Glyphosate formulation

Abstract

A storage-stable high-strength aqueous glyphosate concentrate, preferably containing greater than 400 g/l glyphosate expressed as acid, comprises the potassium salt of glyphosate, an alkylglycoside surfactant and an alkoxylated alkylamine surfactant at a preferred total concentration of alkylglycoside and alkoxylated alkylamine from about 160 to 300 g/l and at a preferred ratio of alkylglycoside to alkoxylated alkylamine of from about 1 part by weight of alkylglycoside per 1 part by weight of alkoxylated alkylamine to about 5 parts by weight of alkylglycoside per 1 part by weight of alkoxylated alkylamine

1 . A high-strength aqueous glyphosate concentrate comprising the potassium salt of glyphosate, an alkylglycoside surfactant and an alkoxylated alkylamine surfactant.  
     
     
         2 . A glyphosate concentrate according to  claim 1  wherein the glyphosate concentration is greater than 400 g/l based on glyphosate acid content.  
     
     
         3 . A glyphosate concentrate according to  claim 2  wherein the glyphosate concentration is from 440 to 540 g/l based on glyphosate acid content.  
     
     
         4 . A glyphosate concentrate according to any of the preceding claims wherein the total content of the alkylglycoside and the alkoxylated alkylamine surfactant system is from 160 to 300 g/l.  
     
     
         5 . A glyphosate concentrate according to  claim 4  wherein the ratio of alkylglycoside to alkoxylated alkylamine in the surfactant system is from 1 part by weight of alkylglycoside per 1 part by weight of alkoxylated alkylamine to about 5 parts by weight of alkylglycoside per 1 part by weight of alkoxylated alkylamine.  
     
     
         6 . A glyphosate concentrate according to  claim 5  wherein the ratio of alkylglycoside to alkoxylated alkylamine in the surfactant system is from 2 parts by weight of alkylglycoside per 1 part by weight of alkoxylated alkylamine to about 4 parts by weight of alkylglycoside per 1 part by weight of alkoxylated alkylamine.  
     
     
         7 . A glyphosate concentrate according to any on the preceding claims wherein the alkylglycoside has the formula  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein n is the degree of polymerisation and is within the range from 1 to 3 and R 5  is a branched or straight chain alkyl group having from 4 to 18 carbon atoms or a mixture of alkyl groups having an average value of from 4 to 18 carbon atoms.  
     
     
         8 . A glyphosate concentrate according to  claim 7  wherein R 5  is 2-ethyl-1-hexyl n is from 1 to 2.  
     
     
         9 . A glyphosate concentrate according to any of the preceding claims wherein the alkoxylated alkylamine is an ethoxylated or propoxylated or mixed ethoxylated and propoxylated C8 to 22 alkylamine having a degree of alkoxylation of from 1 to about 15.  
     
     
         10 . A glyphosate concentrate according to  claim 9  wherein the degree of alkoxylation is from 4 to 12.  
     
     
         11 . A glyphosate concentrate according to  claim 1  wherein the concentration of the potassium salt of glyphosate is greater than 400 g/l based on glyphosate acid, the total concentration of the alkylglycoside and alkoxylated alkylamine surfactant system in the aqueous concentrate is from about 160 to 300 g/l and the ratio of alkylglycoside to alkoxylated alkylamine is from about 1 part by weight of alkylglycoside per 1 part by weight of alkoxylated alkylamine to about 5 parts by weight of alkylglycoside per 1 part by weight of alkoxylated alkylamine.  
     
     
         12 . A process of severely damaging or killing unwanted plants which comprises diluting a concentrated composition according to any of the preceding claims and applying to the plants a herbicidally effective amount of a said diluted composition.