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United States Patent
6,797,507
Hahn
September 28, 2004
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Methods of using worm castings for fungal control
Abstract
The present invention describes a material and a method for controlling
fungi. The method consists of disposing a naturally formed chitinase about
an area to be protected. The naturally formed chitinase is produced from
worm castings and the worm castings may be disposed naturally, in the form
of timed-release pellets, or in a liquid form. The area to be protected
includes plants and structures. The naturally formed chitinase may be
disposed about the base of the plant or structure, or on the leaves of the
plant.
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Inventors:
Hahn; George E. (205 Liszt Ave., Cardiff by the Sea, CA 92007)
Assignee:
Hahn; George E. (Cardiff, CA)
Appl. No.:
247054
Filed:
September 20, 2002
Current U.S. Class:
435/252.4; 424/543; 424/93.1
Intern'l Class:
C12N 001/00; C12N 001/20; A61K 035/60; A01N 065/00
Field of Search:
435/243,252.4 424/543,93.1,435
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References Cited [Referenced
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http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p==
1&u=%2F
netahtml%2Fsearch-adv.htm&r=0&f=S&l=50&d=CR04&Query=ref/6,797,507=
> By]
Other References
M. Szczech, "Suppresiveness of Vermicompost against Fusarium Wilt of
Tomato," J Phytopathology 147.155-161, 1999 Berlin.
Szczech "Suppressive Effect of a Commercial Earthworm Compost on some Root
Infecting Pathogens of Cabbage and Tomato, Biological Agriculture and
Horticulture." 1993, vol. 10, pp 47-52, Great Britain.
Primary Examiner: Brumback; Brenda
Assistant Examiner: Winston; Randall
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Parent Case Text
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This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.
09/784,283. filed Feb. 16, 2001 U.S. Pat. No. 6,475,503 entitled "Methods
for Using Worm Castings for Insect Repellancy," which claims benefit of
60/187,243 filed Mar. 3, 2000.
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Claims
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What is claimed is:
1. A method of fungal control, the method consisting of disposing an
effective amount of worm castings about an area in need of fungal protectio=
n
wherein the level of chitinase producing microorganisms within the worm
casting is at least 1 million CFU/gdw (Colony Forming Units/gram dry
weight).
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of disposing the worm castings
about an area to be protected includes the step of forming the chitinase
producing microorganisms into timed-release pellets.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of disposing the worm castings
about an area to be protected includes the step of forming the chitinase
producing microorganisms in a liquid.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the area to be protected is a plant, the
plant having a base and a leaf area, and the step of disposing the worm
castings about the plant includes the step of disposing the chitinase
producing microorganisms on the leaf area of the plant.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of disposing the worm castings on
the leaf area of the plant includes disposing the worm castings in liquid
form.
6. The method of claim 4 wherein the plant additionally includes a root
structure, a drip line, and a feeder root zone between the drip line and th=
e
base of the plant and the step of disposing the worm castings about the
plant includes disposing the worm castings on the feeder root zone.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the area to be protected is a structure,
the structure having a base, and the step of disposing the worm castings
about the structure includes the step of disposing the worm castings on the
ground adjacent the base of the structure.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the worm castings are hydroponically
disposed about the area to be protected.
9. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of disposing the naturally formed
chitinase about an area to be protected includes the step of forming the
natural chitinase into timed-release pellets.
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Description
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BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention describes a method of producing a biodegradable insect
repellant and fungus fungal control, and more particularly to a method of
using natural chitinase enzyme and the chitinase producing organisms as an
insect repellant and a fungus control.
2. Description of the Related Art
Worm castings have been known as being very beneficial to promote plant
growth for more than 100 years but they have not been know to be effective
for insect pest repellency applications. Research by Ohio State University
testing for the recommended application rate of worm castings for highest
growth improvement recommended a 10%-20% mix. The rule given by Ohio State
University to achieve these percentages was that a 1/2 inch layer worked
into the soil will provide a 10% ratio and a 1-inch layer worked into the
soil will provide a 20% ratio.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,245,551 to Suslow describes a method of treating or
protecting plants, fruit and roots from fungal infections comprising the
step of applying an effective amount of an antibiotic-producing bacillus.
