GB2088185A

GB2088185A - Plant Collar

Info

Publication number: GB2088185A
Application number: GB8038552A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Secto Co Ltd
Current assignee: Secto Co Ltd
Priority date: 1980-12-02
Filing date: 1980-12-02
Publication date: 1982-06-09
Also published as: GB2088185B

Abstract

A plant collar 11 in the form of a generally flat disc-shaped pad of a felt substrate material 12 has a radial slit 15 from the periphery 17 to a central aperture 16 for receiving a plant stem 14 and is impregnated with insectidical and/or fungicidal preparations for horticultural effect upon a plant 13 around whose stem the collar is arranged at the soil surface. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Plant Insecticidal and Fungicidal Collar This invention relates to a means for presenting insecticidal and/or fungicidal preparations to a plant for a prescribed specific horticultural effect and is particularly, but not exclusively concerned with the slow or controlled release application of such insecticidal and fungicidal preparations to a plant whereby to afford sustained protection to the plant throughout the growing season.

The invention is of particular application to a plant of the brassica family, for example: cauliflower, broccoli, kale, cabbage, calabrese and savoy, but also other plants such as lettuce, carrots, parsnips and parsely, which may be subject to the same characteristic attack, for example by insects such as root fly and root aphids, which attach the stem at or below ground level.

Insect attack on plant stems often leads to fungal attack, which finally kills the plant and thus the invention embraces the simultaneous application of a fungicide, for example Thiram, which helps protect the plant from fungal attack during exposure throughout the growing season.

By way of background information, brassica plants give off an odour which serves to attract the female cabbage root fly (Delia Brassicae), whose eggs are laid very close, typically 2cms or so to the stem of the plant This can occur until the late season when the stems become to woody and thus the most vulnerable periods are from May to August, at the first planting, during thinning out and especially during very dry weather. At such times the plants are vulnerable to root fly, as mentioned, along with transitory predatory pests such as snails and slugs, and also carrot fly and root aphids.

A problem arises with the application or dispensing of insecticidal preparations at the correct dosage rate for continuous and long term coverage. It is also desirable to provide some sort of quasi-physical barrier between the plant and marauding pests such as slugs, which will deter initial attack on the plant while at a vulnerable stage. Previous proposals in regard to the latter aspect have included the application of materials in particle form, such as soot, and even rigid barriers on the soil surface.

According to one aspect of the present invention a plant collar comprises a generally flat disc-like impregnated substrate with a radial slit communicating between the periphery and the central aperture, for receiving a plant stem.

Conveniently the substrate is flexible to allow deformation for covering the collar around the plant stem, whilst presenting an enclosed circle of impregnated substrate around the plant stem in the inserted undeformed condition.

Preferably, the substrate impregnate includes as preparations for insecticidal and/or fungicidal effect, compounds taken from the group comprising the active ingredients; Stockholm Tar extract, Chlordaine, Diazinon, Thiram, Lindane.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method of applying an insecticidal and/or fungicidal preparation to a plant comprises impregnating a substrate with such insecticidal and fungicidal preparations and applying the substrate as a collar around a plant stem at soil level.

There now follows a description of the particular embodiment of the invention, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates in perspective view an impregnated felt collar, with both insecticidal and fungicidal properties, fitted round a plant stem.

Referring to the drawing, a plant collar 11 comprises a generally flat relatively thin discshaped felt absorbant pad 12 impregnated with insecticidal and fungicidal preparations. The collar 11 is approximately 3" in diameter and incorporates a radial slit 1 5 from the circular periphery 1 7 to a central circular apperture 1 6 in which is received the stem 14 of a newly planted out brassica seedling 13. Active ingredients impregnated into the felt are: Stockholm Tar (extract) 20%, Chlordaine 7%, Diazinon 3%, Silicone 1.5%, Thiram 1.5%, with additional solvents bringing the total to 100%.

In practice, this means that each collar 11 would contain approximately 0.3 grams of Stockholm Tar, 0.16 grams of Chlordaine, 0.05 grams of Diazinon, and 0.01 grams of Thiram.

This quantity is applied over the actual plant growing period.

Before application and in order to prevent dissipation of the insecticidal and fungicidal ingredients held in the impregnated substrate, the collars 11 would be packed in a vapour proof container, for example vacuum packed in a heatsealed envelope of synthetic plastics materials and arranged in one or more stacks or piles.

In use, an individual collar 11 is taken from the sealed pack and arranged around the plant stem 14 using local deformation of the collar 11 along the radial slit 15, so that the plant stem 14 locates within the central apperture 1 6 and the radial slit 1 5 is then closed to present a continuous circumferential barrier 1 7 around the plant stem 14, which will deter the passage of transient pests such as slugs and snails. To facilitate this the felt is flexible and slightly resilient, yet is light in weight and thus will not crush or compress unduly the soil 20 around the plant stem 14, nor will the collar 12 as a whole unduly inhibit passage of water to the soil roots 21.

Other horticultural factors in applying the collar 11 are that, after planting out the individual plants, the soil 20 around the plant stem 14 should be locally levelled or flattened and the collar 12 fitted snugly to ground level.

In practice, insecticidal and fungicidal preparations impregnated in the substrate 1 8 will disperse slowly from the collar 12 and infiltrate the surface of the soil 20 creating a barrier around the plant 13 and initially helping to prevent other insects and pests, such as eel-worms, wireworms etc. from damaging the plant 13.

The collar 11 can readily be removed when the plant 13 is mature.

Claims

1. A plant collar comprising a generally flat disc, impregnated with insecticidal and/or fungicidal preparations, the collar being provided with a radial slit from the circumference thereof to a central aperture for receiving a plant stem.

2. A plant collar, as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises a porous felt material.

3. A plant collar, as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said insecticidal and/or fungicidal preparations are selected from the group comprising Stockholm Tar extract, Chlordaine, Diazinon, Thiram and Lindane.

4. A plant collar, as claimed in Claim 3, incorporating as active ingredients, 20% Stockholm Tar extract, 7% Chlordaine, 3% Diazinon, 25% Silicone, 0.5% Thiram and additional solvents bringing the total to 100%.

5. A plant collar, as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the substrate is sufficiently flexible to allow local deformation along the radial slit for insertion of the plant stem into said aperture.

6. A plant collar substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

7. A method of applying an insecticidal and/or fungicidal preparation to a plant comprising impregnating a substrate with such insecticidal and fungicidal preparations and applying the substrate as a collar around a plant stem at soil level.