CA1318495C - Evaporation inhibitor - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

An evaporation inhibitor, having particular use with spray mixtures of agricultural chemicals applied by the low-volume method, in the form of a paraffin-containing aqueous dispersion or a self-emulsifying solution in an organic solvent, and having the following composition:
from 15 to 50% by weight of a wax or wax mixture, from 4 to 20% by weight of at least one nonionic and/or anionic emulsifier, from 19.5 to 81% by weight of water and/or at least one organic solvent from the group comprising hydrocar-bons, esters and ketones having boiling points of from 70 to 280°C, from 0 to 5.5% by weight of other auxiliaries, from 0 to 5.0% by weight of an amine or an alkali metal hydroxide.

Description

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PATENT
Case D 6767/7128 AN EVAPORATION INHIBITOR

~ gricultural chemicals are widely used nowadays to safeguard the growth and yield of crops, having to be applied in particular by airplane to cover the large areas under cultivation. To minimize the costs involved, every effort is made to keep the quantities of water required for diluting the commercial con-centrates as small as possible and to apply high con-centrations of active compound in small amounts.
Today, quantities of from 5 to 50 liters/ha are applied by the low-volume (LV) method using known commercial products, such as wettable powders (WP) suspended con-centrates tSC~ or solvent-containing emulsif.iable con-centrates (EC) which are normally sprayed in suspension in 300 to 600 liters of water/ha using ground appliances.
The smaller the quantities of spray mixture applied per unit area, the finer the droplets applied have to be to obtain satisfactory coverage of the crops. This plus the high concentration oE the spray mixtures has hitherto created the main obstacle to application of the low-volume method, particularly under sub-tropical and tropical climatic conditions, namely, the water evaporates too quickly due to the large surface of the fine droplets, so that increased drifting losses can occur.

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~ In addltion to drifting losses, damage may even be caused to adjacent crops, depending on the plant treat-ment agent used. Accordingly~ controlled application Erom ~ircraft is diE~icult; and damage to the environ-S ment or losses of harvest may have to be accepted.
In acldition, heavy Eoaming can occur during pre-paration of the spray mix-ture with the greatly reduced quantities of water, because the dispersants and wetting agents in -the wettable powders or concentrated dispersions are then present in correspondingly higher concentrations. The product oams out o$ the spray tanks unless the filling level is greatly reduced.
The above spray mixtures of agricultural chemicals are prepared from commercial concentrates by dispersion lS or emulsiiication in the desired quantity of water.
The concentrates are either self-emulsifying solutions in an organic solvent (EC) or wettable powders tWP) or suspended concentrates (SC).
The agricultural chemicals used may be insec-ticides, fungicides, virucides, herbicides, acaricides, dessicants, growth regulators, ripening accelerators, repellents, pheromones, leaf fertilizers, defoliants, etc. In addition, the concentrates optionally contain dispersants, emulsifiers, wetting agents, defoamers, ~tickers, carriers and pigments for obtaining a rnarking effect.
The object of the present invention is to reduce the evaporation of water in the application by the low-volume method of agricultural chemicals in the form oE
spray mixtures. Measures in that direction are the subject oE German Application No. 22 05 590, although the mineral-oil-based evaporation inhibitors claimed therein are not suficiently effective under sub- !
tropical and tropical climatic conditions. In addi-tion, it is known from U.S. Patent No. 3,791,839 that ~ 3 ~
the release of water from living plants, particularly during growth in dry climates, can be reduced by applying to the sur~ace of the plants an aqueous emulsion whichl in addition to paraffin wax and emulsifier, contains Vaseline-like hydrocarbons (petrolatum) as a required ingredient.
However, the function of these emulsions is not to reduce the evaporation of spray mixtures of plant pro-tection agents during spraying by the low-volume method.
The present invention relates to an,evaporation inhibitor ~I) for spray mixtures of agricultural che-micals applied by the LV method in the form oE a wax-- containing aqueous dispersion or self-emulsifyingsolution in an organic solvent, characterized by the following composition:

from 15 to S0 % by weight of a wax or wax mixture, from 4 to 20 % by weight of at least one nonionic and/or anion.ic emulsifier, from 19.5 to 81% by weight of water and/or one or more organic solvents f rom the group comprising hydrocarbons, esters and ketones having boiling points of from 70 to 280C, from 0 to 5.5~ by weight of auxiliaries, from 0 to 5.0~ by weight of an amine or an alkali metal hydroxide.

The inhibitor preferably has one of the following compositions X or Y

Composition X:
from 15 to 40 % by weight of a paraffin wax or a wax mixture containing at least one ~1 3 ~

paraffin wax having a dropping point of from 35 to 80C, from 4 to 20 % by weight of at least one nonionic and/or anionic emulsifier, from 35 to Rl ~ by weight oE water and/or one or more organic solvents Erom the group comprising hydrocarbons, esters and ketones having boiling points of from 70 to 280C, from 0 to 5.5 % by weight of other auxiliaries.

Of inhi bi tors having the composition X, it is pre-ferred to use those formulated as aqueous dispersions having the following composition:
from 15 to 40 ~ by weight of at least one paraffin wax or oE a mixture of paraffin waxes having different dropping points in the range of from 35 to 70C or of a mixture of those paraffin waxes with microcrystalline waxes having dropping points of from 50 to 90C, the paraffin waxes making up at least 50~ by weight oE the wax mixture, from ~ to 20 % by weight and preferably from 4 to 14% by weight of at least one nonionic emulsifier, from 0 to 10 ~ by weight and preferably from 1 to 7% by weight of at least one anionic emulsifier, the nonionic emulsifiers making up at least 50%
by weight of the emusifiers, .
' ' :

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from 35 to 81 ~ by ~eight of water, Erom 0 to 10 % by weight of xylene or cyclohexa-none or petroleum fractions ha-~incJ
boil.ing points in the range from 145 to 210C or esters having boiling points in the range from 70 to 280C, from 0 to 5 % by weight of at .l.eas-t one hydrotrope, 0 from 0 to 0.5 ~ by weight of at least one inorganic salt.

The composition Y contains the following components:
from 15 to 50 % by weight of a wax mixture con-taining at least about 5% by weight, based on the weight of the wax mixtur~, oE a wax component . having an acid number of from 10 to 95 mg KOH/g wax~
from 4 to 20 ~ by weight of at least one nonionic and/or anionic emulsiEier, from 19.5 to 81 ~ by weight of water and/or at least one organic solvent from the group comprising hydrocarbons, esters and ketones having boiling points in the range from 70 to 280C, from G to 5.5 % by the weight of auxiliaries, 0 from 0 to 5.0 % by weight of an amine or an alkalimetal hydroxide.

The wax mixture preferably has one of the following compositions:

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Mixture (A) from 60 to 9S ~ by weight oE paraff.in wax and/or microcrystalline paraffin wax having a setting point oE from 40 to 70C, from 5 to 40 ~ by weight of oxidized polyethylene wax having a dropping point of from 95 to 140C and an acid number of from 10 to 95 mg KOH/g wax.
Mixture (B) from 60 to 95 % by weight of paraffin wax and/or microcxystalline paraffin wax having a setting point of from 40 to 70C, from 5 to 40 % by weight of wax containing ester bonds and having a dropping point of from 75 to 100C and an acid number of from 10 to 95 mg KOH/g wax.

Mixture (C) from 20 to 50 % by weight o paraffin wax having a setting point of from 30 to 50~C, from 50 to 80 % by weight of oxidized paraffin wax having a setting point of from 60 to 9UC and a~ acid number of from 10 to 95 mg KOH/g wax.

Tbe present invention also relates to a process for reducing the evaporation of water from spray mix-tures of agricultural chemicals during application by the LV method, characterized in that from 1 to 15~ by weight and preferably from 5 to 10~ by weight of an evaporation inhibitor of the invention is added to the .