Tests performed Suslow showed a systemic entrance of the chitinase-producin=
g
organisms when these were applied to the soil around the plants. Suslow did
not disclose the use of chitinase as an insect repellant.
An article by Linda McGraw, New Plants Put a Hurt on Pests, published Feb.
18, 1999, describes the genetic engineering of tobacco plants by the
injection of artificially produced chitinase. Plant material then consumed
by insects causes the chitin of the insect to break down, making such insec=
t
subject to disease by microorganisms. The McGraw article did not describe
the use of chitinase as an insect repellent.
Using worm castings with a level of chitin degraders above 1 million cfu/gd=
w
to repel various insects has many advantages. Worm castings are non-toxic s=
o
provide a non-poisonous alternative to chemical pest treatments. The
non-toxic nature of worm castings means the use should not harm other
valuable organisms found in soil. The fact that worm castings are a natural
element found in healthy soil indicates that harmful side effects should be
limited. The elements found naturally in worm castings, which appear to be
the active elements to repel insects, are living organisms. This means that
the repellency could be provided for a longer time period unless the
organisms are killed from a different source.
BRIEF SUMMARY THE INVENTION
The present invention deals with using worm castings as an insect repellent
as a layer on the ground for walking insects, incorporated into the soil
feeding plants for pest insects, incorporated into the feeding liquid for
hydroponic growing, and as liquid worm castings sprayed onto the leaves of
plants for a topical treatment. The worm castings can be used on soil, turf=
,
or in hydroponic applications.
It was observed that ants refused to cross a layer of worm castings. When a
layer of worm castings was put around a tree or bush the reaction of the
ants was immediate. Ants in the tree or bush congregate in an agitated
manner just above the border of the worm castings. Soil that ants will
easily cross tested at less than 1 million CFU/gdw (Colony Forming
Units/gram dry weight). This supports that ants can detect and are averse t=
o
a level of chitinase somewhere between 1 and 54 million CFU/gdw. Red fire
ants are particularly averse to an application of worm castings. Testing ha=
s
shown that red fire ants will abandon their nests within 24 hours with a 1/=
4
inch application over and around the nest mound.
Testing was done on many plants to determine if worm castings with a level
of chitin degraders above 1 million cfu/gdw are able to change the level of
chitinase in the leaves of plants. This invention describes a method of
using worm castings in various methods to activate the natural insect
repellency produced by the chitinase-producing organisms found naturally in
plants. The concentration of chitinase must be sufficiently high to repel
insects. Testing has shown that the natural level of chitinase found in mos=
t
plants is often not sufficient to repel insects. Worm castings with a level
of chitinase producing organsisms, chitin degraders, can also be used to
control fungus problems in the soil beneath plants. Worm castings are the
feces or excrement from the common red earthworm found in much of the world=
.
