MXPA96003226A - Compounds micronutrients pesticides quecontain oxido de z - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an aqueous pesticidal-micronutrient composition that can be easily diluted in water to provide an effective amount of zinc pesticide-nutrient to be applied by spraying to crops, which, before dilution, comprises, by weight of the total composition: a) from about 10 to 60 percent chlorothalonil, having an average particle size of about 1 to 10 microns, b) from about 1.0 to 10 percent of at least one nonionic surfactant; ) of about 1.0 to 10 percent zinc oxide, which has an average particle size of 1 to 10 microns, and the remainder being

Description

MICRONUTRIENT COMPOSITIONS8 PESTICIDES CONTAINING ZINC OXIDE BACKGROUND The present invention relates to a pesticidal formulation containing zinc oxide, and in particular, to a pesticidal formulation containing zinc oxide for use in potatoes, dried beans, and other crops. The,., / Zinc provides an essential element for plant nutrition, and zinc deficiency commonly causes poor growth of plants. The modes currently used to apply zinc to plants to prevent or remedy zinc deficiency are transparent liquids and suspensions of a soluble zinc compound such as zinc sulfate and different zinc chelates. Zinc oxide, although it is cheaper than zinc sulfate, has not been generally used because of its recognized inability to efficiently enter the plant. The Patent of the United States of North America Number 3,130,034 to Young, describes a method for overcoming zinc deficiencies. Young describes an aqueous solution formulated by the incorporation of zinc sulfate in aqueous ammonia to provide a solution with a desirable desalting temperature. Unfortunately, aqueous solutions of zinc sulfate corrode frosted steel and form large amounts of scale and oxidation in tanks and processing equipment. Utt Patent No. 3,620.78 to Ott describes another method for applying zinc to plants. Ott's formulation consists of water, zinc oxide, phosphorus pentoxide, and ammonia to create a solution fertilizer based on ammonia that provides nitrogen, phosphorus, and solubilized zinc. The methods that have been used in the art to apply zinc to plants use zinc in the form of zinc salts and chelates. Due to the high solubility of zinc salts in water, a zinc salt, such as zinc sulfate or a chelated form, applies zinc through the roots or foliage systems of a plant. These are the preferred and accepted methods to increase zinc levels inside a plant. One drawback with these forms of zinc is that they are very soluble in water and tend to wash off foliage with dew and precipitation. In addition, zinc salts are more difficult and expensive to formulate in combination with conventional pest control agents. A need has developed for a method that more effectively applies zinc to plants. A further need has developed for an application system that is less expensive than current formulating systems, and that has less chance of washing away from plants in heavy precipitation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A pesticidal composition has been developed that provides a method for applying elemental zinc, in the form of zinc oxide, chemically unmodified, an essential nutrient to promote the growth of potatoes, dry beans, and other plants. The composition of this invention includes both zinc oxide and a pesticide. Zinc oxide provides an economical method to apply elemental zinc to plants and legumes that require high concentrations of elemental zinc to grow in their environments. The zinc oxide processed in this formulation makes it highly tenacious due to the low solubility in water of zinc oxide, to the ingredients of the formulation, and to its very fine particle size. Therefore, it slowly sheds leaves and soil during prolonged periods of precipitation. The zinc oxide can be processed in this composition by any of several conventional milling processes such as wet milling and / or air milling. This invention provides three compositions for applying zinc oxide in combination with a pesticide to plants, and more particularly, to potatoes. The first is a homogeneous aqueous suspension; the second is a wettable powder formulation; and the third method is a spray-dried dispersible granule. All these systems provide a novel way to apply higher concentrations of elemental zinc to plants at a low cost and in a very stable way. The present invention also provides various pesticides, defined below, which can be applied to plants together with zinc. These pesticides provide a biocidal element to the formulations to apply zinc.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention provides three pesticidal compositions useful for applying zinc in the form of zinc oxide to plants. The first is an aqueous concentrate, which is the preferred method for applying zinc. The second composition is a wettable powder. The third composition is a dispersible spray-dried granule. The last two compositions include many of the same ingredients that are included in the first. For that reason, the common elements will be discussed in the description of the first composition, and will be referenced back to the original description in the subsequent description of the other two compositions.

