Title of Invention	A DESICCANT OR DEFOLIANT IN THE FORM OF AN EMULSIFIABLE CONCENTRATE
Abstract	The present invention relates to a desiccant or defoliant in the form of an emulsifiable concentrate which comprises 0.1 to 3.0% by weight of ethyl, 2-chloro-5-(4- chloro-5-difluoromethoxy-l-methyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yL )-4- fluorophenoxyacetate as an active ingredient, one or more liquid carriers and from 10 to 40% by weight of polyoxyethylene launyl ether.

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a composition for regulating plant growth and a method for applying the same. Related Art The 3-substituted phenylpyrazole derivative represented by the general formula {1} shown hereinafter which is used in the present invention is a compound described in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication Nos. 3-163063 and 4-211065. As a foliage applied herbicide, said derivative has an excellent herbicidal activity against all of herbaceous weeds which are harmful to upland farming. Particularly when applied for wheat (barley, oats or rye) cropping, said derivative exhibits a marked herbicidal effect on typical weeds such as cleavers (Galium aparinel, chickweed tStellaria media), birdseye speedwell (Veronica persica), sentless chamomile (Matricaria inodora), purple deadnettle (Lamium purpureuml, henbit (Lamium amplexicaule), shepherd"s purse tcapsella bursa-postoris), marsh yellowcress (Rorippa islandica), sticky chickweed (Cerastium viscosum), common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album), tufted knotweed (Polygomum lonqisetum), prostrate knotweed (Polygonum avicularel, etc. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION There is desired the development of a novel plant growth regulator {e.g. desiccant or defoliant) used for facilitating harvesting of root vegetables (e.g. potato), fiber crops (e.g. cotton), oil crops (e.g. soybean and sunflower) and cereals (e.g. rice). The present inventors earnestly investigated for developing a novel composition for regulating plant growth, and consequently found that a 3-substituted pyrazole derivative, a compound well known as a herbicide is useful for preparing a composition for regulating plant growth, such as a desiccant or defoliant for root vegetables (e.g. potato), fiber crops (e.g. cotton), oil crops {e.g. soybean and sunflower) and cereals (e.g. rice), whereby the present invention has been accomplished. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The composition for regulating plant growth of the present invention is characterized by containing as an active ingredient(s) at least one 3-substituted pyrazole derivative represented by the general formula (I): 0 or 1. The present invention relates also to a method tot applying said composition for regulating plant growth. In the definition of the substituents of the 3-substituted pyrazole derivative of the general formula (I), the term "(Ci-6)alkyl group" means a linear or branched alkyl group of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, such as methyl/ ethyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, n-butyl, i-butyi, s-butyl, t-butyl, n-pentyl, n-hexyl or the like. The prefix "halo" is used for expressing that a group contains one or more halogen atoms selected from chlorine, fluorine, bromine and iodine atoms. The term "halo(Ci-6)alkyl group" means a substituted and linear or branched alkyl group of 1 to 6 carbon atoms having as the substituent(s) one or more halogen atoms which may be the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of chlorine atom, fluorine atom, bromine atom and iodine atom. The terms " (C2-6)alkenyl group" and " (C2-6)=alkynyl group" mean linear or branched alkenyl and alkynyl, respectively, groups of 2 to 6 carbon atoms. Typical compounds as the 3-substituted phenyl-pyrazole derivative(s) of the general formula (I), i.e., the active ingredient(s) used in the present invention are listed in Table 1 but they are not intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. The composition for regulating plant growth of the present invention can be applied in the form of an emulsifiable concentrate, wettable powder, aqueous suspension or the like prepared according to an ordinary manner for preparation of agrochemicals by blending one or more active ingredients selected from 3-substituted phenylpyrazole derivatives of the general formula (I) with