The genus of the red earthworm worm is eisenia foetida. Other genus of the
earthworm also provide worm castings suitable for this invention. Worm
castings are produced as a normal part of the worm life cycle when worms ar=
e
fed a diet of various forms of biodegradable materials such as compost,
paper, food waste, and any other degradable organic material. Worm castings
with a level of chitin degraders above 1 million cfu/gdw can be used to
increase the level of chitinase to a repulsion level. Liquid worm castings
with a level of chitin degraders above 1 million cfu/gdw can be used as a
foliar spray to administer a concentration of chitinase topically to the
leaves and stems of plants. Applying this liquid as a foliar spray also
provides beneficial competition for airborne or mechanically transferred
fungus diseases. Beneficial competition means that one organism eats the
other. The "beneficial comes" from the result. Liquid worm castings give a
temporary repellency effect that can be effective to keep the insects away
until the level of natural repellency is increased in the nectar of the
plant. Liquid worm castings, with a level of chitin degraders above 1
million cfu/gdw, provide a competitive layer of organisms that will consume
fungus diseases since the structural component of the fungus diseases are
chitin. Worm castings with a level of chitin degraders above 1 million
cfu/gdw can be added to soil to repel walking insects such as ants and
including red fire ants. Worm castings with a level of chitin degraders
above 1 million cfu/gdw can also be added to the hydroponic feed liquid for
plants to increase natural level of chitinase production and possible other
natural element to repel insects. The addition of these worm castings to
hydroponic feeds provides the beneficial chitin degraders into the
hydroponic liquid to beneficially compete with fungus diseases. An
infestation of a soil fungus provides pathogenic soil mix because the fungu=
s
will lock up nitrogen by consuming or eating it. Too much of the harmful
fungus and the plant will starve. Beneficial competition comes when the
disease or patogenic organisms is eaten by the good organisms. In the case
of nitrogen lockup, once the beneficial organisms eat the fungus the
nitrogen is released. When the worm castings are made into a tea, it can be
sprayed onto the leaves have coverage of 65% or more, then an airborne
fungus has no place to land and attach. And in the case of the chitin
degraders in the worm castings, anyplace wherein this fungus spore lands, i=
t
will be eaten by the chitin degraders thus stoppiing all propagation of the
fungus disease.
Mechanical transfer comes when an animal or insect is carrying the fungus
spores. If the insect lands on the plant foliage or the animal brushes
against the plant foliage (leaves), the fungus spore can be transferred to
the plant leaf surface. If the plant foliage has been sparyed with the worm
castings tea, with the necessary level of chitin degraders, then the fungus
is eaten.
Worm castings contain various organisms that produce enzymes known as
various forms of chitinase to which insects have a strong aversion. Worm
castings are called by several other names: vermi-compost, vermi-castings,
worm droppings, worm manure and others. All of these terms refer to the sam=
e
material.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a two-dimensional drawing of a tree, showing its underground root
structure.
FIG. 2 is a two-dimensional drawing of a bush, showing its underground root
structure.
FIG. 3 is a cutaway view of a worm bed.
FIG. 4 is a cutaway view of a worm bed with worm castings.
FIG. 5 is a cutaway view of the worm castings at harvest time.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 depicts a tree 10, having a leaf area 20 and a root structure 30. Th=
e
outer limits of leaf area 20 describe drip line 40, which extends the
periphery of tree 10. Extending inwardly from drip line 40 toward a point
over the root structure for a distance a about the tree is the feeder root
zone with worm castings 50 disposed above the feeder root zone. Referring
now to FIG. 2, bush 70 has a leaf area 80, a root structure 90, drip line
40, and feeder root zone comprising the area of the ground below the
circumference of leaf area 80 of diameter b. Research has discovered that
one natural insect repellant is any chitinase enzyme. These chitinase
enzymes are produced by chitin degraders. The exact minimum level of
chitinase for detection and aversion by an insect and for fungus control ha=
s
not been definitively determined but has been estimated by researchers as
about 1 million cfu/gdw.
Hibiscus leaves that were covered in white fly cocoons were tested and foun=
d
to have a level of chitinase producing chitin degraders at 300,000 CFU/gdw.
The white fly infested hibiscus plants were treated with worm castings. Wor=
m
castings with a level of chitin degraders above 1 million cfu/gdw were
applied in a 1/2 inch layer from the bases, or stems, to drip line 40 (FIG.
2). In about two months all white fly residue and cocoons were gone. White
flies from neighboring plants, which had not been treated, would fly around
the treated leaves but not land on these leaves. Other plants, including
trees, have been tested to determine if the use of worm castings is
effective to repel spider mites, aphids, bark beetles, psylids, and other
insects. Referring again to FIG. 1, worm castings 50 in the feeder zone of =
a
plant or tree, effective repellency has been seen in such plants and tree
against various insects. Spider mites will leave a plant in about two weeks=
.
Aphids will leave in about six weeks. Bark beetles will leave trees after
several months. The time period for the insects to leave a plant appears
dependent on the size of the plant.
