A stable liquid agrochemical formulation

Abstract

The present invention relates to a stable liquid agrochemical formulation in the form of an oil dispersion comprising neonicotinoid compounds and pyrethroid compounds that is stable at low temperatures.

1 . A stable liquid agrochemical formulation comprising:
 (a) at least one first active ingredient in a suspended form;   (b) at least one second active ingredient in a partly solubilized form;   (c) at least a solubilizing medium, wherein the solubilizing medium provides a higher amount of the second active ingredient in the partly solubilized form;   (d) at least one aromatic hydrocarbon preventing active ingredient in the partly solubilized form from freezing at sub-zero degrees Celcius; and   (e) optionally one or more agrochemically acceptable excipients.   
     
     
         2 . The stable liquid agrochemical formulation as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first active ingredient is a neonicotinoid and the second active ingredient is a pyrethroid. 
     
     
         3 . The stable liquid agrochemical formulation as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said neonicotinoid is selected from the group consisting of acetamiprid, imidacloprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, nithiazine, thiacloprid, and thiamethoxam. 
     
     
         4 . The stable liquid agrochemical formulation as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said neonicotinoid selected from acetamiprid and imidacloprid. 
     
     
         5 . The stable liquid agrochemical formulation as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said neonicotinoid is present from about 0.1% to about 90% of the total weight of the formulation. 
     
     
         6 . The stable liquid agrochemical formulation as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said pyrethroid is selected from the group consisting of cypermethrin, fenvalerate, permethrin, alphacypermethrin, betacypermethrin, zetacypermethrin, deltamethrin, cyfluthrin, bifenthrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, bioresmethrin, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The stable liquid agrochemical formulation as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said pyrethroid is bifenthrin. 
     
     
         8 . The stable liquid agrochemical formulation as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said pyrethroid is present from about 0.1% to about 90% of the total weight of the formulation. 
     
     
         9 . The stable liquid agrochemical formulation as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said solubilizing medium is selected from the group consisting of paraffin, petroleum, ketone, vegetable oil, synthetically modified vegetable oil, alkyl esters of vegetable oil, modified vegetable oil, diesel, mineral oil, fatty acid, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The stable liquid agrochemical formulation as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said solubilizing medium is present from about 5% to about 90% of the total weight of the formulation. 
     
     
         11 . The stable liquid agrochemical formulation as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said aromatic hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of toluene, o-xylene, m-xylene, p-xylene, dodecane, n-decane, n-hexane, benzene, ethylbenzene, isopropylbenzene, tert-butylbenzene, naphthalenes, mono- or polyalkyl-substituted naphthalenes, heavy aromatic naphthalene depleted (Aromatic 200, 100, 150), and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The stable liquid agrochemical formulation as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said aromatic hydrocarbon is present from about 1% to about 60% of the total weight of the formulation. 
     
     
         13 . The stable liquid agrochemical formulation as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said formulation is stable at a temperature below 0° C. 
     
     
         14 . The stable liquid agrochemical formulation as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said formulation has a particle size distribution D 10  of less than about 1.5 microns, a D 50  of less than about 5.0 microns and a D 90  of less than or equal to about 30 microns. 
     
     
         15 . A process for preparation of the stable liquid agrochemical formulation according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 (i) adding the at least one second active ingredient to be in the partly solubilized form to a mixture of the solubilizing medium and the aromatic hydrocarbon;   (ii) adding the at least first one active ingredient to be in the suspended form in the mixture; and   (iii) milling the mixture obtained in step (ii).   
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method of controlling or preventing unwanted pests on plants or propagation material thereof, said method comprising applying an agrochemically effective amount of the stable liquid agrochemical formulation of  claim 1  to the pests or to their locus.