Aqueous Concentrates: The aqueous concentrate of the present invention comprises a homogeneous aqueous suspension of zinc oxide and at least one emulsified solid or liquid pesticidal ingredient, exclusively using water as the liquid suspension medium. The nature of the components and the amounts, by weight, of each, which constitute a preferred embodiment of the composition of the present invention, are the following: From 10 to 60 percent of at least one pesticide essentially insoluble in water, finely scattered; from 1 to 10 percent zinc oxide; from 1 to 10 percent of a nonionic surfactant; from 0 to 4.0 percent of an anionic surfactant; 0.02 to 1.0 percent of a heteropolysaccharide gum; from 0 to 5.0 percent of an anti-foaming agent; from 0 to 10 percent of an agent against cake formation; from 0 to 2.0 percent of a protective colloid; from 0 to 10 percent of a freezing point depressant; from 0 to 1.0 percent of a conservative; and from 0 to 5.0 percent of a chelating agent; the water being in an amount sufficient to provide, in combination with other ingredients, 100 parts of a finished composition. As used in the specification and in the claims, the terms "active", "pesticidally active", "pesticide", and the like, are each intended to refer to toxicants and biological compositions containing these chemicals that are effective in killing, preventing , or controlling the growth of undesirable pests, ie, plants, insects, mice, microorganisms, algae, fungi, bacteria, and the like, these chemicals and compositions being commonly known as, for example, insecticides, miticides, bactericides, algacides, fungicides, ne atocidas, herbicides, etc. The toxic chemicals used in the pesticidal formulations of the present invention are essentially insoluble in water, ie they are typically less than 1 percent soluble in water. Examples of the specific toxic compounds known and used as pesticides that can be suitably employed in the composition of the present invention include Captan, Chlorothalonil, copper hydroxide, copper oxychlorides, copper resinates, Cipraconazole, Fluazinam, Flutolanil, Hexaconazole, Iprodione , Maneb, Metalaxyl, Propiconazole, Tebuconazole, and Triadimefon, with Chlorothalonil being preferred.

In general, the pesticide content of the concentrates of the present invention may vary from about 10 to 60 weight percent. In compositions containing a high solids content, the pesticide content typically ranges from 40 to 60 weight percent. The pesticide and the zinc oxide are employed in a finely divided form having an average particle size preferably between about 1 and 10 microns. It is desirable that the pesticidal materials and zinc oxide have an average particle size within the declared scale, in such a way that the largest surface area per unit weight of the formulation is provided, thereby allowing the pesticide and the Zinc oxide are suspended in a very homogeneous way. In the same way, pesticides that are extremely finely divided provide greater biological activity per unit area of plant tissue. As well, the maximized surface area of zinc oxide aximizes its rate of dissolution in water, and therefore, its translocation in the tissue of the plant. In the preparation of the pesticidal compositions of the present invention, in order to ensure that the pesticidal ingredient has the desired ave particle size, it may sometimes be necessary to subject the pesticide to air grinding, hammer milling, ball milling, or other conventional crushing treatments known in the art. In usual practice herein, the concentrates of the invention will contain either one or a combination of solid, and sometimes liquid, essentially water insoluble pesticidal components. However, it should be noted that it is also possible to prepare suitable compositions which incorporate, in addition to at least one of the pesticides described above, one or more water-soluble solid pesticidal components. In these compositions, the soluble pesticide, of course, will be in solution in water as the continuous phase. The icronutrient used in the present invention is zinc oxide. The zinc oxide is present in the aqueous concentrate in a total weight percentage of 1.0 to 10.0 percent, and in the preferred embodiment, 4.0 to 7.0 percent. Studies demonstrating the effectiveness of zinc oxide as a micronutrient have shown that levels of zinc oxide in the foliage of potatoes and dry beans are increased to an optimum content recognized by applications of a specially formulated pesticide plus zinc oxide . Zinc levels in dry beans increased from 30 ppm to 80 ppm, and from 20 ppm to 80 ppm in potatoes, thus meeting the higher-cost zinc nutrient function.

