Appeal No. 2000-1339
Application 08/772,480
combined teachings of the references would have suggested
to those of ordinary skill in the art. In re Keller, 642
F.2d 413, 425, 208 USPQ 871, 881 (CCPA 1981). In the
present case, the examiner’s conclusion (see pages 2 and
3 in the final rejection) that the combined teachings of
Robertson, Clark and Van Steen would have suggested the
subject matter recited in claim 1 to one of ordinary
skill in the art is well founded.
More particularly, Robertson’s disclosure of the use
of a wick applicator to apply chemicals to cotton plants
in a relatively predictable and safe manner and Clark’s
disclosure of the beneficial effects of using mepiquat
chloride as a growth regulating composition for cotton
would have furnished the artisan with ample suggestion or
motivation to combine the two by employing Robertson’s
wick applicator to apply Clark’s growth regulating
composition to the cotton. Furthermore, the teaching in
Clark that mepiquat chloride is particularly effective in
treating “rank” cotton plants which are abnormally high
would have suggested engaging an upper portion of certain
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