Growth control of turf
United States Patent [1 1 Wittenbrook GROWTH CONTROL OF TURF [75] Inventor: Lawrence S. Wittenbrook,  
 Marysville, Ohio [73] Assignee: O. M. Scott &amp; Sons Company,  
 Marysville, Ohio OTHER PUBLlCATlONS Gut et a1., Chem. Abst., Vol. 61, (1964) 565ld. Matolesy et al., Chem. Abst., Vol. 69, (1968) 2039t.  
 Primary Examiner-Lewis Gotts Assistant E.\&#39;aminerCatherine L. Mills Attorney, Agent, or Firm-James B. Raden; Harold .1. Holt [57] ABSTRACT The upright growth of turf grasses is inhibited without adverse effect on turf quality by the application to the turf of a compound of the formula 1 Apr. 22, 1975 R5 -yq-J I in which R is hydrogen or methyl;  
 R is hydrogen, phenyl, acetyl or propionyl when R is is hydrogen and R is methyl when R is methyl;  
 R is hydrogen or C -C, alkyl;  
 R is C,-C., alkyl, phenyl or C -C carboalkoxy; and  
 R is hydrogen or C -C alkyl.  
 7 Claims, No Drawings GROWTH CONTROL OF TURF This invention relates to a process and composition for controlling the growth of turf by the application to the turf of certain amino substituted l,2,4-triazinones.  
  A number of compounds have been suggested for controlling the upright growth of turf to reduce the need for mowing. US. Pat. No. 3,462,257, assigned to the present assignee, discloses the use of nitrogen fertilizers in combination with certain triazinones, namely 6-azauracil and its derivatives and salts, both to control turf and improve its quality. However, o-azauracil must be used in carefully controlled amounts to avoid injury to the turf. It would be desirable to provide a composition which controls turf growth but which provides a greater margin of safety in use.  
  A principal object of the present invention is the provision of a process and composition for the effective control of turf growth which both substantially reduces the upright growth of turf and which provides a greater margin of safety in use than has heretofore been possible.  
  A more specific object of this invention is the provision of a process and composition for inhibiting the upright growth of cool season turfgrasses and some monocot weed species found with turfgrasses without adverse effect on overall turf quality.  
  The foregoing and other objects of the invention are achieved by a process comprising application to the turf of a growth regulating amount of a compound of the formula FORMULA I wherein R is hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, furfuryl,  
 in which R is hydrogen or methyl;  
 R is hydrogen, phenyl, acetyl or propionyl when R is hydrogen and R is methyl when R is methyl;  
 R is hydrogen or C,C alkyl;  
 R., is C C alkyl, phenyl or C,C carboalkoxy; and  
 R is hydrogen or C -C alkyl.  
  The compounds of the invention are comparable in growth inhibiting activity to 6-azauracil but can be used at higher application rates without damage to the turf. At equivalent rates of application, the present compounds have lower phytotoxicity and thus provide a greater margin of safety in use. They are preferably applied at a rate providing from about 0.1 to 16 lbs/acre of compound. The period of plant retardation normally lasts from 4 to 5 weeks, altho the period may be greater or less than this depending upon the rate of application.  
  Examples of compounds falling within the scope of the Formula I are:  
 . S-amino-l,2,4-triazin-3(2H)-one S-furfurylamino-l ,2,4-triazin-3(2H)-one 5&#39;methylamino-1,2,4-triazin-3(2H)-one S-hydrazinoJ,2,4-triazin-3(2H)-one 5-(2-phenylhydrazino) l,2,4-triazin-3(2H)-one 5-( 22&#39;-dimethylhydrazino l ,2,4-triazin- 3( H)-one 5-(2&#39;-acetylhydrazino)-l ,2,4-triazin-3(2H)-one 8. 5-( 2-isopropylidenehydrazino )-l ,2,4-triazin- 3(2H)-one 9. 5-(2-ethylpyruvalidene hydrazino)-1,2,4-triazin- 3(2H)-one l0. 5-(2&#39;-tridecyli-7denehydrazino)-1,2,4-triazin- 3(2H)-one 1 1. 5-(2-3(3-methylcyclohexylidene )hydrazino)- l,2,4-triazin-3(2H )-one Certain of these compounds are new. The new compounds and their method of preparation are disclosed in my copending application Ser. No. 372,599 filed of even date herewith. In general, they are prepared by reacting 6-azauracil (l,2,4-triazin-3,5-dione) with phosphorous pentasulfide to produce the known thio derivative 4-thio6-azauraeil. The thio derivative is then reacted with the appropriate amine or hydrazine in the presence of an alcohol. Compounds in which R are prepared by further reaction of the above compound 4 with the appropriate aldehyde or ketone in the presence of an alcohol solvent and acid catalyst.  
  The growth inhibitor activity of the amino substituted triazines have been found to be largely restricted to compounds represented by the above formula. Where, for example, R is an alkyl group larger than propyl, activity is substantially reduced. Substitution of the 3-oxo group on the triazine ring by 3-thioxy also markedly reduces activity. Furthermore, replacement of the amino hydrogen with other groups affects a similar reduction in activity.  
  The preferred compounds of the invention are those in which R is hydrogen, furfuryl or where R and R are hydrogen or methyl. Specifically, compounds 1, 2, 4 and 6 combine the most effective turf control properties with the lowest cost and are, therefore, the most preferred compounds for use in the practice of the invention. These four compounds also function to improve turf color and density. Compounds of the formula set forth above also exhibit preemergence turf control activity and, at least in the case of one compound compound 5 exhibit fungicidal properties.  
  The compounds of the invention are normally used in combination with a liquid or solid carrier. The compounds may, for example, be combined with water to form a foliar spray, containing in addition, surfactants and/or other adjuvants to provide a formulation capable of being conveniently and effectively applied to the turf.  