Ants leave their nests within 24 hours and do not return for some period of
time. The exact length of time for abandonment must be tested and will no
doubt be dependent on other environmental conditions. Ants will not cross a
layer of worm casting 50 for about two weeks, and then will gingerly begin
to cross. If the top layer of worm casting 50 is raked, then the ants will
again refuse to cross. Using worm castings in all soil areas around a home
appeals to repel the ants for many months. The exact time will need to be
tested and will no doubt be dependent on other environmental conditions. Th=
e
repellency effect for pest insects takes a period of time to begin, once th=
e
level of chitinase has been increased to repellency level, the insects leav=
e
the plant.
Fungus diseases are controlled by benficial competition using worm castings
with a level of chitin degraders above 1 million cfu/gdw. This has been
shown by field application testing and by independent lab testing where a
wide range of fungus diseases were tested "in-vitro" in the presence of the
worm castings made into a liquid tea with a level of chitin degraders above
1 million cfu/gdw. All of the in vitro tests showed that the fungus disease=
s
were controlled or consumed by the organisms in the worm castings.
The level of the chitinase producing organisms (chitin degraders) for
effective repellency and fungus control is in the range of about 1 million
CFU/gdw. Worm castings were tested to determine the level of the chitinase
enzyme producing organisms (chitin degraders). Tests of worm castings show
concentrations of chitinase producing organisms in the range of 54 million
CFU/gdw. This concentration is over 50 times the estimated level required
for repellency. The chitinase-producing organisms in the worm castings
consisted of five bacteria, four fungi, and five actinomycetes. The leaves
from the treated hibiscus were tested for chitinase four months after the
initial application of worm castings. This test revealed that the level of
chitinase producing organisms had increased to 670 million CFU/gdw. The
chitinase producing organisms found in the leaves were two bacteria that
were not any of the five found in the worm castings. This indicates that
some trigger element in the worm castings activates multiplication of the
organisms that produce the enzyme chitinase. The time period for
effectiveness is at least six months. As above, the exact time period will
need to be tested and will be dependent on other environmental conditions.=
The science of worm husbandry is well known. FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 depict a worm
bed through harvesting of the worm castings. Reference is made to FIG. 3
where worm bed 100 is disposed on the ground. Worm castings are produced by
feeding worms various forms of waste biomass. This provides the advantage
that worm castings do not require the consumption of valuable natural
resources. The production instead consumes waste materials. Worm bed 100
comprises a layer of biomass with earthworms disposed therewithin. FIG. 2
depicts worm bed 100, with worm castings 110 disposed under worm bed 100.
The earthworms are fed approximately 4 inches of biomass per week, and afte=
r
feeding the worms move to the top of worm castings 110 to defecate, moving
back into the biomass to continue feeding. When the depth of worm castings
110 grows to a depth of 3 feet (FIG. 4), worm bed 110 is removed, leaving
the processed worm castings 110 (FIG. 5).
Worm castings can be supplied in the natural granular form, pelletized for
time release, and liquefied into a worm castings tea. Liquid worm castings
are produced by soaking worm castings in water for at least 24 hours,
leaching the chitinase producing organisms from the castings, then removing
the liquid. Liquid worm castings are also produced naturally by the worms
while feeding. The liquid can be collected from the bottom of the worm beds=
.
Liquid worm castings are also referred to as: worm tea, worm castings tea,
vermi-tea, and other similar terms. Liquid worm castings are also produced
in an aerobic worm castings tea brewing process. Liquid worm castings have
been sprayed onto the leaves of plants infested by various insects. The
evidence indicates that this provides a temporary repellency for a variety
of insects. This would be expected since the liquid worm castings has a
level of chitinase producing organisms similar to the level found in the
granular form of worm castings. These same liquid worm castings have been
sprayed onto plant foliage and have resulted in elimination of a wide range
of fungus diseases. When the worm castings are finely pelletized, they may
be spread, or dusted, on the leaves of plants to affect the removal of
fungus from the leaves.
While the present description contain many specificities, these should not
be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as an
exemplification of some preferred embodiments thereof.
* * * * *
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Received on Sat Nov 06 2004 - 18:18:19 EST