1 3~ ri spray mixtures adjusted to ~he in use concentration.
In inhibitors having the composition X, the dropping points oE the paraffin wax or wax mixture should pre-ferably be 10 to 40C and more especially a~ least 15C
above the particular air temperature preva.iling during application.
The inhibitors according to the invention may be present in the form of solu-tions of the wax and emulsifier constituents in the organic solvents.
Solutions such as these are temperature-stable and storable and, when stirred into water or spray mixtures adjusted to the in-use concentration, Eorm dispersions which show high thermal stabili-ty under normal prac-tical conditions.
However, the inhibitors are preferably used in the form of concentrated aqueous dispersions because, in that form, they are easier to incorporate in the spray mixtures due to the absence or substantial absence of solvents. The dispersions ar~ prepared, for example, by mel-ting the constituents to be dispersed twax mix-turer emulsifiers, optionally organic solvents) together and then adding the clesired amount of water and, optionally, other constituents. In the case of relatively high melting wax mixtures, it can be more suitable to stir the wax mixture melted togather with the emulsifiers and organic solvents, if any, into the water which has been heated to 60 - 100C and pre-ferably to 80 - 100C and which optionally contains further constituents, followed by rapid coolingO The dispersion is distinguished by outstanding temperature stability and high stability in storage, enabling it to be used even under sub-tropical and tropical climatic conditions.
More particularly, the claimed inhibitors are used in the form of aqueous dispersions having the following ~ 3 ~
composition:

from 15 to 40 % by weight o~ wax mixture ~A), (B) or ( C ) , from 4 to 20 ~ by weight and preferably ~rom 4 to 14~ by weight oE at least one nonionic emulsifier, from 0 to 10 % by weight and preerably from 1 to 7% by weight of at least one anionic emulsifier, the nonionic emulsiEiers making up at least 50%l by weight of the emulsi~iers, from 29.5 to 81 ~ by weight of water, from 0 to 10 ~ by weight of xylene or cyclohexanone or petroleum fractions having boiling points in the range from 145 to 210C or esters having boiling points in the range from 70 to 280C, 0 from 0 to 5 4 by weight of at least one hydrotrope, from 0 to 0.5% by weight of at least one inorganic salt, ~rom 0 to 5.0~ by weight o an amine or an alkali metal hydroxide. 5 The a~ueous dispersions are particularly suitable for use in spray mixtures based on solvent-containing concentrates (EC) and wettable powders (WP). The ready-to-use spray mixtures are prepared simply by stirring the aqueous dispersion into the spray mixtures adjusted to the in-use concentration.
In the treatment oE large areas, the spray mix-tures are generally applied by airplane in the form of a very fine spray mist, although portable or mobile appliances may be used for smaller areas.

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By virtue of the presence in them of wax mixtures specifically adapted to the particular in-use con-ditions, the claimed evaporation inhibitors greatly inhibit the evaporation of water from the droplets of spray mist during application. In th;s way, the droplets largely retain their weight, resulting in an increased rate of fall and less drifting under the efect of windO This leads to a better eect o the plant treatment agents and, hence, to increases in crop yield. On the other hand, ~he quantities o active ingre~ients may also be reduced. In addition, the fact that the quantity of liquid is maintained in the droplets of spray mixture avoids undesirable con-centrations of the active ingredients, providing for slow release which can have a positive ef~ect on the phytotoxicity of the agents used.
Furt~ermore, the wax present in the inhibitors has a foa~-damping effec~, thus preventing ~xcessive foaming during preparation of the spray mixtures and their introduction into tanks and t~e like.
Compositions containing petrolatum such as those disclosed in U.S. 3,791,933 are ~ot useful for the pur-poses oE the present invention, i.e., the necessary reduction of evaporation of water from spray mixtures o agricultural chemicals is not achieved during spraying when petrolatum is a component o~ the com-posi~ions. In addition, compositions as disclosed in U.S.
patent 3~791~938 are not generally suitable for mixing with emulsion spray mixtures oE agricultural chemicals due to inter~erence with the stability of the emulsions, especially in hot climates. Furthermore, the presence oE petrolatum adversely affects the storage stability oE
the evaporation inhibitors oE the invention, par-ticularly during extended storage in hot climates.
The paraEEin waxes used in the evaporation inhibi-'}~
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tors of the invention consist essentially of linear C20-C40 hydrocarbons having an average molecular weight oE from 280 to 560. ParaEfin waxes such as these have dropping points o~ from 35 to 80C or setting points of from 30 to 70C. In order reliably to obtain ~he evaporation-inhibiting effect even at elevated air temperatures, it is best to combine paraf-fin waxes having different dropping points or setting points or paraffin waxes with microcrystalline waxes.
In either case, however, the paraffin waxes must make up at least 50% by weight of the total wax mixture of composition X.
Microcrystalline waxes consist mainly of naphthe-nes with long side chains together with isoparaffins and small quantities of other aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons. The individual constituents contain from 30 to 60 carbon atoms in -~he molecule. The waxes have av~rage molecular weights of from 580 to 700, dropping points of from 50 to 90C or setting points of from 40 to 70C.
The following products are preferably used in wax mixtures tA), (B) or (C) of the composition Y:

(a) Natural or synthetic paraffin waxes or microcrystalline paraffin waxes having setting poin~s in the above-mentioned ranges, for example ozocerite, paraffin waxes from the distillation of petroleum, microparaffins from crude oil residues or synthetic paraffins obtained by the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.
(b) Oxidized polyethylene waxes having dropping points oE from 95 to 140Cr of the type obtained by par-tial oxidation of polyethylenes. The acid number is preferably in the range from 10 to 70 mg KOH/g wax~

:.~

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(c) Oxidi~ed paraEEill waxes having sett;ng points o~
from 60 to 90C and an acid numbec o~ from 10 to 95 mg.KO~/g wax, of the type obtained by partial oxi-dation of parafins.
(d) Waxes containing ester bonds, pceferably emanating from natural sources, such as for example montan waxes in crude or refined form, vegetable waxes, such as carnauba or candelilla wax, or insect waxes, such as shellac wax. The ester waxes have dropping points of from 75 to 100C and are optionally used in prehydrolyzed form with an acid number of from l0 to 95 mg KOH~g wax.

The emulsifiers used are preferably nonionic sur-factants or surfactant mixtures, including for example -the sorbitan esters of higher fatty acids and long-chain alkyL glycosides and also alkylene oxide adducts wi th higher, Cl0-C24 linear monofunctional and poly-functional alcohols~ alky~lphenols, Iong chain carboxylic a?ids, carboxyLic acid amides and hydroxy fatty acids, as well as with fatty acid gylcerol or sorbitan esters . and long-chain alkyl glycosicles. It is preferred ~o use the adducts of from 2 to 50 moles oE ethylene oxide with lo.n~-chain C12-Cla, more especially primary alcohols and with f.atty acids. To improve the temperature stability o the aqueous inhibitor dispecsions, it is advi~able to co-nbine.two or more alkylene oxide adducts differing in their degree of alkoxylation with one anothe.. A mixture o~ et~lylene oxide ad~ucts with C12 C18 fatty alcohols or alkylphenols consisting oE

~roln 10 to 40 ~ by weight o~ adducts containing from 1 to 4 moles oE ethylene oxide, from 25 to 70 ~ by weight o~ adducts containing from 4 to 10 moles of ethylene o~ide, ` -11-.

