Pesticide emulsion concentrates containing natural or petroleum derived oils and methods of use

Abstract

Aqueous pesticide concentrates containing a pesticide (such as an auxinic herbicide), a surfactant, and a naturally or petroleum derived oil and the use of aqueous pesticide spray mixtures incorporating such concentrates are described. The aqueous pesticide concentrates described herein include from 5 to 90 weight percent of a pesticide (such as an auxinic herbicide), from 0.1 to 20 weight percent of a surfactant, and from 0.1 to 20 weight percent of a naturally or petroleum derived oil. The aqueous pesticide concentrates are stable oil-in-water emulsions that form a stable emulsion upon dilution into a spray solution.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An aqueous pesticide concentrate, comprising:
 from 5 to 90 weight percent of a pesticide;   from 0.1 to 20 weight percent of a surfactant; and   from 0.1 to 20 weight percent of a naturally or petroleum derived oil;   
       wherein the naturally or petroleum derived oil is dispersed as discrete droplets in the aqueous pesticide concentrate to form a stable oil-in-water emulsion with a droplet size from about 0.01 micron (μm) to about 20 μm. 
     
     
         2 . The aqueous concentrate composition of  claim 1 , wherein the naturally derived oil is, a triglyceride fatty acid ester selected from a vegetable oil, seed oil, or animal oil, or a monoester derived from vegetable, seed, or animal oils, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The aqueous concentrate composition of  claim 1 , wherein the petroleum derived oil is an aromatic or a paraffinic hydrocarbon, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the triglyceride fatty acid ester is soybean oil, rapeseed oil, olive oil, castor oil, sunflower seed oil, almond oil, canola oil, omega-9 canola oil, coconut oil, corn oil, cotton seed oil, linseed oil, palm oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, tung oil, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The aqueous concentrate composition of  claim 1 , wherein the surfactant is an ABA block copolymer having a hydrophilic portion of polyethylene oxide and a hydrophobic portion of poly(12-hydroxystearate), or an AB block copolymer containing EO and PO blocks, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The aqueous pesticide concentrate composition of  claim 1 , wherein the pesticide is a herbicide that is an auxinic herbicide. 
     
     
         7 . The aqueous concentrate composition of  claim 6 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is a water soluble salt of 2,4-D, a water soluble salt of triclopyr, a water soluble salt of dicamba, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The aqueous concentrate composition of  claim 6 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is a water soluble salt of 2,4-D. 
     
     
         9 . The aqueous concentrate composition of  claim 8 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D choline salt. 
     
     
         10 . The aqueous concentrate composition of  claim 8 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D dimethyl ammonium salt. 
     
     
         11 . The aqueous concentrate composition of  claim 8 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D choline salt or 2,4-D dimethyl ammonium salt. 
     
     
         12 . The aqueous concentrate composition of  claim 11 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D choline salt or 2,4-D dimethyl ammonium salt, and the naturally derived oil is a fatty acid alkyl ester that is methyl caproate, methyl caprylate, methyl caprate, methyl laurate, methyl myristate, methyl palmitate, methyl stearate, methyl oleate, methyl linoleate, methyl linolenate, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The aqueous concentrate composition of  claim 11 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D choline salt or 2,4-D dimethyl ammonium salt, and the naturally derived oil is a triglyceride fatty acid alkyl ester that is a vegetable oil or a seed oil selected from soybean oil, rape seed oil, olive oil, castor oil, sunflower seed oil, almond oil, canola oil, omega-9 canola oil, coconut oil, corn oil, cotton seed oil, linseed oil, palm oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, tung oil, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The aqueous concentrate composition of  claim 11 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D choline salt or 2,4-D dimethyl ammonium salt, and the petroleum derived oil is an aromatic or a paraffinic hydrocarbon, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         15 . A method for reducing spray drift during pesticide spray application to control pests comprising:
 providing an aqueous pesticide concentrate comprising:
 from 5 to 90 weight percent of a pesticide; 
 from 0.1 to 20 weight percent of a surfactant; 
 from 0.1 to 20 weight percent of a naturally or petroleum derived oil; 
   