one or more materials selected from the group consisting of suitable solid carriers and liquid carriers, and optionally adjuvants, etc., in a propor¬tion properly chosen in the range of 0.1 to 90 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the composition. The composition for regulating plant growth of the present invention can be used as a desiccant or defoliant for, for example, root vegetables (e.g. potato), fiber crops (e.g. cotton), oil crops (e.g. soybean and sunflower) and cereals (e.g. rice), but these examples of use are not intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. The composition for regulating plant growth of the present invention may contain other active ingredi¬ents for regulating plant growth for the purpose of, for example, reducing the dosage. Examples of the other active ingredients are given below. When used as a desiccant, the composition may be incorporated with, for example, quaternary ammonium salts such as 1,1"-dimethyl-4,4"-bipyridinium (Common name: Paraquat), 9,10-dihydro-8a,lOa-diazoniaphenan- threne (Common name: Diquat), etc.; organophosphorus compounds such as N-(phosphoromethyl)glycine (Common name: Glyphosate), N-(phosphoromethyl)glycine trimethyl-sulfonium salt (Common name: Glyphosate Trimecium), 2-" chloroethylphosphonic acid (Common name: Ethephon), etc.; inorganic compounds such as sodium chlorate (NaClOs), magnesium chlorate (Mg(C103) 6H2O), ammonia, lime nitrogen (Ca(NCN)/CaCN2)» etc.; aliphatic compounds such as sodium monochloroacetate tCommon name; Chloro-acetic Acid), sodium trichloroacetate (Common name: TCA), hexachloroacetone, etc.; phenolic compounds such as 2-sec-butyl-4,6-dinitrophenol (Common name: Dinoseb), pentachlorophenol (Common name: PCP) and its salts, etc.; triazine type compounds such as N ethyl-N isopropyl-6-methylthio-l,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine (Common name: Ametryn), etc.; arsenic acid type compounds such as arsenic acid, etc.; machine oil; and 7-oxabicyclo[2,2,1]heptane-2,3-dicarboxylie acid (Common name: Endothal) and its amine salt, sodium salt or potassium salt. When used as a defoliant, the composition may be incorporated with, for example, organophosphorus compounds such as Ethephon, S,S,S-tributylphosphorotri-thioate, S,S,S-tributylphosphorotrithioite, etc.; inornic compounds such as lime nitrogen, sodium chlorate, ammonium nitrate, ammonium thiocyanate, zinc chloride, sodium hypochlorite, etc.; arsenic acid type compounds such as methylarsonic acid and its salts, etc.; aliphatic compounds such as Chloroacetic Acid, etc.; Endothal; lH-1,2,4-tria2ol-3-ylamine (Common name: Amitrole); and thioureas. The above-exemplified compounds are not intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. Typical examples/ test examples and the like of the present invention are described below as embodi¬ments of the present invention but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. In the examples, parts are all by weight. Example 1 Compound No. 19 0.4 part Solvesso 200 57.6 parts Polyoxyethylene lauryl ether 40,0 parts (HLB 10.0) SP-3005X 2.0 parts An emulsifiable concentrate was prepared by mixing uniformly the above ingredients to effect dissolution. Examples 2 to 7 Compositions for regulating plant growth were prepared according to each recipe shown in Table 2, in the same manner as in Example 1. Test Example 1 Desiccant effect on potato Potate tubers (Solanum tuberosum, cultivar: May Queen) were trans-planted at a 0.4 m interval in a row of 1.0 m width. When the growth stage reached the beginning of yellowing, the stems and leaves were uniformly treated with a predetermined dosage of each of the composition for regulating plant growth of the present invention described in Example 1 and reference agents in a spray volume of 1000 liters/ha. Seven days and 14 days after the treatment. the desiccant effect on the steins and leaves was visually judged according to the criterion shown below. In addition, 14 days after the treatment, the tubers were dug out and the degree of browning of the " vascular bundle was judged in terms of an index accord¬ing to the criterion shown below. Criterion for judging the desiccant effect: Efficacy Withered area of stems and leaves (%) 1 0-49 2 50-69 3 70-89 4 90-99 5 100 Criterion (indexes) for judging the browning of vascular bundle: 0 : No browning of vascular bundle 1 : Slight browning of vascular bundle near