The heteropolysaccharide gum and the nonionic / anionic surfactants, in combination, comprise the dispersion-suspension system of the flowable composition of the present invention. It is critical to employ these components in certain prescribed proportions, both in relation to one another, and in relation to the concentration of the pesticidal component, in order to obtain compositions with the desired storage stability and water dispersibility. The terms "heteropolysaccharide" and "heteropolysaccharide gum", as used herein, include the use of the polysaccharide in the form of the colloid and its salts, for example, amine derivatives prepared by the method described, for example, in the Patent of the United States of North America Number 3,244,695. Heteropolysaccharide, which is commonly referred to in the art as a xanthan gum, is a high molecular weight linear exocellular material prepared by the action of bacteria of the genus Xanthomonas on carbohydrates. It has a molecular weight greater than 200,000, preferably greater than 1 million. A variety of carbohydrates can be fermented with different species of the genus Xanthomonas to produce the heteropolysaccharide. Examples of the species of suitable bacteria of the genus Xanthomonas include X. campestris, X. carotate, X inconue, X Begoniae, X malvacerufli, X. vesicatoria, X. translucens, and X. vasculoru, among others. Suitable carbohydrates include, for example, glucose, sucrose, fructose, maltose, lactose, galactose, soluble starch, corn starch, potato starch, and the like. The preparation of the heteropolysaccharides suitably used herein is described in greater detail, but not exclusively, in U.S. Patent No. 3,020,206. In general, any nonionic surfactant having a suitable hydrophilic-lyophilic balance can be employed in the suspension-dispersion system of the flowable composition of the present invention. Suitable specific surfactants are selected from the following classes or types of nonionic surfactants: ethoxylated alkyl phenols (also referred to in the art as alkylaryl polyether alcohols); ethoxylated aliphatic alcohols (or alkyl polyether alcohols); ethoxylated fatty acids (or esters of polyoxyethylene fatty acid); ethoxylated anhydrosorbitol esters (or polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters); tristyrylphenols; and ethoxylated polyoxypropylene glycols (polyalkylene oxide block copolymers). Of these, the preferred surfactants herein are ethoxylated polyoxypropylene glycols, ie, polyalkylene oxide block copolymers, and the ethoxylated alkyl phenols, ie, alkylaryl polyether alcohols of the general formula: R 0- (CH2CH20) y-CH2CH2OH wherein R = a straight or branched chain alkyl group of 8 to 12 carbon atoms, and y = an integer of 8 to 30, as formulations with both an optimum water dispersibility and an adequate storage stability, are obtained by use of these surfactants. Within this class, alkylaryl polyether alcohols are especially preferred wherein R is an alkyl group of 9 or 10 carbon atoms, and is an integer from 9 to 15. Of the ethoxylated polyoxypropylene glycols, the oxide block copolymer is preferred. of ethylene-propylene oxide, available from BASF In the practice of the invention, any of the above-described nonionic surfactant compounds can generally be used as the sole surfactant in the composition, or two or more of these compounds can be used in combination. In the same manner, a portion of any of these compounds designated herein as primary surfactants, may suitably be replaced by an equivalent amount of a nonionic surfactant such as, for example, a liquid lower alkylene glycol ester of an acid fatty, as a secondary surfactant.

