Formulations Containing Microencapsulated Essential Oils

Abstract

A “green” agricultural formulation including at least one encapsulated volatile essential oil and a non-volatile vehicle in which the at least one encapsulated volatile essential oil is carried.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An essential oil formulation comprising:
 at least one volatile essential oil, the at least one volatile essential oil being released from the essential oil formulation to provide its characteristic odor and a pest repelling, insecticidal, pesticidal, larvicidal and/or ovicidal effect; and   a non-volatile vehicle in a solid or a liquid form, said non-volatile vehicle comprising a non-volatile oil, said at least one volatile essential oil being encapsulated and separate from said non-volatile oil,   wherein said non-volatile vehicle enhances the pest repelling, insecticidal, pesticidal and/or ovicidal effect of the volatile essential oil, and   wherein said non-volatile is selected from sesame oil, pyrethrum oil and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The formulation of  claim 1 , wherein the essential oil is selected from cinnamon, cedar, castor, clove, geranium, lemongrass, mint, thyme, turmeric, wintergreen, rosemary, anise, cardamom, chamomile, coriander, cumin, dill, mint, parsley, lavender, basil, camphor, citronella,  eucalyptus , fennel, ginger, grapefruit, lemon, mandarin, orange, pine needle, pepper, rose, sweet orange, tangerine, tea tree, tea seed, caraway, garlic, peppermint, onion, and spearmint. 
     
     
         3 . The formulation of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one additive selected from the group of adjuvants, adhesives, antioxidants, water-resistant agents, surfactants, steric barrier polymers and gel-breaking agents, as part of the vehicle or within the microcapsule. 
     
     
         4 . The formulation of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one agent selected from pesticides, insect growth regulators, herbicides, insecticides, acaracides, fungicides, nematicides, ectoparasiticides, and combinations thereto; wherein said at least one agent is encapsulated with said at least one volatile essential oil. 
     
     
         5 . The formulation of  claim 4 , 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, riovaluron, dimethachlor, metolachlor, pretilachlor, 2-chloro-n-(l-methyl-2-methoxyethyl)-acet-2,6-xylidide, imidocloprid, alachlor, butachlor, propachlor, dimethenamid, bifenox, 4-(4-pentyn-l-yloxy)diphenylether, acifluorfen, oxyfluorfen, fluoroglycofen-ethyl, fomesafen, cis, trans-(+)-2-ethyl-5-(4-phenoxyphenoxymethyl)-1,3-dioxolane, fluazifopbutyl, haloxyfop-methyl, haloxyfop-(2-ethoxyethyl), endosulfan, 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-l-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, isofen:phos, 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-benzylo, o-diisopropylphosphorothioate, edinphos and pyrazophos. 
     
     
         6 . The formulation of  claim 1 , wherein the formulation is in a preparation form selected from emulsifiable concentrate, wettable powder, granular wettable powder, flowable preparation, suspension, granule, dust, fumigant, solution, and aqueous solution. 
     
     
         7 . The formulation of  claim 1 , wherein the formulation is used to manage pest populations. 
     
     
         8 . The formulation of  claim 7 , wherein the pest populations are selected from whiteflies, tomato pinworms, armyworms, stinkbugs pepper weevil pests or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The formulation of  claim 1 , wherein the encapsulated volatile essential oils comprises a poly urea and/or polyurethane film formed around said volatile essential oil. 
     
     
         10 . The formulation of  claim 1 , wherein the non-volatile vehicle is not encapsulated together with said at least one volatile essential oil. 
     
     
         11 . The formulation of  claim 1 , wherein the formulation is a two-component formulation, wherein the at least one volatile essential oil is a first component and the non-volatile vehicle is a second component that is applied separately from the first component. 
     
     
         12 . The formulation of  claim 1 , wherein said non-volatile oil is a mixture of sesame oil and pyrethrum oil. 
     
     
         13 . A method for managing a pest population, said method comprising applying to a target environment or to a pest population or to a loci thereof, a formulation according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein said target environment is a primary environment or a secondary environment. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein said primary environment is selected from leaves, bark, fruits, flowers, seeds or roots of cereals, beans peas, fruit trees walnut, chestnut, almond, leafy vegetables, fruiting vegetables, root crops, processing crops, cucurbitaceous plants, pasture plants, lawn grasses, perfumery crops, ornamental plants, and timber woods. 
     
     
         16 . A commercial package comprising the formulation according to  claim 1 .