from 5 to 35 ~ by weight of adducts containing Erom 10 ~o 50 moles oE ethylene oxide has proved to be particularly effective.
The dispersions may be further stabilized by replacing part oE the nonionic emulsifiers by anionic emulsifiers. Suitable anionic emulsi~iers are the alkali, ammonium, amine and alkaline-earth salts of long-chain alkyl sulfates, sul~onates and phosphoric acid partial esters. Particularly suitable anionic emulsifiers are the salts of sulfuric acid semiesters or phosphoric acid partial esters of linear alcohols or alkylphenols containing from 12 to 18 carbon atoms or polyglycol monoalkylethers containing from 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl group and also olefin sulfo-nates, ester sulfonates and alkane sulonates con-taining from 12 to 20 carbon atoms, alkylbenzene sulfonates containing -Erom 6 to 16 carbon atoms in the alkyl groups, sulfonates of polyglycol monoalkylethers and salts of polyglycol monoalkylether carboxylic acids containing from 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl groups. OE these surfactants, alkylbenzene sulfonates and alkane sulfonates are preferably used.
The emulsifiers are used in a total quantity of from 4 to 20% by weight and preerably in a total quan-tity of from 4 to 14% by weight, based on the inhibitor dispersion or solution. Where anionic emulsifiers are present, they preferably make up at least 0.5~ by weight and more especially at least 1.0~ by weight of the inhibitor as a whole. The nonionic emulsifiers should preferably make up at least 50% by weight of the total quantity of emulsifiers.
The organic solvents optionally present in the inhibitor formula-tions are liquid hydrocarbons, esters or ketones having boiling points of from 70 to 280~C, for example light mineral oils, toluene, liquid fatty acid methyl esters and the like. PreEerred solvents are xylene, cyclohexanone or petroleum ~Eractions boiliny at temperatures in the range Erom ]45 to 210C.
Other auxiliaries which may be added as required in a total quantity of up to 5.5% by weight, more espe-cially to the inhibitor dispersions, include dyes, viscosity regulators, foam regulators, preservativ~s, inorganic salts, hydrotropes and other dispersion aids.
OE particular importance to the dispersions in this respect are hydrotropes and salts which influence the structure of the aqueous component of the dispersion and thus enable ViSC08i ty and degree of dispersion to be regulated. PreEerred hydrotropes are non-surface-active salts of aromatic sulfonic acids, such as sodium cumene sulfonate, and of sulfuric acid semiesters with C6-C1o alcohols. The hydrotropes need only be used in quantities of up to 5% by weight. Suitable inoxganic salts, which may be added in quantities of up to 0.5%
by weight, are in partic~lar the sodium or potassium salts of mineral acids. In addition, small quantities of up to 5% by weight of amines or alkali are pre-ferably used for adjusting the pH of the dispersion and for neu-tralizing the oxidized polye-thylene or paraffin waxes or ester waxes containing acidic groups.
Alkanolamines, such as diethanolamine, morpholine, and sodium or potassium hydroxide are particularly suitable.
The type of agricultural chemicals used in the spray mixtures is not critical to the use of the eva-poration inhibitors (EI) according to the invention.
For example, the inhibitors may be used for applying the following plant protection agents ~the list of which is not intended to limit the invention in any way):

~ 3 ~ ~3~ 3 1 Pyrethroids, such as deltamethrin, cypermethrin, fenpropatllrin, cyfluthrin, fenvalerate, permethrin; (thio)phosphoric acid esters, such as triazophos, parathionmethyl, d~t~at, heptenophos, pyrazophos, profenofos, sulprofos, dialifos, S chlorpyrifos, anilofos; carbamates, such as ~PMC, carbaryl, propoxur, methomyl, carbofuran, phenmedipham, desmedipham, pririmicarb; chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as camphechlor, dicofol; chitin synt-hesis inhibitors, such as di1ubenzuron, trifluron, teflubenzuron (CME 134) or chlorfluazuron (IK~
7899); the aqents endosulfan, amitraz, clofentezine, phosethyl AL, proehloraz. -~lerbicides of ~he phenoxy or heteroaryloxy phenoxy propionic acid derivati~e type, such as diclofop-methyl, fenoxaprop-ethyl, fluazifop-b1ltyl, haloxyfopethoxy-ethyl (Dowco 453), lS quinofop-ethyl; urea derivatives, such as diuron~ isopropturon, linuron, monolinuron, chlortoluron, sulfonyl ur-_as, such as chlorsulfuron, sulfometuron; triazines such as ametryn, atrazine, simazine; halogenated phenoxy acetic acid or propionic acid derivatives, such as MCPA, dichlorprop, 2,4,5-T, mecoprop, 2,4-D, esters or salts thereof; ~nili~e derivatives, such as butachlor, propanil, benzoylprop-ethyl, alaclllor, metolachlor; nitrophenol derivatives, such as binapacryl or dinosebacetat, nitroaniline derivatives, such as ~rifluralin or pendimethalin; benzothiadiazines, such as bentazone: the agents ioxynil, bromoxynil, metamitron, glufosinate or salts thereof, bialophos or salts thereof, glyphosate or salts thereof, triazole derivatives, such as triadimefon; the fungicidcs mctal axyl, iprodionc, fcnarimol, triforine, propiconazol, tridemorph, pyracarbolid: agcllts containing lleavy metals, suc~) as manel~, sineb, triphcnyl tir.
colnpouncls, such as fentin-acetate or fentin hydroxidc, azo-cyclotin, cyl~exatill, copperoxy chloride; plant grohtllreglllators, 5ucll ~s mepiquatchloricle or c~llormcquatcllloridc or silnilal- salts, anryl~lid<)l, tctcycla.sis or mcfluir1icl. ~urtllc~
inforlnali~n on tl~r!sc Ireatln~llt a~cn~.s rn~y bC! found in ~31$~

1 CH.R. Worthing, S.B. Walker, The Pesticide Manual, 7th E~., British Crop Protection Council, London, 1985.

I. Formul.atlon ExamE~es for ev~eorati_n_ilh1bitors (EI) All quantities are ~iven in percent by weicJht.
Dp. = dropping pOillt (as determined by DGF method III 3) Sp. = setting point (as determined by DGF method lII 4a) A No. = acid number (as determined by DGF method IV 2) Br. = boiling range EO = ethylene oxide PO = propylene oxide.

Examples of composition X:

30.0 ~ paraffin, Dp. 50 - 52C
2-0 % C12-C18 fatty alcohol + 2 EO
6.0 % C16-C]8 fatty alcohol + 6 EO
2.0 % C16-C18 fatty alcohol + 12 EO
60.0 % water 26.0 % paraffin, Dp. 50 52C
4.0 % white spirit, Br. 180 - 210C
2.0 % C12-C18 fatty alcohol + 2 EO
8.0 % tallow fatty alcohol ~- 6 EO
2.0 % tallow fatty alcohol + 12 EO
58.0 % water _AMPLE 3 23.0 ~ paraffin, Dp. 50 - 52C
2.0 ~ paraffin, Dp. 38 - 40C
10.0 ~O white spirit, Br. 145 - 200C
6.0 ~ tallow fatty alcohol + 6 EO
9.0 3 C12-C18 Eatty alcohol + 4 EO
l.0 ~ tallow Eatty alcohol -~ 25 EO
54.0 % water : ~.