Also, anionic surfactants, such as sodium salts of formaldehyde condensates of naphthalenesulfonate and cationic salts of lignosulfonates in concentrates of 0.1 to 4.0 percent, can be used to improve the resuspensibility and spontaneity of the concentrate in suspension. The heteropolysaccharide, ie the xanthan gum, is employed in the composition in general in an amount between 0.02 and 1.0 parts per hundred parts of the total formulation, while 1.0 to 10 parts of the nonionic surfactant fraction are incorporated. in general for one hundred parts of the formulation. In compositions of high pesticide solids content, xanthan gum is generally employed in an amount of 0.05 to 0.75 parts, and the surfactant in an amount generally of 1 to 7 parts per hundred parts of the formulation. If each of these components is used separately as the sole suspending or dispersing agent in otherwise similar formulations, the solid pesticidal components soon settle and leave the continuous water phase. During the extended time that these compositions are allowed to settle after the solids settle, it often becomes extremely difficult to re-suspend solids therein, even with vigorous and prolonged agitation. In the pesticidal composition of the present invention, it is generally required to employ both the heteropolysaccharide and the surfactant component within the ranges stated above, in order to obtain the desired composition. Formulations containing amounts of these components outside these ranges will tend to be too thin or too thick and non-flowable, exhibiting lower water dispersibility. In practice, viscosities of the compositions prepared can be employed as a general rule to determine whether or not they possess the desired storage stability and water dispersibility. Compositions with viscosities of approximately 8,000 to 30,000 cps, measured with a Brookfield viscometer, will generally exhibit the desired characteristics. The water is present in varying amounts, depending on the amounts used of the other ingredients, always present in an amount sufficient to serve as the continuous phase for the dispersed pesticide component, and to provide, in combination with the other ingredients, 100 parts. of the finished formulation. In preferred compositions, ie, those incorporating high concentrations of pesticide plus zinc oxide, generally about 30 to about 45 parts of water per 100 parts of the finished formulation will be employed.

As described hereinabove, minor amounts of one or more components such as anti-foaming agents, anti-cake forming agents, freezing point depressants, protective colloids, preservatives, and chelating agents are incorporated into the composition, if to store for an extended period of time before use, particularly under adverse storage conditions. Some of these components can also serve as processing aids. The various commercially available silicon emulsions are examples of the above suitable anti-foam agents which can be incorporated in amounts which are generally from 0.0 to 5.0 parts per 100 parts of the total composition, and preferably from 0.0 to 1.0 parts per 100. Examples Typical antifoam agents include silicon emulsions such as FG-10 and 1510 US by Dow Corning. To prevent cake formation of the solid components during dry grinding, an anti-caking agent can be added to the composition. Anti-cake agents prevent the aqueous concentrate from settling on a hard cake, and prevent the dry powder from becoming cake. If it is used, from 0.0 to 10, and preferably from 0.5 to 2.0 parts of these materials per 100 parts of the total composition, will generally serve to maintain, in combination with the suspension-dispersion system, the desired storage stability of the composition under the most extreme storage conditions. It is particularly convenient to incorporate materials against cake formation in these high pesticide content compositions. Several different types of finely divided silicas now known in the art are examples of the agents against the -,. Cake formation particularly suitable. Suitable cake-forming agents or agents include refined kaolin clay, amorphous precipitated silica dioxide, such as Hi Sil 233 available from PPG Industries, or refined clay, such as Hubersil available from Huber Chemical Co., with precipitated silica being preferred. Typically, these agents are present in the composition at 0.0 to 10.0 parts per 100, and in the preferred embodiment, 0.5 to 2.0 parts per 100. Lower alkylene glycols, for example, ethylene or propylene glycol, are examples of suitable depressors or freezing point that are used if the composition has possibilities of being stored under low temperature climatic conditions. The amounts of these compounds from about 0 to about 10 parts, per 100 parts of the total composition, will suitably provide the composition with the desired freeze protection, and in the preferred embodiment, from 3.9 to 7.0 parts per 100. Since the composition will lose viscosity for an extended period of time, preservatives 5 are added to prevent the chemical and bacterial degradation of the xanthan gum. The preservative is present in the aqueous composition in a weight of 0.0 to 1.0 parts per 100. Conservatives such as formaldehyde and 1,2-, -benzoisothiazolin-3-one can be used with this embodiment of the invention. In the preferred embodiment of the aqueous composition, 1, 2-benzisothiazolin-3-one, available from I.C.I. To further ensure that the xanthan gum remains in solution and is effective in the aqueous concentrate, a chelating agent can be added to protect the fully hydrated gum from interacting with zinc and other heavy metals that may be present. It is believed that a strong chelating agent such as those used in the present invention has a secondary role in aiding the translocation of zinc solubilized in the tissue of the plant. Commonly used chelating agents such as citrates, hydroxyethylenediaminetriacetic acid (HEDTA), and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), can be used in a volume of 0.0 to 5.0 parts per 100. In the preferred embodiment, EDTA is present in a volume of 5 0.0 to 1.0 parts per 100.

