Formulations containing microencapsulated essential oils

Abstract

The present invention provides for a novel “green” agricultural formulation comprising at least one encapsulated volatile essential oil and a non-volatile vehicle in which said at least one encapsulated volatile essential oil is carried.

1 . A formulation comprising at least one encapsulated volatile essential oil and a non-volatile vehicle in which said at least one volatile encapsulated essential oil is carried, and wherein said non-volatile vehicle is in a solid or a liquid form.  
   
   
       2 . The formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein said non-volatile vehicle is selected from the group of non-volatile essential oils, non-volatile botanical oils or any combination thereof.  
   
   
       3 . The formulation according to  claim 2 , wherein said non-volatile botanical oils are selected from sesame oil, pyrethrum, glycerol-derived lipids or glycerol fatty acid derivatives and said at least one volatile essential oil is selected from cinnamon, cedar, castor, clove, geranium, lemongrass, mint, thyme oil, turmeric oil, wintergreen oil, rosemary, anise oil, cardamom oil, chamomile oil, coriander oil, cumin oil, dill oil, mint oil, parsley oil, basil, camphor, citronella, eucalyptus, fennel, ginger, grapefruit, lemon, mandarin, orange, pine needle, pepper oil, rose oil, sweet orange oil, tangerine, tea tree, tea seed, caraway, garlic, peppermint oil, onion, and spearmint oil.  
   
   
       4 . The formulation according to  claim 1  further comprising at least one agent selected from the group of adjuvants, adhesives, antioxidants, water-resistant agents, surfactants, steric barrier polymers which prevent microcapsule aggregation and gel-breaking agents, as part of the vehicle or within the microcapsule.  
   
   
       5 . The formulation according to  claim 1  further comprising at least one agent selected from pesticides, insect growth regulators, herbicides, insecticides, acaracides, fungicides, nematicides, ectoparasiticides, and herbicides.  
   
   
       6 . The formulation according to  claim 5 , wherein said agent is a pesticide selected from the group of carbamates, ureas, triazines, triazoles, uracils, organophosphates, morpholines, dinitroanilines, acylalanines, pyrethroids, organochlorines, carbofuran, azinphos-methyl, sulfentrazone, carfentrazone-ethyl, cypermethrin, cyromazine, beta-cyfluthrin, endosulfan, phosmet, chlorobromuron, chloroxuron, chlorotoluron, fluometuron, metobromuron, thiazafluron, teflubenzuron, hexaflumuron, diflubenzuron, flufenoxuron, lufenuron, chlorfluazuron, novaluron. dimethachlor, metolachlor, pretilachlor, 2-chloro-n-(1-methyl-2-methoxyethyl)-acet-2,6-xylidide, alachlor, butachlor, propachlor, dimethenamid, bifenox, 4-(4-pentyn-1-yloxy)diphenylether, acifluorfen, oxyfluorfen, fluoroglycofen-ethyl, fomesafen, cis,trans-(+)-2-ethyl-5-(4-phenoxyphenoxymethyl)-1,3-dioxolane, fluazifop-butyl, haloxyfop-methyl, haloxyfop-(2-ethoxyethyl), fluorotopic, fenoxapropethyl, quizalofop-ethyl, propaquizafop, diclofop-methyl, butralin, ethalfluralin, fluchloralin, isopropalin, pendimethalin, profluralin, trifluralin. aclalanines furalaxyl, metalaxyl, benzoylprop ethyl, flamprop methyl, difenoconazole, etaconazol, propiconazole, 1,2-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-pent-1-yl-1h-1,2,4-triazole, triadimefon, dioxacarb, furathiocarb, aldicarb, benomyl, 2-sec-butylphenylmethylcarbamate, etiofencarb, fenoxycarb, isoprocarb, propoxur, carbetamid, butylate, di-allat, eptc, molinate, thiobencarb, tri-allate, vemolate, piperophos, anilofos, butamifos, azamethiphos, chlorfenvinphos, dichlorvos, diazinon, methidathion, azinphos ethyl, azinphos methyl, chlorpyrifos, chlorthiofos, crotoxyphos, cyanophos, demeton, dialifos, dimethoate, disulfoton, etrimfos, famphur, flusulfothion, fluthion, fonofos, formothion, heptenophos, isofenphos, isoxathion, malathion, mephospholan, mevinphos, naled, oxydemeton methyl, oxydeprofos, parathion, phoxim, pyrimiphos methyl, profenofos, propaphos, propetamphos, prothiophos, quinalphos, sulprofos, phemephos, terbufos, triazophos, trichloronate, fenamipos, isazophos, s-benzyl-o,o-diisopropylphosphorothioate, edinphos, pyrazophos.  
   
   
       7 . The formulation of  claim 1  in a preparation form selected from emulsifiable concentrate, wettable powder, granular wettable powder, flowable preparation, suspension, granule, dust, fumigant, solution, and aqueous solution.  
   
   
       8 . The formulation according to  claim 1  for management of pest populations.  
   
   
       9 . A repellent, insecticidal, pesticidal, or ovicidal formulation comprising the formulation of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       10 . The formulation of  claim 9  for use against the whitefly, tomato pinworm and pepper weevil pests.  
   
   
       11 . A formulation according to  claim 10  comprising encapsulated volatile essential oil selected from citronella oil, geranium oil, tea tree oil, ginger oil, lavender oil and clove oil and a liquid vehicle comprising a non-volatile agent selected from pyrethrum, cottonseed oil and sesame oil.  
   
   
       12 . The formulation according to  claim 11 , wherein said volatile essential oil is ginger oil and said liquid vehicle is cottonseed oil.  
   
   
       13 . A method for the manufacture of the formulation of  claim 1  comprising dispersing at least one encapsulated volatile essential oil in a non-volatile vehicle or in a medium containing thereof.  
   
   
       14 . A method for the manufacture of the formulation of  claim 1  comprising adding to any aqueous preparation of encapsulated volatile essential oils an amount of a non-volatile vehicle.  
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein said encapsulated volatile essential oils is manufactured through interfacial polymerization.  
   
   
       16 . The process according to  claim 15 , wherein said interfacial polymerization affects encapsulation of said volatile essential oil, whereby there is formed a polyurea and/or polyurethane film around droplets of said volatile essential oil.  
   
   
       17 . A method for managing pest population, said method comprising applying to a target environment or to said pest population or to the loci thereof, a formulation according to  claim 1 .  
   
   
       18 . The method according to any one of  claim 17 , wherein said target environment is a primary environment or a secondary environment.  
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said primary environment is selected from leaves, bark, fruit, flowers, seeds, or roots of cereals, beans and peas, fruit trees and fruits thereof, citrus trees and fruits, pear, grape, peach, plum, cherry, walnut, chestnut, almond, banana, strawberry, leafy and fruiting vegetables, root crops, processing crops, cucurbitaceous plants, pasture plants, lawn grasses, perfumery crops, flowers and ornamental plants, garden-trees, and timber woods.  
   
   
       20 . A commercial package comprising the formulation according to  claim 1.