13 L ~

1 _XAMPLE` 4 40 ~ paraEEin, Dp. 40 - 42C
8 ~ oleyl/cetyl alcohol ~ 5 EO
52 % water s 30.0 % paraE~in, Dp. 38 - 40C
55.0 % xylene 10.5 % dodecylbenzene sul~ona-te, Ca salt (70%) 8 C10/Cl6-Cl.8 fatty alcohol mixture + 2 PO ~ 11 EO

30.0 % paraffin, Dp. 40 ~ 42C
55.0 % xylene 7.5 % petroleum sulfonate, Na salt 7.5 % olelc acid + 15 EO

20.0 % paraffin, Dp. 38 - 40C
65.0 % white spirit, Br. 145 - 200C
7.5 % dodecylbenzene sulfonate, Ca sa] t (709s) 7.5 % oleic acid -~ 8 EO

_XAMPLE 8 15 % microwax, Dp. 68 - 72C
15 % parafEin/ Dp. 50 - 52C
2 % C12~C18 fatty alcohol + 2 EO
6 % C12-C18 Eatty alcohol + 6 EO
2 % C12-C18 fatty alcohol + 12 EO
60 ~ water 1 3 ~

15 % paraEfin, Dp. 57 - 60C
15 % paraffin, Dp. 50 - 52C
12 Cl~ fatty alcohol -~ 2 EO
6 ~O C12-C18 Eatty alcohol t 6 EO
2 ~ C12-C18 fatty alcohol -~ 12 EO
60 O water 30 % paraffin, Dp. 50 - 52C

3 %a C12-C14 fatty aleohol + 2 EO
5 ~ tallow aleohol ~ 6 EO
3 % tallow aleohol + 12 EO
3 % sodium fatty alcohol ether phosphate (C12 C18 + 10 EO phosphate~ 30%) 56 % water 25.0 % paraffin, Dp. 57 - 60C
3.0 % teehnieal oleyl alcohol + 2 EO
5.0 % tallow aleohol -~ 6 EO
2.0 % tallow aleohol + 12 EO
0.1 ~ NaCl 64.9 ~ water 30 % paraffin, Dp. 50 - 52C
3 % C12-C18 fatty alcohol + 2 EO
5 % tallow aleohol + 6 EO
3 ~ tallow aleohol + 12 EO
1 % sodium fatty alcohol sulfate (C8-C10 sulfate, 30~) 2 % sodium eumene sulfonate, 50%
56 a water ~ 3 ~

1 Examples of composition Y:
EXAMPLE 13 (type: wax mixture (A)) .
20.0 % paraffin wax. Sp. 50 to 54C
10.0 ~ oxiclized polyethylene wax, Dp. 100 to 105C, A No. 23 to 28 0.5 % diethanol.arnine 2-0 ~O C12-C18 coconut oil fatty alcohol -~ 2 EO
6.0 % tallow fatty alcohol + 6 EO
2.0 % tallow fatty alcohol + 12 EO
:L0 59.5 % deionized water.

EXAMPLE_14 (type: wax mixture (A)) 27.0 % paraffin wax, Sp. 50 to 54C
3.0 % oxid.ized polyethylene wax, Dp. 108 to 111C, A No. 20 to 30 0.1 % diethanolamine 2.0 %O C12-C18 coconut oil fatty alcohol + 2 EO
6.0 ~ tallow fatty alcohol + 6 EO
2.0 % tallow fatty alcohol + 12 ÆO
59.9 % deionized water.

EXAMPLE 15 (type: wax mixture (A)) 25.0 % paraffin wax, Sp. 50 to 54C
2.5 ~ oxidized polyethylene wax, Dp. 100 to 105C, A No~ 23 to 28 2.5 ~ oleyl alcohol (iodine number 50 - 55) + 2 EO

4.2 % tallow fatty alcohol ~ 6 EO
2.5 % tallow fatty alcohol + 12 EO
0.1 % diethanolamine 2.0 % sodium cumene sulfonate (40%) 2.7 % octanol/ decanol sulfate, sodium salt 58.5 % deionized water.

EX~MPLE 16 (type: wax mixture (s)) 27.0 o-O paraEfin wax, Sp. 50 to 53C

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1 3.0 ~ cster wax (montall wax), Dp. 82 to 88C
A No. 25 to 35 0.1 ~ diethanolamine 2-0 ~ C12-C18 coconut oil fatty alcohol -~ 2 EO
6.0 ~ tallow fatty alcohol -~ 6 EO
2.0 % tallow fatty alcohol -~ 12 EO
59.9 ~ deionized water.

EXAMPLE 17 (type: wax mixture (C)) 14.0 % paraffin wax, Sp. 30 to 35C
16.0 ~ oxidized paraffin wax, Sp. 65 to 70C, A No. 30 to 35 3.5 ~ die-thanolamine 2.0 % C12-C18 coconut oil fatty alcohol + 2 EO
6.0 ~ tailow fatty alcohol + 6 EO
2.0 % tallow fatty alcohol + 12 EO
56.5 % deioni~ed water.

EXAMPLE 18 (type: wax mixture A)) 25.0 % paraffin wax, Sp. 50 to 52C
2.5 ~ oxidized polyethylene wax, Dp. 108 to 111C, A No. 20 to 30 2.5 ~ oleyl alcohol + 2 EO
4.2 % tallow alcohol + 6 EO
2.5 % tallow alcohol + 12 EO
0.1 % diethanolamine 2.0 ~ C16-C18 alkane sulfonate, Na salt, 60%
1.5 % sodium cumene sulfonate, 40%
0.2 % preservative 59.7 % water.
EXAMPLE 19 (type: wax mixture A)) 27.0 % paraffin wax, Sp. 50 to 54C
3.0 % oxidized polyethylene wax, Dp. 108 to 111C, A No. 20 to 30 10.0 ~O dodecyl benzene sulfonate, Ca salt, 70~ in xylene ~,3~

5 0 % nonionic surfactant of C8-C10/Cl6 C18 fa y mixture ~ 2 PO + 11 EO
55.0 ~ xylene.
II. Production of the evaporation inhibitors a) Production of the EI of Example 6 In a stirrer-equipped 460 1-vessel,75 ~q o~ paraææin wax (Dp. 40 - 42C, in flake form), 18.75 kg of Na petroleum sulfonate and 18.75 kg of oleic acid -~ 15 EO were successively added wi-th stirring to 137.5 kg of xylene.
The mixture was stirred for 30 mins. at room temperature, a homogeneous solution being formed.

b) Production of the EI of Example 1 A melt was prepared from 54 kg of paraffin (Dp. 50 - 52C), 3.6 kg of C12-C18 fatty alcohol + 2 EO, 10.~ kg of C16-C18 fatty alcohol + 6 EO and 3.6 kg of C16-C18 fatty alcohol + 12 EO by heating to 60C. 108 kg of water at 60C were then introduced into this melt over a period of 15 minutes with stirring. After the addition, the dispersion was cooled to below 30C over a period of 3 hours.

III. Measurement on evaporatinq water droplets 2S Water droplets 50 to 100 microns in diameter were sprayed onto 12 micron diameter Perlon fibers and photographed at short intervals under a microscope (500 x magnification) in order to record their evaporation behavior at laboratory temperature (22C). The diameter and volume of the droplets after various evaporation times were calculated from the micrographs.
Water and a 2.5% aqueous dilution of the evaporation inhibitor of Example 1 were compared with one another.
Under the microscope, a water droplet approx. 70 micL-olls in diameter evaporated cornpletely after 13 seconds at room 1 temperature. After the same time, a droplet of the same cliameter containing 2.5~ of evaporation inhibitor according to the invention has lost only about one quarter of its original volume through evaporation.
The times aEter wllich the droplets had shrunk to half their original volume or half their original diameter, as cletermined by linear interpolation between the microscope evaluation dots, are listed 1n Table l.