The aqueous concentrate of the present invention may also include a protective colloid. The protective colloid prevents particle agglomeration with a particle known as flocculation. Commonly used protective colloids, such as starches, polyvinyl alcohols, and polyvinyl pyrrolidone, can be employed in the present invention. In the preferred embodiment, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, available in B.A.S.F. The protective colloid is present in the invention in a volume of 0.0 to 2.0 percent. To prepare the concentrate, the order of addition of the ingredients is not especially critical, although it is preferred to mix the heteropolysaccharide, the surfactant, and any optional components that are to be fully incorporated into the continuous water phase before adding the solid pesticide and the zinc oxide components. The preparation of the concentrate can be carried out at room temperature with slight agitation, without it being necessary to apply heat or undue pressure normally to obtain the homogeneous, desired flowable suspension. However, another mixture of the concentrate can be made using conventional homogenizing devices, if desired or considered advisable, to ensure a more homogeneous suspension of the pesticidal component. The concentrate of the present invention, even when it contains a high concentration of pesticide and micronutrient, provides an easily flowable formulation that uses water as the only economic dispersion medium. This concentrate has excellent flowering characteristics, that is, it is completely dispersible when added to water. It can be diluted with water in all proportions to provide a sprayable pesticide / micronutrient composition free of agglomerates of any desired concentration. The preparation of the spray dilution can be easily performed at the application site by simply pouring an appropriate amount of the concentrated composition into water within the spray tank or other convenient container. It is also possible to apply the composition in an undiluted form, using newer specialized spray techniques. The sprayable, agglomerate-free pesticide / micronutrient compositions formulated from the concentrate of the present invention can be applied using conventional spraying equipment without causing clogging of the spray nozzles or other malfunctioning of the spraying equipment.

Wettable Powder: The wettable powder composition of the present invention comprises zinc oxide and at least one solid pesticidal ingredient. The nature of its components and the amounts, by weight, of each, which constitute the composition of the present invention are: 1. from 50 to 80 percent of at least one finely divided water-insoluble pesticide; 2. from 3.0 to 15.0 percent zinc oxide; 3. from 2.0 to 6.0 percent of a dispersing agent; 4. from 0.5 to 2.0 percent of a wetting agent; 5. from 0.6 to 40.0 percent of a diluent; 6. from 0.1 to 2.0 percent of a grinding agent; and 7. 0.0 to 2.0 percent of a solid chelating agent. The properties of pesticide agents and zinc oxide have already been discussed. In general, the pesticide content of the wettable powder compositions of the present invention may vary from about 50 to 80 weight percent. In these compositions, the preferred content is 70 to 80 weight percent. This composition also employs a pesticide and zinc oxide component having an average particle size of 1 to 10 microns, and in the preferred embodiment, an average particle size of less than 3.5 microns. The dispersing agents used with the wettable powder can be anionic ligands, with sodium lignosulfonate and formaldehyde condensate of sodium naphthalenesulfonate being preferred. The dispersing agent stabilizes the final spray dilution avoiding flocculation and agglomeration. The wettable powder composition includes the dispersing agent in a concentration of 2.0 to 6.0 parts per 100 in a, and from 4.0 to 6.0 parts per 100 in the preferred embodiment. The wetting agents used in the wettable powder act to make the composition more susceptible to wetting and to form a suspension in an aqueous medium by reducing the surface tension of the water. Wetting agents used with this formulation include dioctyl sodium succinate, ethylene oxide / propylene oxide block copolymer, alkyl naphthalene sulphonates, and alkylaryl polyether alcohols of the general formula described above.

