Nematicidal aqueous suspension concentrate compositions

Abstract

Provided herein are aqueous suspension concentrate compositions comprising biologically active 3,5-disubstituted-1,2,4-oxadiazoles or salts thereof that are useful, for example, in the control of nematodes.

Wat is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A nematicidal aqueous suspension concentrate composition, the composition comprising:
 a continuous aqueous phase comprising a dispersant component comprising a primary anionic dispersant and a secondary non-ionic dispersant; and   a dispersed solid particulate phase comprising a nematicidal component, the nematicidal component selected from the group consisting of 3-phenyl-5-(thiophen-2-yl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole, 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-5-(furan-2-yl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole, 3-(4-chloro-2-methylphenyl)-5-(furan-2-yl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole, 5-(furan-2-yl)-3-phenyl-1,2,4-oxadiazole, or a salt thereof;   wherein the median size of solid particulates in the dispersed solid particulate phase is less than about 10 μm.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the nematicidal component is 3-phenyl-5-(thiophen-2-yl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the nematicidal component is 3-phenyl-5-(furan-2-yl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the composition is storage-stable at 25° C. for at least about 1 week. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the nematicidal component comprises at least about 10% by weight of the composition. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the median size of the solid particulates in the dispersed solid particulate phase is less than about 5 μm. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the mean size of the solid particulates in the dispersed solid particulate phase is less than about 20 μm. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the dispersed solid particulate phase has a polydispersity index is less than about 10. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the primary anionic dispersant comprises a dispersant selected from the group consisting of alkyl sulfates, alcohol sulfates, alcohol ether sulfates, alpha olefin sulfonates, alkylaryl ether sulfates, arylsulfonates, alkylsulfonates, alkylaryl sulfonates, sulfosuccinates, mono- or diphosphate esters of polyalkoxylated alkyl alcohols or alkyl phenols, mono- or disulfosuccinate esters of alcohols or polyalkoxylated alkanols, alcohol ether carboxylates, and phenol ether carboxylates. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 9  wherein the primary anionic dispersant comprises an alkylaryl sulfonate. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the dispersant component comprises from about 0.5% to about 20% by weight of the composition. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 10  wherein the secondary non-ionic dispersant comprises a dispersant selected from the group consisting of sorbitan esters, ethoxylated sorbitan esters, alkoxylated alkylphenols, alkoxylated alcohols, block copolymer ethers, and lanolin derivatives. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 12  wherein the secondary non-ionic dispersant comprises an alkyl ether block copolymer. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the ratio of primary dispersant to secondary dispersant, on a weight basis, is from about 1:1 to about 10:1. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 1  further comprising at least one of an anti-freeze agent, an antifoam agent, a stabilizer component, a biocidal agent, a viscosity modifying agent, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the pH of the composition is from about 5 to about 9. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the composition further comprises an organic solvent component. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 17  wherein the organic solvent component comprises a paraffinic hydrocarbon solvent comprising predominantly linear or branched hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         19 . A method of preparing the nematicidal composition of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 mixing the nematicidal component, the dispersant component, and water to form an aqueous suspension; and   wet milling the aqueous suspension to produce a milled suspension having a reduced particle size.   
     
     
         20 . A method for protecting the roots of a plant against damage by a nematode, the method comprising applying the nematicidal composition of  claim 1  to the soil surrounding the root zone of a plant. 
     
     
         21 . A method for protecting a seed and/or the roots of a plant grown from the seed against damage by a nematode, the method comprising treating a seed with a seed treatment composition, the seed treatment composition comprising the nematicidal composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the seed is an unsown seed. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the seed is of a transgenic plant. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the seed is of corn, soybean, or cotton. 
     
     
         25 . A seed that has been treated by a method as set forth in  claim 20 . 
     
     
         26 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the composition further comprises a crystallization inhibitor. 
     
     
         27 . The composition of  claim 26  wherein the crystallization inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of acrylic copolymers, polyethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol hydrogenated castor oil, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The composition of  claim 1  further comprising at least one additional pesticide selected from the group consisting of:
 an insecticide or an additional nematicide selected from the group consisting of carbamates, diamides, macrocyclic lactones, neonicotinoids, organophosphates, phenylpyrazoles, pyrethrins, spinosyns, synthetic pyrethroids, tetronic and tetramic acids; 
 a fungicide selected from the group consisting of aromatic hydrocarbons, benzimidazoles, benzthiadiazole, carboxamides, carboxylic acid amides, morpholines, phenylamides, phosphonates, quinone outside inhibitors, thiazolidines, thiophanates, thiophene carboxamides, triazoles; 
 and an herbicide selected from the group consisting of ACCase inhibitors, acetanilides, AHAS inhibitors, carotenoid biosynthesis inhibitors, EPSPS inhibitors, glutamine synthetase inhibitors, PPO inhibitors, PS II inhibitors, and synthetic auxins. 
 
     
     
         29 . The composition of  claim 28  wherein the additional pesticide comprises an insecticide or an additional nematicide selected from the group consisting abamectin, aldicarb, aldoxycarb, bifenthrin, carbofuran, chlorantraniliporle, chlothianidin, cyfluthrin, cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, dinotefuran, emamectin, ethiprole, fenamiphos, fipronil, flubendiamide, fosthiazate, imidacloprid, ivermectin, lambda-cyhalothrin, milbemectin, nitenpyram, oxamyl, permethrin, spinetoram, spinosad, spirodichlofen, spirotetramat, tefluthrin, thiacloprid, thiamethoxam, and thiodicarb. 
     
     
         30 . The composition of  claim 28  wherein the additional pesticide comprises a fungicide selected from the group consisting acibenzolar-S-methyl, azoxystrobin, benalaxyl, bixafen, boscalid, carbendazim, cyproconazole, dimethomorph, epoxiconazole, fluopyram, fluoxastrobin, flutianil, flutolanil, fluxapyroxad, fosetyl-Al, ipconazole, isopyrazam, kresoxim-methyl, mefenoxam, metalaxyl, metconazole, myclobutanil, orysastrobin, penflufen, penthiopyrad, picoxystrobin, propiconazole, prothioconazole, pyraclostrobin, sedaxane, silthiofam, tebuconazole, thifluzamide, thiophanate, tolclofos-methyl, trifloxystrobin, and triticonazole. 
     
     
         31 . The composition of  claim 28  wherein the additional pesticide comprises an herbicide selected from the group consisting of acetochlor, clethodim, dicamba, flumioxazin, fomesafen, glyphosate, glufosinate, mesotrione, quizalofop, saflufenacil, sulcotrione, and 2,4-D.