T ble Measurement of evaporation on droplets .
Initial Evaporation time to diameter half initial volume half initial diameter _ _ Water without inhibitor 67 microns 5 seconds 10 seconds . _ Water contain-ing 2.5~ of 64 microns 18 seconds 70 seconds inhibitor IV. Testing the evaporation-inhibiting effect directly on droplets of the test mixtures . . _ Hemispherical droplets with a volume of approx. 0O01 ~l were formed at the tip of a 1 ~1 Hamllton syringe arranged horizontally under a microscope by carefully pushing in the plunger. In order to measure evaporation, the size of the droplets was measured after certain time intervals using a graduated scaleincorporated in the eyepiece and the droplet volume calculated therefrom. The tests were carried out at 23C/55% relative air humidity.
The three spray mixtures tested contained 10% by weight of Hostaquick(R), HOECilST AG (which contains the insecticide 6-chlorobicyclo(3,2,0)hepta-2,6-dien-6-yl dimethylphospha-te, emulsifiers and xylene), the inhibitor of Example 15 and standard water having a harclness of 342 ppm. The test 1 results are shown in TabLe 2 below in the form of average values from five tests.

Table 2 I~ibitor Droplet volume in 1/1000 ~1 after..... seconds content 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 .
0 % 11 2.8 0.0 - - - - -2.5 ~ 11 S.3 3.2 2.1 1.3 0.5 0.0 5 % 11 7.0 6.1 5.4 4.6 3.9 3.1 2~4 1 0 . _ _ ___ Water 11 2.0 0.0 V. Comparative testing of EI using test mixtures free from active substances AS) _ The following test mix-tures were used for testing evaporation inhibition and foaming behavior:

EC - type A: 10 g of AS-free concentrate of 8 g of xylene and 2 g of emulsifier mixture (1.2 g o nonylphenol + 15 EO, 0.8 g of dodecylbenzene sulfonate, Ca saltJ 70%) were emulsified in 80 g o~ water, followed by the addition of quantities of 10 g of the inhibitors o Examples 1,2,3,4,8 9~ 13, 14, 15, 16 or(Blankvalue: 10 g of concentrate without inhibitor in 90 g of water) EC-type B: 10 g of AS-free concentrate of 8 g of phthalic acid diisooctyl ester and 2 g of emulsifier mixture (1.6 g of castor oil + 12 EO, 0.4 g of dodecylbenzene sulfonate, Ca salt, 70%) we~re emulsiEied in 80 g of water, 1 followed by t.~le addition o~ quantities of 10 g of the inhibitors of Examples 5,6 and 7.
(Blankvalue: 10 g of concentrate without inhibitor in 90 g of water).

WP-type: 5 g of AS-free wettable powder oE ~.4 g of kaolin (b~lus alba la, ground) and 0.6 g of emulsifier mixt~lre (C12-C14 fatty alcohol sulfate, Na salt, inorganic salts) were suspended in 85 g of water, followed by the addi.tion of quantities of 10 g of the inhibitors of Examples 1,2,3,5,6 ar 7. 5 (Blankvalue: 5 g of powder without inhibitor in 95 g of water).

To test the inhibition of evaporation, quantities of 50 g of the spray mixtures w.ere introduced into a plane-bottomed glass dish (diameter 120 mm, height 20 mm) and, bY weighing out, the evaporation produced by a steady stream of air was determined as a ~unction oF time ~nd temperature . The results are shown in Tables 3 to 7.

T le 3 Spray mi~ture EC-type A Evaporation loss in ~ by weight at 20C
0.5h lh 2h 3h 4i Blank va].ue 10 17 31 45 57 30 Example 1 0.4 0.4 0.4 0-4 0-5 Example 8 0.8 1.5 2.9 5.0 6.0 Example 9 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.8 Ta_le 4 Test mixture Evaporation loss in % by weight ak 25C
EC-type A1/2h :Lh 2h 3h 4h 24h Blank value9.515.927.0 37.5 48.3 97.9 Example 1 0.40.4 0.4 0.4 0.5 0-9 Example 2 6.8L0.816.1 17.3 17.7 19.1 Example 3 0.10.1 0.1 0.2 0.3 1.2 Example 14 0.50.5 0.5 0.8~ 1.0 2.7 Example 15 0.70.8 1.0 1.1 1.3 3.1 Example 16 0.60.9 1.4 1.5 1.9 3.9 Table 5 Test mixture EC-type A Evaporation loss in ~ by weight at 50C
1/2h lh 1.5h 2h 2.5h 3h Blank value37 71 92 - - -Example 1 20 36 48 53 58 62 Example 8 9 16 20 24 27 29 Example 9 14 24 31 37 40 42 Example 1317 19 21 23 24 25 Example 14 5 7 10 13 15 17 Example 15 6 9 12 15 21 26 Example 1611 16 20 24 27 30 Example 17 9 17 22 25 29 35 Table 6 Test mixture EC-type B Evaporation loss in ~ by weight at 25~
1/2h lh 2h 3h 4h Blank value9.915.929.9 42.6 64.9 Example 5 0.10.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 Example 6 0.20.3 0.5 0.8 1.0 Example 7 0.30.8 1.3 1.6 1.9 ~ 3 ~

Table 7 ____ Test mixture Evaporation loss in ~ by welght at 25~C
WP-type 1/2 lh 2h 3h 4h 5h Blank value 5.910.620.2 31.241.8 95.0 Example 1 3.85.5 8.6 11.715.3 59.5 Example 2 1.12.2 4.3 6.69.2 44.2 Example 3 6.77.6 8.6 9.510.4 21.9 Example S 0.20.3 0.4 0.5~0.6 Example 6 0.70.9 1.5 1.821.0 Example 7 0.60.8 0.8 0.90~9 VI. _estinq of foaminq behav1or To test foaming behavior, the spray mixtures were tested and evaluated by the perforated-disc beating method (DIN 53902).
The results are shown in Table 8.
Table 8 (Working conditions: volume 200 ml, No. of strokes 30, temperature 25~C) Spray mixture Foam volume in ml EC-type A
Time (minutes)0.5 2 10 30 120180 Blank value 100 80 40 30 10 Exampl e 1 0 Example 2 5 0 Example 4 0 - - - - -Spray mixture WP-type Blank value 580 570 550 540 540540 Example 1 70 50 50 40 30 30 Example 2 0 Example 3 10 10 10 10 5 S

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1 VII. Comparative testinq oE EI usin~ c mercial products a) Using the same methods as in Section V, comparative tests were carried out with spray mixtures prepared from commercial concentrates.
The EC used was the insecticide concentrate, Hostaquick(R~
(a product of Hoechst), wh~ich contains 6-chlorobicyclo-(3,2,O)-hepta-2,6-dien-6-yl dimethyl phosphate as its active constit-uent. The WP used was the fungicide spraying powder, Derosal(R) (a product of Hoechst), containing 2-(methoxy carbonylamino)-benzimidazole as its active constituent.
Table 9 shows the results oE the evaporation tests at 25C.

Table 9 .
15 Spray mixture oE1/2h lh 2h 3h 4h 24h Hostaquick (R) (EC 50) Blank value 6.310.320.333.741.7 Example 1 0.60.8 0.9 1.1 1.2 5.1 Derosal(R) (WP 60~
Blank value 8.119.529.045~867.6 95.0 Example 6 0.10.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.7 b) Further tests were carried out as follows using a thermobalance: _ 10% test mixtures were prepared from three standard commercial plant protection agent concentrates. The - 30 inhibitor (EI~ of Example 15 was then added to the test mixtures in quantities oE 0%, 5% and 10~.
To measure evaporation behavior, quantities of 50 ~l oE these spray mix-tures were introduced into a cylindrical aluminium dish (diameter 6.5 mm, height 1.5 mm). The evaporation as a ~unction of time produced by a stea(ly 1 stream of air (40 l/h) at 50C was measured by means o a thermobalance (Du Pont Model TGA 951), the weight of the sample beil-lg continuously recorded by a recorder. The results are sllown in Table 10 below:

Table 10 Active Inhibitor Weight of the sample in mg after .. mins.
substance (% by concentrateweight) 0 30 60 90 120 150 . . _ _ . ~
10 Hostathion(R) 0 % 50 8 3 3 ' 3 3 5 % 5041 35 30 25 20 10 ~ 5043 ~1 40 39 3 .. . _ .. _ . .. _ .... _ .. _ Afu~an () O % 50 9 2 2 2 2 5 ~ 5041 35 30 26 23 10 ~ 5042 40 38 37 36 Illoxan (R)0 % 50 9 3 3 3 3 5 % 5040 36 31 26 21 10 % 5041 ~6 32 29 26 ., Water 0 % 5010 0 0 0 0 Hostathion(R) (HOECHST AG) contains the insecticide l-phenyl-3-(O,O-diethylthionophosphoryl)-1,2,4-triazole, emulsifiers and xylene.