The wetting agent is present in 0.5 to 3.0 parts per 100, and in the preferred embodiment, 0.5 to 1.5 parts per 100. Diluents used in the powder formulation of the invention include kaolin clay, amorphous silica, and smectite clays. The diluent acts to dilute the active components to their desired levels. The diluent is present in the invention on a scale of 0.6 to 40.0 parts per 100, and in the preferred embodiment, in an amount of about 5.0 to 10.0 parts per 100. Conventional grinding aids such as refined clays and silica may be used. Amorphous in the powder composition. The preferred grinding aid is amorphous silica. This invention may contain from 0.1 to 2.0 parts per 100 of the grinding aid, the preferred amount being from 0.3 to 1.5 parts per 100. A dry chelating agent may be added to improve the recovery of the zinc nutrient by the foliage of the plant . This invention may contain from 0.0 to 2.0 parts per 100 of chelators such as the sodium salt of EDTA.

Dispersible Spray Drying Granule: The spray-dried dispersible granule formulation of the present invention includes at least one pesticide composition insoluble in water plus the micronutrient. The nature of the components and the amounts of each, which constitute the spray-dried granule composition of the present invention, are, by weight, the following: 1. from 50 to 75 percent of at least one pesticide essentially insoluble in water, finely divided; 2. from 7.0 to 15.0 percent zinc oxide, finely divided; 3. from 2.0 to 20 percent of a dispersing agent; 4. from 0.0 to 10.0 percent of a wetting agent; 5. from 0.0 to 2.0 percent of an antifoam agent; 6. from 0.0 to 10.0 percent of a diluent; Y 7. 0.0 to 2.0 percent of a chelator. The pesticide, the zinc oxide, the dispersing agents, the wetting agents, the chelating agent, and the diluents used with this embodiment of the invention, were described above. The pesticide and zinc oxide will have the same particle sizes that were described in the discussion of the wettable powder. The dispersing agent is present in 2.0 to 20 parts per 100, and preferably 10 to 12 parts per 100. The wetting agent has a volume of 0.0 to 10 parts per 100, with 1.0 to 4.0 parts per 100 being preferred. It can be used in the same quantities as was used in the wettable powder. Finally, the diluent is present in a volume of 0.0 to 10.0 parts per 100, with 0.0 to 5.0 parts per 100 being preferred.

I The spray dried dielectric granule may also include an antifoaming agent to prevent foaming during processing and spraying applications. These antifoaming agents can be any of the commercially available anti-foaming agents, such as the silicon emulsions described above. The antifoaming agent has a volume of 0.0 to 1.0 parts per 100, and a volume of 0.0 to 0.5 parts per 100 in the preferred embodiment. For a more complete understanding of the nature of the invention and the methods for carrying it out, the following illustrative examples are given. In these examples and in any other part of the present, where the amounts of ingredients may be given in parts, these proportions are by weight, unless indicated otherwise.

EXAMPLES Example 1 An aqueous concentrate is prepared from the following formulation: Component% by weight Chlorothalonil 40.0 Zinc oxide 5.6 Pluronic P-104 (poly (oxypropylene) block copolymer with poly (oxyethylene) available from BASF) 6.0 Xanthan gum (available from Kelco) 0.25 Defoamer FG-10 (silicon emulsion) , available from Dow Corning) 0.25 Hi Sil 233 (Precipitated amorphous silica available from PPG Ind.) 1.0 PVP K-30 (Polyvinyl pyrrolidone available from BASF) 0.4 Proylene Glycol 3.0 Proxel GXL (1,2-Benzisothiazolin-3-one available in ICI) 0.1 EDTA 1.5 Water 41.9 The ingredients are mixed together under high shear agitation. The mixture is then passed through a wet milling system, such as a stirred ball mill or a high speed media mill. Grinding is continued until a final average particle size of approximately 3 microns is reached. Water and surfactants are generally added first, followed by the pesticide and zinc oxide. Xanthan gum can be added with the surfactants or after the milling is finished.

