High-strength, herbicidal compositions of glyphosate and 2,4-d salts

Abstract

The mixture of certain amine salts of glyphosate and 2,4-D allows the preparation of high-strength liquid compositions containing up to greater than 450 gae/L of total active ingredient loading if the pH is adjusted to about 6.0 to about 8.0. Compositions are particularly well-suited for application to crops that are resistant or tolerant to both glyphosate and 2,4-D.

1 . A homogeneous, stable, high-strength aqueous herbicidal concentrate composition comprising:
 (a) water,   (b) a glyphosate amine salt, and   (c) a 2,4-D amine salt,   
       in which (i) the glyphosate amine salt and the 2,4-D amine salt are independently primary, secondary, tertiary or quaternary alkylamine, alkanolamine or alkylalkanolamine salts, wherein the alkyl and alkanol groups are saturated and contain from C 1 -C 3  carbon atoms individually, with the proviso that no more than one of the amine salts in the composition can be a primary amine salt, (ii) the composition contains a total active ingredient loading of at least 350 gae/L of the glyphosate amine salt and the 2,4-D amine salt, (iii) the weight ratio of the glyphosate amine salt to the 2,4-D amine salt is from about 1:2.3 to about 2.3:1, and (iv) the pH is from about 6.0 to about 8.0. 
     
     
         2 . A composition of  claim 1  which contains a total active ingredient loading of greater than about 450 grams of acid equivalent of the glyphosate amine salt and the 2,4-D amine salt. 
     
     
         3 . A composition of  claim 1  in which the weight ratio of the glyphosate amine salt to the 2,4-D amine salt is about 1:1. 
     
     
         4 . A composition of  claim 1  in which the pH is from about 6.5 to about 7.5. 
     
     
         5 . A composition of  claim 1  in which one or more of the amine salts is a dimethylamine, trimethylamine, isopropylamine, dimethylethanolamine, diethylethanolamine, diethanol-amine, choline or tetramethylammonium salt. 
     
     
         6 . A composition of  claim 1  which includes at least one cosolvent in amounts between about 20 g/L and about 200 g/L. 
     
     
         7 . A composition of  claim 1  which includes at least one efficacy enhancing surfactant in amounts between about 20 g/L and about 200 g/L. 
     
     
         8 . A method of controlling undesirable vegetation in crops that are resistant or tolerant to both glyphosate and 2,4-D which comprises applying to the undesirable vegetation and the crops that are resistant or tolerant to both glyphosate and 2,4-D a water-diluted composition of any one of  claims 1 - 7 .