Afugan(R) (~IOECHST AG) contains the ~ungicide 2-(O,O-diethyl-thionophosphoryl)-5-methyl-6-carbethoxy-pyrazolo-(1,5-a)-pyrimidine, emulsifiers and xylene.

Illoxan(R) (HOECIIST AG) contains the herbicide 2-(4-(2',4'-dichlorophenoxy)-pllenoxy)-propiollic acid methylester, emulsifiers, xylene A nd cyclohexanone.

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1 c) In the same way as in b), tests were carried out with a thermobalance at 50C on the variously concentrated spray mixtures listed in Table 11 to whlch an ~I corresponding to Example l had been added. Evaluation was based on the average evaporation rate.
To calculate this value, the times required to evaporate half the respective sample volumes were taken from the graphs.
The volume evaporated divided by the time, based on one square centimeter of evapora-tion surface, is shown as the average evaporation rate in Table 11. For simplification, the curvature of the evaporation surface was not taken into account in the calculation.
The magnitude of the evaporation-inhibiting effect depends to a large extent on the type and concentration of the surfactants in the spray mixture. The fact that the various plant protection agents introduce varying amounts of various surfactants into the spray mixture accounts for the differences in the evaporation-inhibiting effect.

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Tab_e 11 Commercial product Concentrations Evaporation rate product inhibi-tor mg/min. per cm2 % %

Water 100 0 4.2 90` 10 0.8 ... .... . .. .... _ _ . ... _ _ . . . .. .
Endosulfan 35 EC10 0 ~ 4.5 (insecticide) 20 10 1.9 0.8 2.5 1.5 ... . . . ~ .. , _ _ Triazophos 40 EC10 0 4.4 (insecticide) 10 10 0O3 0.4 2.5 2.5 1.3 2.5 0.9 Heptenophos 50 EC10 0 3.6 (insecticide) 10 10 0.1 Diclofopmethyl 36 EC 10 0 4.0 (herbicide) 10 2.5 0.3 1 0.5 : Pyrazophos 30 EC10 0 4,4 (fungicide) 10 10 0.8 : ~ ,~

~ L~ 5 9 ~3 1 VIII. Open-air test The effect in practice oE the reduction in evaporation rate observed in the laboratory was studied in an open-air test under subtropical climatic conditions. The pests Heliothis ssp. and Anthonomus grand:is which attack cotton plants were treated at average air temperatures of 38~C and low humidity levels.
The tests were carried out on two identical 3-hectare parcels planted with cotton which had been pretreated with the usual plant protection agents according to the level of infestation. For the next four applications, the inhibitor of Example 1 was added to the spray mixture applied to parcel 1 whilst parcel 2 was sprayed without any inhibitor.
The followiny amounts of plant protection agents per hectare were applied in each of the four sprayings:

Parcel 1 0 5 1 Decis(R) (2 5 Ec)l) 2.0 1 Thiodan(R) ~35 EC)2) 27.0 1 water 0.5 1 inhibitor Parcel 2 0.5 1 Decis( ) (2.5 EC) 2.0 1 Thiodan~R) (35 EC) 27.5 1 water 1) EC-concentrate(R) Decis contains the insecticide (IR:3S)-3-~2,2-dibromovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid (aS) a-cyano-3~phenoxybenzyl ester 2) EC-concentrate(R) Thiodan contains the insecticide 6,7,8,9,10,10-hexachloro-1,5,5a,9a-tetrahydro-6,9-methano-2,4,3-benzodioxathiepin oxide as its active constituent.

The two p~rcels were thell further treated in exactly the .

~31~

same way. All application~ were rnade ~y airplatle.
At the end of the spraying season, the yields were determinecl. Parcel 1 yieldecl another 200 kg of cotton per hectare, correspondiny to an increase in yield of 5% over Parcel 2.

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Claims (22)

1. An evaporation inhibitor composition consisting of:
A. from about 15 to about 40% by weight of either a. at least one paraffin wax having a dropping point of from about 35 to about 80°C, or b. a mixture of waxes containing at least about 50% by weight of at least one paraffin wax having a dropping point of from about 35 to about 80°C;
B. from about 4 to about 20% by weight of an emulsifier which is a mixture of at least one nonionic surfactant and at least one anionic surfactant wherein at least 50% by weight of the mixture is nonionic surfactant, the at least one anionic surfactant is at least one of a salt of a sulfuric acid semiester or a phosphoric acid partial ester of a linear alcohol or an alkylphe-nol containing from 12 to 18 carbon atoms or a polyglycol monoalkylether containing from 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, an olefin sulfonate, ester sulfonate or alkane sulfonate containing from 12 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkylbenzene sulfonate containing from 6 to 16 carbon atoms in the alkyl groups, a sulfonate or polyglycol monoalkylether, and a salt of a polygly-col monoalkylether carboxylic acid containing from 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, and C. from about 35 to about 81% by weight of a solvent or suspending agent which is either a. water b. an organic solvent having a boiling point of from about 70 to about 280°C which is one or more of a hydrocarbon, an ester, and a ketone, or c. a mixture of a. and b. in any proportion.

2. A composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein the paraffin waxes or component A. have a dropping point of from about 35 to about 70°C.

3. A composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein the paraffin waxes of component A. essentially contain linear C20-C40 hydrocarbons having an average molecular weight of from about 280 to about 560.

4. A composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein component A. b. con-tains up to 50% by weight of at least one microcrystalline wax having from 30 to 60 carbon atoms therein.

5. A composition in accordance with claim 4 wherein the at least one microcrystalline wax has an average molecular weight of from about 580 to about 700 and a dropping point of from about 50 to about 90°C.

6. A composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein component B. is pre-sent in from about 4 to about 14% by weight.

7. A composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein in component B. the nonionic surfactant is one or more of sorbitan esters of higher fatty acids, long-chain alkyl glycosides, and alkylene oxide adducts with higher, C10-C24 linear monofunctional or polyfunctional alcohols, alkylphenols, long-chain carboxylic acids, carboxylic acid amides, hydroxy fatty acids, or fatty acid glycerol or sorbitan esters, or long-chain alkyl glycosides.

8. A composition in accordance with claim 7 wherein the nonionic surfac-tant is one or more of adducts of from 2 to 50 moles of ethylene oxide with a C12-C18 long-chain primary alcohol or a fatty acid.

9. A composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein the nonionic sur-factants in component B are mixtures of ethylene oxide adducts with C12-C18 fatty alcohols or alkylphenols consisting of from about 10 to about 40% by weight or adducts con-taining from 1 to 4 moles of ethylene oxide, from about 25 to about 70% by weight of adducts con-taining from 4 to 10 moles of ethylene oxide, from about 5 to about 35% by weight of adducts con-taining from 10 to 50 moles of ethylene oxide.

10. A composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein the component B. the at least one anionic surfactant is one or more of an alkylben-zene sulfonate containing from 6 to 16 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, and an alkane sulfonate containing from 12 to 20 carbon atoms.

