums under heated, pressurized steam contains itaconic acid as well as various organic acids such as citric acid and malic acid, as well as polyphenols. However, the liquid obtained by soaking plums in ethanol and extracting them shows almost no growth-promoting effect on cherry tomatoes. Therefore, it is believed that the growth of cherry tomatoes is promoted by the action of the itaconic acid in the plum extract obtained by decomposing plums with steam.

In addition, in the above-mentioned gas chromatographic analysis, in addition to 4-methyl itaconate, 4-hydroxy-2-pentanone, dimethyl-2-methoxysuccinate, etc. were detected in the plum extract obtained by decomposing plum fruits under heated and pressurized steam. These 4-hydroxy-2-pentanone and dimethyl-2-methoxysuccinate are known to have a plant dwarfing function. In fact, during the long rainy season, cherry tomatoes do not produce flower buds and their stems grow long and thin (elongated). However, when the above-mentioned plum extract was diluted and sprayed on cherry tomatoes during the long rainy season, it was confirmed that the elongation of the stems was suppressed and the stems became thicker. It is also considered that itaconic acid has a function of suppressing the elongation of plants during this period. From the above facts, the plum extract obtained by decomposing plum fruits under heated and pressurized steam contains various components and has a plant growth regulating function, promoting growth at certain times and suppressing growth at other times during the process of plant growth. It is believed that by adjusting the dilution ratio of the plum extract and the time of spraying, it is possible to adjust plant growth according to the intended purpose.

By subjecting plums to steam decomposition, a liquid fraction (extract) and a solid fraction (paste) are obtained. The solid fraction contains the same physiologically active substance (hydroxymethylfurfural) as commercially available plum extract, i.e., a paste made by boiling down plum flesh, and is expected to be used as a preventative agent for lifestyle-related diseases.

Beets (whole plant), corn (caryopsis), celery (roots), and marigold (whole plant) were steam-decomposed using the steam decomposition apparatus 28 shown in Figures 1 and 2, according to the processing procedures shown in Figures 3 and 4, to obtain the respective extracts. Hereinafter, each extract will be referred to as "beet extract", "corn extract", "celery extract", and "marigold extract". As plant growth regulators, 1000-fold and 10,000-fold diluted solutions of each extract were prepared. The prepared plant growth regulators were added to rice (variety: Koshihikari) seeds and Arabidopsis seedlings, and their effects were confirmed in comparison with those without the addition (comparative example).

First, sterilized rice seeds were grown for 10 days in sterilized water. The sterilized water was supplemented with 1000-fold or 10,000-fold diluted extracts of beetroot extract, corn extract, celery extract, and marigold extract. The results showed that rice plants supplemented with any of the extracts showed growth (plant height, solid weight, and root weight) that was equal to or better than that of unsupplemented rice. Since no adverse effects were observed on rice growth in a sterile environment, i.e., an environment free of other external factors, it is assumed that steam decomposition does not produce any components that adversely affect crop growth.

Next, non-sterilized rice seeds were grown in tap water for 10 days. The tap water was supplemented with 1000-fold or 10,000-fold diluted beet extract, corn extract, celery extract, and marigold extract. Under pathogen stress conditions, rice plants supplemented with any of the extracts showed equal or superior growth compared to unsupplemented rice, and as shown in Figure 10, the 10,000-fold diluted celery extract and 10,000-fold diluted marigold extract showed particularly superior growth.

Next, sterilized rice seeds were cultivated on 1/2 MS agar medium for 8 days. A 10,000-fold diluted solution of beet extract, a 10,000-fold diluted solution of celery extract, and a 10,000-fold diluted solution of marigold extract were added to the medium. In a nutrient-rich environment, the rice plants to which the extracts were added showed slightly better growth than the rice plants without the extracts, but no significant differences were observed. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 11, the expression rate of PBZ1, a defense-related gene, was improved in the rice plants to which the extracts were added compared to the rice plants without the extracts. The expression rate was about 2 times in the 10,000-fold diluted solution of celery extract, about 6 times in the 10,000-fold diluted solution of marigold extract, and about 24 times in the 10,000-fold diluted solution of beet extract, and it is possible that a PBZ1 inducer was produced by steam decomposition. As an example, it is known that the expression of PBZ1 has the effect of suppressing the infection of rice blast disease, and it is thought that the disease can be suppressed by using the components obtained by steam decomposition treatment.

Next, unsterilized Arabidopsis seeds were sown in the soil in which the filamentous fungus had proliferated, germinated in an incubator at a constant temperature, and cultivated for 8 days. To the soil, 1000-fold or 10,000-fold diluted beet extract, corn extract, celery extract, or marigold extract was added. As shown in Figure 12, all Arabidopsis plants without the extract turned yellow and withered. In contrast, a certain number of Arabidopsis plants with the extract added continued to grow without withering, and produced green leaves.

Next, unsterilized seeds of Arabidopsis were germinated at constant temperature in an incubator, then transplanted into soil in which filamentous fungi had proliferated and cultivated for 8 days. The soil was added with 1000-fold or 10,000-fold diluted beet extract, celery extract, and marigold extract. As shown in Table 1 and Figure 13, the Arabidopsis to which the extracts were added had an average fresh weight of about 1.2 times larger (4.04 mg) than that to which no extracts were added (3.30 mg), and the addition of the extracts promoted growth. Individually, the growth was slightly inferior to that of the Arabidopsis without extracts when diluted 1000 times with celery extract, but the growth was equivalent when diluted 1000 times with beet extract, and all other extracts showed superior growth. In addition, the growth of beets, celery, and marigold was superior to that of the 1000-fold diluted solution. This suggests that plant growth can be tailored to suit the purpose by adjusting the dilution rate of the components during steam decomposition.

1 Lid, 2 Pressure vessel, 3 Heater, 4 Temperature sensor, 5 Control device, 6 Pressure sensor, 7 Solenoid valve, 8 Cage, 9 Monitoring room, 10 Monitor, 11 Tray, 12 Autosampler, 13 Sequencer, 20 Plant growth regulator manufacturing system, 22 Water source, 24 Hypochlorous acid water generator, 26 Water purification device, 28 Steam decomposition device

Claims (3)

It contains components that are decomposed by heated and pressurized steam from unused crop materials,
The unused crop material is plum fruit,
A plant growth regulator comprising itaconic acid contained in the components obtained by decomposing the plum fruit under heated and pressurized steam. A system for producing a plant growth regulator for use in new crop cultivation from unused materials generated in crop cultivation,
A water source;
A hypochlorous acid water generating device for generating hypochlorous acid water by diluting and mixing sodium hypochlorite and hydrochloric acid with water supplied from the water supply source;
A water purification device that purifies water supplied from the water supply source;
A steam decomposition device that heats and pressurizes plants with steam to decompose them,
The plant growth regulator manufacturing system is characterized in that the steam decomposition device heats and pressurizes the unused material that has been cleaned and disinfected with the hypochlorous acid water generated by the hypochlorous acid water generation device, and decomposes it with steam generated from the water purified by the water purification device, thereby obtaining plant growth regulating functional components. A method for producing a plant growth regulator for use in new crop cultivation from unused materials generated in crop cultivation, comprising:
A cleaning and disinfecting process for cleaning and disinfecting the unused material;
A water purification process for purifying water;
A steam decomposition process is carried out in which the washed and disinfected unused material is decomposed by heating and pressurizing it with steam generated from the purified water,
A method for producing a plant growth regulator, comprising obtaining a plant growth regulating component from the unused material.

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