  The following examples illustrate the practice of the present invention.  
 EXAMPLE 1 vations of turf quality (measure of injury) and growthinhibition were made 28 days after application. The results are set forth in Table l.  
  The results set forth in Table l indicate significant growth inhibition with compounds within the scope of the invention, particularly at the five and 16 lb/acre rate with little or no injury to the turf.  
 EXAMPLE 2 A second series of tests were run to compare the activity of the present compounds with equivalent amounts of 6-azauracil. Formulations were prepared as set forth in Example 1 containing 2,000 parts of growth inhibitor per million parts of water. Quality and inhibition were measured 27 days after application. Inhibition and quality results are coded as in Example 1.  
 TABLE I PLANT SPECIES COM- RATE Bentgrass Poa Annua K-3l Fescue Wheatgrass Windsor POUND lbs/acre Qual lnhib Qual lnhib Qual lnhib Qual lnhib Qual lnhib l l l 3 l 3 l 2 l 2 .5 l 4 l 4 l 3 l 3 2 l l l 1 l 1 l l l 5 l 4 l 4 l 3 l 2 3 l l l 1 l 1 l l l 5 l l l l l l l l 16 l 3 1 2 l 3 4 l l 4 l 4 l 4 l 2 5 l 4 l 4 l 4 l 3 l6 1 5 l 5 5 I l 3 l 3 1 2 l 3 5 l 3 l 3 l 3 l 4 6 l l l l l l l l 1 l0 1 l l 2 l 2 l l 7 l l l l l l l l 1 l0 1 l l l l 2 l 3 8 l l 2 l 2 l 1 l 2 l0 1 4 l 3 1 3 l 3 9 l l I l l l l l I l0 1 3 l 3 l 3 l 4 l0 1 l l l l l 2 I 1 10 l 3 l 3 l 3 l 4 l l l l l l 1 l l l 10 l 2 l 3 l 2 l 3 Quality Code: 1-3 excellent (little or no injury).  
  4-6 fair 7-10 poor Inhibition code: I 020% 2 21-40% 3 41-60% 4 61-80% 5 8 l-l00% Wheatgrass used as indicator plant for turfgrass response Variety of Kentucky bluegrass.  
 TABLE II COM- RATE PLANT SPECIES POUND (ppm) Windsor Park Chewings Fescue Fostoria Bentgrass Qual lnhib Qual lnhib Qual lnhib Qual lnhib 1 2000 l 3 l 4 l 3 l 5 6-Azauracil 2000 9 5 7 5 9 5 9 5 Table II shows that at comparable rates, plants are H R damaged by 6-azauracil and growing poorly, whereas with compound I of the invention, plant growth is signiticantly inhibited without injury i.e., still healthy but growing at a slower rate. 5 I N Additional comparative tests of compound 1 and 6- azauracil were run at application rates varying from 1/8 to 2 lbs/acre and at 200 and 2,000 ppm of growth inhib- N itor. In general, these tests confirmed the results set \N 0 forth in Table II. At comparable rates of application, 10 A compound I achieved a significant degree of growth inhibition of a variety of turf species at a uniformly where R Selected from the group eenslstmg of y lower degree of injury than 6-azauracil. gen, y ethyl furfuryl,  
 /R1 R3 I and N- The growth inhibiting compounds of the invention in which may be employed in the form of sprays, granules, dren&#34; R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen ches or dusts in combination with carriers, diluents, and methyl;  
 Sutfaetams, sticking agents or Solvents- Appropriate R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, carriers include organic solvents, water, vermiculite, phenyi, acetyi and ptopiohyi when R1 iS hydrogen perlite, diatomaceous earth, clay, corn cobs, and other and R2 iS methyl when R 1 iS methyl;  
 materials such as those described in the Handbook of R3 is Selected f the group Consisting of hydrogen Dust Diluents and Carriers (2d Ed), 1955. Examples of and CFC6 aikyh diluents, surfactants, sticking agents and of other carri- R4 is Selected f the group COhsistihg f CFC6 1- ers and solvents which may be used in the present forkyi, phenyi and c c carhoaikoxyi and mulations are disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,449,390 as- R5 is Seiected f the group consisting f hydrogen signed to the present assignee. Other suitable solvents and CFCG aikyi and Sticking agents are described in Us. 2. The process of claim 1 in which R is selected from 3,076,699 and 3,083,089, both assigned to the present group consisting f f -f and assignee. The latter patents also disclose methods of making granular formulations, which may be used with 1 the present compounds, by dissolving in an appropriate R2 solvent and adhering to a carrier or by adhering to a carrier with a suitable sticking agent. 3. The process of claim 2 in which R, and R are se- Other active substances may also be included in the l d f om h group consisting f hydrogen and present formulations including, but not limited to, pesl.  
 ticides, herbicides, other biological growth regulators 40 4, Th process f l i 1 i whi h h compound i and plant nutrients. US. Pat. Nos. 3,231,363 and S-aminol,2,4-triazin-3(2H)-onc.  
  both assigned to the pr nt a g e 5. The process of claim 1 in which the compound is close various combination products in which the corn S-furfurylaminol,2,4-triazin-3(2H)-one. pounds 0f the present invention may be incorporated. 6 The process of laim 1 in which the compound is I claim: 5-(2&#39;,2&#39;-dimethylhydrazino)- l,2,4-triazin-3(2H)-one. 1. A process for inhibiting the growth Of turf compris- 7, The process of claim 1 in which the compound is ing applying to the turf a growth inhibiting amount of 5-hydrazinol,2,4-triazin-3(2H)-one. a compound of the formula