the base 2 : Browning of less than 1/3 of vascular bundle 3 I Browning of 1/3 to 2/3 of vascular bundle 4 : Browning of the whole vascular bundle Table 3 shows the results of investigating the desiccant effect and Table 4 the results of judging the Test Example 2 Seeds of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum, cultivar: Acala) were sown at 0.4-m intervals and grown. At the time of the dehiscence of cotton boll, the leaves were uniformly treated with a predetermined dosage of each of the composition for regulating plant growth of the present invention described in Example 1 and reference agents in a volume rate of 250 liters/ha. Five, 10, 15 and 20 days after the treatment, the desiccant effect on the leaves was visually judged in the range of 0 (the same result as in the case of no treatment) to 100 (complete withering). As to the defoliating effect, the defoliation rate was calculated 15 and 20 days after the treatment by the equation shown below. In addition, 25 days after the treatment, the phytotoxicity to lint (harvest) was investigated and then judged according to the criterion shown below. Defoliation rate: Defoliation Number of fallen leaves rate (%) ~ ^ ^°° Total number of examined leaves Criterion for judging the phytotoxicity to lint: + : phytotoxicity was shown - : no phytotoxicity was shown Test Eicample 3 Seeds of rape seed (Brassica napus, cultivar: Crusher) were sown at 0.4-m intervals and grown. At the time of the seed-setting of rape seed, the leaves and stems thereof were uniformly treated with a predetermined dosage of each of the composition for regulating plant growth of the present invention described in Example 1 and reference agents in a spray volume rate of 300 liters/ha. Three, 7 and Id days after the treatment, the desiccant effect on the leaves and the stems was visually judged in the range of 0 (the same result as in the case of no treatment) to 100 (complete withering). The results thereof are shown in Table 7 below. Text Example 4 Seeds of sunflower fHelianthus annuus, cultivart ST-300) were sown at 0.5-m intervals and grown. At the time of the seed-setting of sunflower, the leaves and the stems thereof were uniformly treated with a predetermined dosage of each of the composition for regulating plant growth of the present invention described in Example 1 and reference agents in a spray volume rate of 200 liters/ha. Three, 7 and 14 days after the treatment, the desiccant effect on the leaves and the stems was visually judged in the range of 0 [the same result as in the case of no treatment] to 100 (complete withering). The results thereof are shown In Table 8 below. Seeds of soybean {Glycine max., cultivari Bragg) were sown at 0.3-m intervals and grown. At the time of the seed-setting of soybean, the leaves and stems thereof were uniformly treated with a predetermined dosage of each of the composition for regulating plant growth of the present invention described in Example 1 and reference agents in a spray volume rate of 300 literg/ha. Three, 7 and 14 days after the treatment, the desiccant effect on the leaves and the stems was visually judged in the range of 0 (the same result as in the case of no treatment) to 100 (complete withering]. The results thereof are shown in Table 9 below. WE CLAIM: 1. A desiccant or defoliant in the form of an emulsifiable concentrate which comprises 0.1 to 3.0% by weight of ethyl, 2-chloro-5-(4-chloro-5-difluoromelhoxy-l-methyl-lH-pyrazol-3-yL)-4-fluorophenoxyacetate as an active ingredient, one or more liquid carriers and from 10 to 40% by weight of polyoxyethylene launyl ether. 2. The desiccant or defoliant in the form of an emulsifiable concentrate as claimed in claim 1, which comprises 0.2 to 2.5% by weight of ethyl 2-chloro-5-(4-chloro-5-difluoromethoxy-l-methyl-lH-pyrazol-3-yl)-4-fluorophenoxyacetate as an active ingredient. 3. The desiccant or defoliant in the form of an emulsifiable concentrate as claimed in claim 1, which is for use in a dosage of from 1 to 10 g-active ingredient per hectare. 4. A method for producing the desiccant or defoliant in the form of an emulsifiable concentrate as claimed in claim 1, which comprises mixing uniformly ethyl 2-chloro-5- (4-ch!oro-5-difluoromethoxy-l-methyl-lH-pyrazoI-3-yi)-4-fluorophenoxyacitate, one or more liquid carriers, and from 10 to 40% by weight of polyoxyethylene launyl ether.

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