11. A composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein up to 5.5% by weight of one or more of a dye, a viscosity regulator, a foam regulator, a preservative, an inorganic salt, a pH regulator, and hydrotrope is present in the composition.

12. A composition in accordance with claim 1 wherein from about 0.5 to about 10% by weight of the composition is the at least one anionic surfactant of component B.

13. An evaporation inhibitor composition consisting of:
A. from about 15 to about 40% by weight of either a. a paraffin wax having a dropping point of from about 35 to about 70°C or a mixture of two or more paraffin waxes having different dropping points in the range of from about 35 to about 70°C, or b. a mixture of at least one paraffin wax having a dropping point in the range of from about 35 to about 70°C and at least one microcrystalline wax having a dropping point of from about 50 to about 90°C;
B. from about 4 to about 20% by weight of at least one nonionic sur-factant, and from 0 to about 10% by weight of at least one anionic surfactant;
C. from about 35 to about 81% by weight of water, and from 0 to about 10% by weight of one or more of xylene, cyclohexanone, a petroleum fraction having a boiling point in the range of from about 145 to about 210°C, and an ester having a boiling point in the range of from about 70 to about 280°C;

D. from 0 to 5% by weight of at least one hydrotrope; and E. from 0 to about 0.5% by weight of at least one inorganic salt.

14. An aqueous agricultural spray composition comprising at least one agriculturally active ingredient and from about 1 to about 15% by weight of an evaporation inhibitor composition of claim 1.

15. An aqueous spray composition in accordance with claim 14 wherein from about 5 to about 10% by weight of an evaporation inhibitor com-position of claim 1 is present therein.

16. A method for reducing the evaporation or water from an aqueous spray mixture containing at least one agricultural chemical comprising adding thereto from about 1 to about 15% by weight of an evaporation inhibitor composition consisting of:
A. from about 15 to about 40% by weight of either a. at least one paraffin wax having a dropping point of from about 35 to about 80°C, or b. a mixture of waxes containing at least about 50% by weight of at least one paraffin wax having a dropping point of from about 35 to about 80°C;
B. from about 4 to about 20% by weight of an emulsifier which is either a. at least one nonionic surfactant, or b. at least one anionic surfactant, or c. a mixture of a. and b. in any proportion;
and C. from about 35 to about 81% by weight of a solvent or suspending agent which is either a. water b. an organic solvent having a boiling point of from about 70 to about 280°C which is one or more of a hydrocarbon, an ester, and a ketone, or c. a mixture of a. and b. in any proportion, and spraying said aqueous mixture onto agricultural crops by the Low-Volume method in a quantity of from about 5 to about 50 liters/hectare.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16 wherein from about 5 to about 10% by weight of evaporation inhihitor is present therein.

18. A method for treating agricultural crops comprising applying thereto by Low-Volume spraying a treatment-effective quantity of the spray composition of claim 14.

19. A method in accordance with claim 18 wherein the composition of claim 15 is applied to the crops.

20. A method in accordance with claim 18 wherein component A. or the inhibitor composition of claim 1 is selected to have a dropping point from about 10 to about 40°C above the air temperature pre-vailing during the application of the inhibitor composition to the crops.

21. An evaporation inhibitor composition consisting of:
A. from about 15 to about 40% by weight or either a. at least one paraffin wax having a dropping point of from about 35 to about 30°C, or b. a mixture or waxes containing at least about 50% by weight of at least one paraffin wax having a dropping point of from about 35 to about 80°C.

B. from about 4 to about 20% by weight of an emulsifier which is either a. at least one nonionic surfactant, or b. at least one anionic surfactant, or c. a mixture of a. and b. in any proportion;
wherein the nonionic surfactant in component B is a mixture of ethylene oxide adducts with C12-C18 fatty alcohols or alkylphe-nols consisting of from about 10 to about 40% by weight of adducts containing from 1 to 4 moles of ethylene oxide, from about 25 to about 70% by weight of adducts containing from 4 to 10 moles of ethylene oxide, from about 5 to about 35% by weight of adducts containing from 10 to 50 moles of ethylene oxide, and C. from about 35 to about 81% by weight of a solvent or suspending agent which is either a. water b. an organic solvent having a boiling point of from about 70 to about 280°C which is one or more of a hydrocarbon, an ester, and a ketone, or c. a mixture of a. and b. in any proportion.

?. An evaporation inhibitor composition consisting of:
A. from about 15 to about 50% by weight of a wax mixture containing at least about 5% by weight, based on the wax mixture, of a wax component having an acid number of from about 10 to about 95 mg KOH/g wax; said wax mixture being selected from one of the following:
a. from about 60 to about 95% by weight of paraffin wax and/or microcrystalline paraffin wax having a setting point of from about 40°
to about 70°C, and from about 5 to about 40% by weight of oxidized polyethylene wax having a dropping point of from about 95° to about 140°C and an acid number of from about 10 to about 95 mg KOH/g wax;
b. from about 60 to about 95% by weight of paraffin wax and/or microcrystalline paraffin wax having a setting point of from about 40°
to about 70°C, and from about 5 to about 40% by weight of wax containing ester bonds and having a dropping point of from about 75°
to about 100°C and an acid number of from about 10 to about 95 mg KOH/g wax; and c. from about 20 to about 50% by weight of paraffin wax having a setting point of from about 30° to about 50°C, and from about 50 to about 80% by weight of oxidized paraffin wax having a setting point or from about 60° to about 90°C and an acid number of from about 10 to about 95 mg KOH/g wax;
B. from about 4 to about 20% by weight of at least one nonionic and/or anionic emulsifier; and C. from about 19.5 to about 81% by weight of water and/or at least one organic solvent selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbons, esters, and ketones having a boiling point of from about 70° to about 280°C.

23. A composition in accordance with claim 22 wherein up to 5% by weight of an amine or an alkali metal hydroxide is also present therein.

24. A composition in accordance with claim 22 wherein up to 5.5% by weight of one or more of a dye, a viscosity regulator, a foam regulator, a preservative, an inorganic salt, and a hydrotrope is also present therein.

. A composition in accordance with claim 23 wherein up to 5.5% by weight of one or more of a dye, a viscosity regulator, a foam regulator, a preservative, an inorganic salt, and a hydrotrope is also present therein, 26. A composition in accordance with claim 22 wherein the composition consists essentially of:
A. from about 15 to about 40% by weight of a., b., or c.;
B. an emulsifier which is a. from about 4 to about 20% by weight of at least one nonionic emulsifier, and b. from 0 to about 10% by weight of at least one anionic emulsifier, wherein the nonionic emulsifier makes up at least 50% by weight of component B;
C. from about 29.5 to about 81% by weight of water and from 0 to about 10% by weight of the at least one organic solvent;
D. from 0 to about 5% by weight of at least one hydrotrope;
E. from 0 to about 0.5% by weight of at least one inorganic salt; and F. from 0 to about 5.0% by weight of an amine or an alkali metal hydroxide.

27. A composition in accordance with claim 26 wherein component B.b. is present in from about 1 to about 7% by weight.

28. A composition in accordance with claim 26 wherein component B.a. is present in from about 4 to about 14% by weight and component B.b. is present in from about 1 to about 7% by weight.

29. A composition in accordance with claim 22 wherein the at least one nonionic emulsifier of component B is at least one of a sorbitan ester of a higher fatty acid or a long-chain alkyl glycoside, and an alkylene oxide adduct with a higher, C10-C24 linear monofunctional or polyfunctional alcohol, an alkylphenol, a long-chain carboxylic acid, a carboxylic acid amide, a hydroxy fatty acid, or a fatty acid glycerol, or sorbitan ester or a long-chain alkyl glycoside.

