Herbicide Compatibility Improvement

Abstract

A herbicidal composition comprises an aqueous solution of a plurality of salts of glyphosate wherein said glyphosate is in anionic form accompanied by low molecular weight non-amphiphilic cations, wherein a major amount but less than 100% of the low molecular weight non-amphiphilic cations are potassium cations, and wherein the composition has a measured pH of at least about 4.8.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A herbicidal composition comprising an aqueous solution of a plurality of salts of glyphosate wherein (a) said glyphosate is in anionic form accompanied by low molecular weight non-amphiphilic cations; (b) a major amount but less than 100% of the low molecular weight non-amphiphilic cations are potassium cations; and (c) the composition has a measured pH of at least about 4.8. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , having a measured pH of about 4.8 to about 7. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , having a measured pH of about 4.8 to about 6. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , having a total glyphosate a.e. concentration of about 360 to about 650 g/l. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , having a total glyphosate a.e. concentration of about 400 to about 600 g/l. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , being an application solution having a total glyphosate a.e. concentration of about 0.1 to about 100 g/l. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the balance to 100% of the low molecular weight non-amphiphilic cations is provided in part or in whole by low molecular weight organic ammonium cations. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 7 , having a mole ratio of potassium to low molecular weight organic ammonium cations of about 55:45 to about 99:1. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 7 , wherein said low molecular weight organic ammonium cations comprise isopropylammonium cations. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one surfactant. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein the weight ratio of glyphosate a.e. to total surfactant is not greater than about 10:1. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a phenoxy-type herbicide salt. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 12 , wherein the phenoxy-type herbicide is selected from the group consisting of phenoxyacetic acids, phenoxypropanoic acids, phenoxybutanoic acids, benzoic acids, picolinic acids, pyridinyloxyacetic acids and enantiomers and racemates thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 12 , wherein the phenoxy-type herbicide is selected from the group consisting of 2,4-D, dicamba and picloram. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 12 , wherein the phenoxy-type herbicide salt is a potassium, sodium, ammonium or organic ammonium salt. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 12 , wherein the phenoxy-type herbicide salt is selected from the group consisting of methylammonium, dimethylammonium, n-propylammonium, isopropylammonium, mono-, di- and triethanolammonium salts. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 12 , wherein the phenoxy-type herbicide salt is the dimethylammonium salt of 2,4-D. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 12 , having a glyphosate/phenoxy-type herbicide a.e. ratio of about 1:5 to about 20:1.