Agricultural adjuvants and processes for making and using same

Abstract

An agricultural spray pre-mix composition, comprising from 0.01 wt % to 40 wt % of an agricultural spray adjuvant comprising a vinyl ester-based or vinyl acrylate-based polymer dispersion and greater than 15 wt % of a plasticizer and from 1 wt % to 50 wt % of a water conditioning agent.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An agricultural spray pre-mix composition, comprising:
 an agricultural spray adjuvant comprising:
 a vinyl ester-based or vinyl acrylate-based polymer dispersion; and
 a plasticizer; and 
 
 a water conditioning agent. 
   
     
     
         2 . The pre-mix composition of  claim 1 , wherein the vinyl ester-based or vinyl acrylate-based polymer dispersion comprises polyvinyl alcohols, polyethylene oxides, polyethylene glycols, polypropylene glycols, polyvinyl pyrrolidones, polyacrylamide, methylcelluloses, hydroxyethylcelluloses, hydroxypropylcelluloses, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, gelatins, caseins, starches, gums, hydroxy ethyl starches, or sodium alginates, or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The pre-mix composition of  claim 2 , wherein the polyvinyl alcohols, polyethylene oxides, polyethylene glycols, polypropylene glycols, polyvinyl pyrrolidones, polyacrylamide, methylcelluloses, hydroxyethylcelluloses, hydroxypropylcelluloses, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, gelatins, caseins, starches, gums, hydroxy ethyl starches, or sodium alginates, or any combinations thereof is/are dissolved in the aqueous phase. 
     
     
         4 . The pre-mix composition of  claim 1 , wherein the plasticizer is dissolved in the aqueous phase. 
     
     
         5 . The pre-mix composition of  claim 1 , wherein the adjuvant is present in an amount ranging from 0.01 wt % to 40 wt %, based on the total weight of the pre-mix composition and wherein the water conditioning agent is present in an amount ranging from 1 wt % to 50 wt %, based on the total weight of the pre-mix composition. 
     
     
         6 . The pre-mix composition of  claim 1 , wherein the water conditioning agent comprises a compound selected from nitrogen-containing sulfates, carboxylic acids, phosphate salts, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The pre-mix composition of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-mix composition comprises surfactant present in an amount less than 15 wt % based on the total weight of the pre-mix composition. 
     
     
         8 . A process for producing an agricultural spray composition, comprising:
 providing an agricultural spray pre-mix composition; and   adding to the agricultural spray pre-mix composition an active ingredient to form the agricultural spray composition,   wherein the agricultural spray pre-mix composition comprises:   an agricultural spray adjuvant comprising:
 a vinyl ester-based or vinyl acrylate-based polymer dispersion; and
 a plasticizer; and 
 
 a water conditioning agent. 
   
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the active ingredient is selected from the group consisting of herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, insecticides, acaricides, nematocides, foliar nutrients, defoliants, plant growth regulators, molluscidcides and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the adjuvant and the water conditioning agent are combined prior to the addition of the active ingredient. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the vinyl ester-based or vinyl acrylate-based polymer dispersion comprises polyvinyl alcohols, polyethylene oxides, polyethylene glycols, polypropylene glycols, polyvinyl pyrrolidones, polyacrylamide, methylcelluloses, hydroxyethylcelluloses, hydroxypropylcelluloses, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, gelatins, caseins, starches, gums, hydroxy ethyl starches, or sodium alginates, or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . An agricultural spray composition comprising:
 an active ingredient; and   a pre-mix composition comprising:
 a water conditioning agent; and 
 an agricultural spray adjuvant comprising:
 a vinyl ester-based or vinyl acrylate-based polymer dispersion; and
 a plasticizer. 
 
 
   
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the active ingredient is selected from the group consisting of herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, insecticides, acaricides, nematocides, foliar nutrients, defoliants, plant growth regulators, molluscidcides and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the vinyl ester-based or vinyl acrylate-based polymer dispersion comprises polyvinyl alcohols, polyethylene oxides, polyethylene glycols, polypropylene glycols, polyvinyl pyrrolidones, polyacrylamide, methylcelluloses, hydroxyethylcelluloses, hydroxypropylcelluloses, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, gelatins, caseins, starches, gums, hydroxy ethyl starches, or sodium alginates, or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the active ingredient is dissolved in the aqueous phase. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the adjuvant is present in an amount ranging from 0.01 wt % to 40 wt %, based on the total weight of the pre-mix composition and wherein the water conditioning agent is present in an amount ranging from 1 wt % to 50 wt %, based on the total weight of the pre-mix composition. 
     
     
         17 . A process for treating an agricultural product, comprising:
 spraying on the agricultural product an agricultural spray composition comprising:   an active ingredient; and   a pre-mix composition comprising:
 a water conditioning agent and 
   an agricultural spray adjuvant comprising:
 a vinyl ester-based or vinyl acrylate-based polymer dispersion; and
 a plasticizer. 
 
   
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 17 , wherein the spraying forms droplets and less than 10 vol % of the droplets have a droplet size less than 105 μm, when sprayed using a flat fan nozzle. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 17 , wherein the active ingredient is dissolved in the aqueous phase. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 17 , wherein the vinyl ester-based or vinyl acrylate-based polymer dispersion comprises polyvinyl alcohols, polyethylene oxides, polyethylene glycols, polypropylene glycols, polyvinyl pyrrolidones, polyacrylamide, methylcelluloses, hydroxyethylcelluloses, hydroxypropylcelluloses, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, gelatins, caseins, starches, gums, hydroxy ethyl starches, or sodium alginates, or any combinations thereof.