       wherein the naturally or petroleum derived oil is dispersed as discrete droplets in the aqueous pesticide concentrate to form a stable oil-in-water emulsion with a mean droplet size from about 0.01 micron (μm) to about 20 μm;
 adding the aqueous pesticide concentrate to a spray tank containing water to form a stable emulsion; and 
 spraying the stable emulsion to control one or more pests. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the naturally derived oil is a fatty acid alkyl ester selected from methyl caproate, methyl caprylate, methyl caprate, methyl laurate, methyl myristate, methyl palmitate, methyl stearate, methyl oleate, methyl linoleate, methyl linolenate, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the naturally derived oil is a triglyceride fatty acid ester that is a vegetable or a seed oil selected from soybean oil, rape seed oil, olive oil, castor oil, sunflower seed oil, almond oil, canola oil, omega-9 canola oil, coconut oil, corn oil, cotton seed oil, linseed oil, palm oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, tung oil, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the petroleum derived oil is a petroleum derived oil that is an aromatic or a paraffinic hydrocarbon, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the surfactant is an ABA block copolymer having a hydrophilic portion of polyethylene oxide and a hydrophobic portion of poly(12-hydroxystearate), or an AB block copolymer containing EO and PO blocks and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the pesticide is a herbicide that is an auxinic herbicide. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is a water soluble salt of 2,4-D, a water soluble salt of triclopyr, a water soluble salt of dicamba, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is a water soluble salt of 2,4-D. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D choline salt. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D dimethyl ammonium salt. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the aqueous pesticide concentrate is an auxinicherbicide concentrate that is added to a spray tank of water further comprising an additional herbicide. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the additional herbicide is glyphosate or glufosinate. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D choline salt or 2,4-D dimethyl ammonium salt and the glyphosate is glyphosate dimethyl ammonium salt, glyphosate isopropyl ammonium salt, or glyphosate potassium salt. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D choline salt or 2,4-D dimethyl ammonium salt, the glyphosate is glyphosate dimethyl ammonium salt, glyphosate isopropyl ammonium salt or glyphosate potassium salt, the glufosinate salt is glufosinate ammonium salt, and the naturally or petroleum derived oil is a fatty acid alkyl ester that is selected from methyl caproate, methyl caprylate, methyl caprate, methyl laurate, methyl myristate, methyl palmitate, methyl stearate, methyl oleate, methyl linoleate, methyl linolenate, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D choline salt, the glyphosate is glyphosate dimethyl ammonium salt, and the naturally or petroleum derived oil is a fatty acid alkyl ester that is selected from methyl caproate, methyl caprylate, methyl caprate, methyl laurate, methyl myristate, methyl palmitate, methyl stearate, methyl oleate, methyl linoleate, methyl linolenate, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D choline salt or 2,4-D dimethyl ammonium salt, the glyphosate is glyphosate dimethyl ammonium salt, glyphosate isopropyl ammonium salt or glyphosate potassium salt, and the naturally or petroleum derived oil is a triglyceride fatty acid ester that is a vegetable oil or a seed oil selected from soybean oil, rape seed oil, olive oil, castor oil, sunflower seed oil, almond oil, canola oil, omega-9 canola oil, coconut oil, corn oil, cotton seed oil, linseed oil, palm oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, tung oil, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D choline salt, the glyphosate is glyphosate dimethyl ammonium salt or glyphosate potassium salt, and the naturally or petroleum derived oil is a triglyceride fatty acid ester that is a vegetable oil or a seed oil selected from soybean oil, rape seed oil, olive oil, castor oil, sunflower seed oil, almond oil, canola oil, omega-9 canola oil, coconut oil, corn oil, cotton seed oil, linseed oil, palm oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, tung oil, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D choline salt or 2,4-D dimethyl ammonium salt, the glyphosate is glyphosate dimethyl ammonium salt, glyphosate isopropyl ammonium salt or glyphosate potassium salt, the glufosinate salt is glufosinate ammonium salt, and the naturally or petroleum derived oil is an aromatic or a paraffinic hydrocarbon, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D choline salt, the glyphosate is glyphosate dimethyl ammonium salt, and the naturally or petroleum derived oil is a petroleum derived oil that is an aromatic or a paraffinic hydrocarbon, or mixtures thereof.