?. A composition in accordance with claim 29 wherein the at least one nonionic emulsifier is at least one of an adduct of from 2 to 50 moles of ethylene oxide with a C12-C18 long-chain primary alcohol or fatty acid.

31. A composition in accordance with claim 22 wherein at least one nonionic emulsifier in component B. is a mixture of ethylene oxide adducts with C12-C18 fatty alcohols or an alkylphenol having from about 10 to about 40% by weight of adducts containing from 1 to 4 moles of ethylene oxide, from about 25 to about 70% by weight of adducts containing from 4 to 10 moles of ethylene oxide, and from about 5 to about 35% by weight of adducts containing from 10 to 50 moles of ethylene oxide.
32. A composition in accordance with claim 22 wherein the anionic emulsifier in component B is at least one of a salt of a sulfuric acid semiester, a phosphoric acid partial ester of a linear alcohol or an alkylphenol containing from 12 to 18 carbon atoms or a polyglycol monoalkylether containing from 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, an olefin sulfonate, an ester sulfonate, and an alkane sulfonate wherein such sulfonates contain from 12 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkylbenzene sulfonate containing from 6 to 16 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, a sulfonate of a polyglycol monoalkylether,.and a salt of a polyglycol monoalkylether carboxylic acid containing from 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain.

33. A composition in accordance with claim 32 wherein the anionic emulsifier is one or more of an alkylbenzene sulfonate containing from 6 to 16 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, and an alkane sulfonate containing from 12 to 20 carbon atoms.

34. A composition in accordance with claim 22 wherein component B. is present in from about 4 to about 14% by weight.

35. An aqueous agricultural spray composition comprising at least one agriculturally active ingredient and from about 1 to about 15% by weight of an evaporation inhibitor composition of claim 22.

. An aqueous spray composition in accordance with claim 35 wherein from about 5 to about 10% by weight of an evaporation inhibitor composition of

claim 22 is present therein.

37. A method for reducing the evaporation of water from an aqueous spray mixture containing at least one agricultural chemical comprising mixing therewith an evaporation inhibitor composition consisting essentially of:
A. from about 15 to about 50% by weight of a wax mixture containing at least about 5% by weight, based on the wax mixture, of a wax component having an acid number of from about 10 to about 95 mg KOH/g wax; said wax mixture being selected from one of the following:
a. from about 60 to about 95% by weight of paraffin wax and/or microcrystalline paraffin wax having a setting point of from about 40°
to about 70°C, and from about 5 to about 40% by weight of oxidized polyethylene wax having a dropping point of from about 95° to about 140°C and an acid number of from about 10 to about 95 mg KOH/g wax;
b. from about 60 to about 95% by weight of paraffin wax and/or microcrystalline paraffin wax having a setting point of from about 40°
to about 70°C, and from about 5 to about 40% by weight of wax containing ester bonds and having a dropping point of from about 75°
to about 100°C and an acid number of from about 10 to about 95 mg KOH/g wax; and c. from about 20 to about 50% by weight of paraffin wax having a setting point of from about 30° to about 50°C, and from about 50 to about 80% by weight of oxidized paraffin wax having a setting point of from about 60° to about 90°C and an acid number of from about 10 to about 95 mg KOH/g wax;
B. from about 4 to about 20% by weight of at least one nonionic and/or anionic emulsifier; and C. from about 19.5 to about 81% by weight or water and/or at least one organic solvent selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbons, esters, and ketones having a boiling point of from about 70° to about 280°C, and spraying said aqueous mixture onto agricultural crops by the Low-Volume method in a quantity of from about 5 to about 50 liters/hectare.

38. A method in accordance with claim 37 wherein from about 1 to about 15% by weight of said evaporation inhibitor composition is present in said aqueous spray mixture.

39. An evaporation inhibitor composition consisting of:
A. from about 15 to about 50% by weight of a wax mixture containing at least about 5% by weight, based on the wax mixture, of a wax component having an acid number of from about 10 to about 95 mg KOH/g wax; said wax mixture being selected from one of the following:
a. from about 60 to about 95% by weight of paraffin wax and/or microcrystalline paraffin wax having a setting point of from about 40°
to about 70°C, and from about 5 to about 40% by weight of oxidized polyethylene wax having a dropping point of from about 95° to about 140°C and an acid number of from about 10 to about 95 mg KOH/g wax;
b. from about 60 to about 95% by weight of paraffin wax and/or microcrystalline paraffin wax having a setting point of from about 40°
to about 70°C, and from about 5 to about 40% by weight of wax containing ester bonds and having a dropping point of from about 75°
to about 100°C and an acid number of from about 10 to about 95 mg KOH/g wax; and c. from about 20 to about 50% by weight of paraffin wax having a setting point of from about 30° to about 50°C, and from about 50 to about 80% by weight of oxidized paraffin wax having a setting point of from about 60° to about 90°C and an acid number of from about 10 to about 95 mg KOH/g wax;
B. an emulsifier which is a. from about 4 to about 20% by weight of at least one nonionic emulsifier, and b. from 0 to about 10% by weight of at least one anionic emulsifier, wherein the nonionic emulsifier makes up at least 50% by weight of component B; said anionic emulsifier in component B is at least one of a salt of a sulfuric acid semiester, a phosphoric acid partial ester of a linear alcohol or an alkylphenol containing from 12 to 18 carbon atoms or a polyglycol monoalkylether containing from 12 to 13 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, an olefin sulfonate, an ester sulfonate, or an alkane sulfonate wherein such sulfonate contain from 12 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkylbenzene sulfonate containing from 6 to 16 carbon atoms in the alkyl groups, a sulfonate of a polyglycol monoalkylether, and a salt of a polyglycol monoalkylether carboxylic acid containing from 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, and C. from about 19.5 to about 81% by weight of water and/or at least one organic solvent selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbons, esters, and ketones having a boiling point of from about 70° to about 280°C.

40. An evaporation inhibitor composition consisting of:
A. from about 15 to about 50% by weight of a wax mixture containing at least about 5% by weight, based on the wax mixture, of a wax component having an acid number of from about 10 to about 95 mg KOH/g wax; said wax mixture being selected from one of the following:
a. from about 60 to about 95% by weight of paraffin wax and/or microcrystalline paraffin wax having a setting point of from about 40°
to about 70°C, and from about 5 to about 40% by weight of oxidized polyethylene wax having a droppingpoint of from about 95° to about 140°C and an acid number of from about 10 to about 95 mg KOH/g wax;
b. from about 60 to about 95% by weight of paraffin wax and/or microcrystalline paraffin wax having a setting point of from about 40°
to about 70°C, and from about 5 to about 40% by weight of wax containing ester bonds and having a dropping point of from about 75°
to about 100°C and an acid number of from about 10 to about 95 mg KOH/g wax; and c. from about 20 to about 50% by weight of paraffin wax having a setting point of from about 30° to about 50°C, and from about 50 about 80% by weight of oxidized paraffin wax having a setting point of from about 60° to about 90°C and an acid number of from about 10 to about 95 mg KOH/g wax;
B. from about 4 to about 20% by weight of at least one nonionic and/or anionic emulsifier; wherein said nonionic emulsifier is a mixture of ethylene oxide adducts with C12-C18 fatty alcohols or an alkylphenol having from about 10 to about 40% by weight of adducts containing from 1 to 4 moles of ethylene oxide, from about 25 to about 70% by weight of adducts containing from 4 to 10 moles of ethylene oxide, and from about 5 to about 35% by weight of adducts containing from 10 to 50 moles of ethylene oxide; and C. from about 19.5 to about 81% by weight of water and/or at least one organic solvent selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbons, esters, and ketones having a boiling point of from about 70° to about 280°C.