Example 2 A wettable powder formulation of the composition can also be created. The powder has the following formulation: Component% by weight Chlorothalonil 75.0 Zinc oxide 10.4 Polyfon T (Sodium lignosulfonate available, in estvaco) 5.0 Aerosol 0TB (Sodium sulfosuccinate dioctyl available in American Cyanamid) 1.0 Clay Bardin (Kaolin clay available in Huber) 8.1 Hi Sil 233 0.5 Initial between the above ingredients are mixed together. The mixture is then hammered into a coarsely ground mixture. The mixture is then mixed again and milled in air to an average particle size of about 3.5 microns.

Example 3 A dispersible spray-dried granule can also be produced. This granule has the following ingredients: Component% by weight Chlorothalonil 75.0 Zinc oxide 10.4 Polyfon T 10.9 Petro BP (Sodium naphthalene alkyl sulfonate available in Witco) 3.0 Antifoam FG-10 0.2 Clay Bardin 0.25 First the ingredients are mixed together in no particular order. Second, the mixture is passed through a wet milling system, either a stirred ball mill or a small high speed mill. Third, grinding is continued to a final average particle size of about 3 microns. The resulting paste is then dried by spraying at 90 ° C (inlet temperature) to a final moisture level of about 2 percent. An alternative method would be to mix / hammer and grind the ingredients together, followed by dispersion in water under moderate agitation, and then spray dry.

Having described the invention in detail, and referring to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be seen that modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the invention, defined in the appended claims.

Claims (11)

1. An aqueous pesticidal-micronutrient composition that can be readily diluted in water to provide an effective amount of zinc pesticide-nutrient to be applied by spraying to crops, which, before dilution, comprises, by weight of the total composition: (a ) of about 10 to 60 percent of an essentially water-insoluble pesticidal component having an average particle size of about 1 to 10 microns; (b) from about 1.0 to 10 percent of at least one non-ionic surfactant; (c) from about 0.02 to 1.0 percent of a heteropolysaccharide gum; (d) from about 1.0 to 10 percent zinc oxide having an average particle size of 1 to 10 microns; and the rest being water.

2. The pesticidal-aqueous micronutrient composition of claim 1 which further includes: (e) up to about 8.0 percent of an anionic surfactant; (f) up to about 5.0 percent of an antifoam agent; (g) up to about 10.0 percent of an agent against cake formation; (h) up to about 2.0 percent of a protective colloid; (i) up to about 10.0 percent of a freezing point depressant; (j) up to about 1.0 percent of a conservator; and (k) up to about 5.0 percent of a chelating agent. The aqueous pesticidal micronutrient composition of claim 2 wherein the concentrate comprises: (a) from about 35 to 55 percent of the water-insoluble pesticidal component having an average particle size of 2.0 to 4.0 microns; (b) from about 3.0 to 7.0 percent of the nonionic surfactant; (c) from about 0.05 to 0.75 percent of the heteropolysaccharide gum; (d) from about 2.0 to 7.0 percent zinc oxide having an average particle size of 1.0 to 4.0 microns; (e) from about 0.0 to 8.0 percent of the anionic surfactant; (f) from about 0.0 to 1.0 percent of the antifoam agent; (g) from about 0.5 to 2.0 percent of the agent against cake formation; (h) from about 0.0 to 2.0 percent of the protective colloid; - (i) from about 2.0 to 7.0 percent of the freezing point depressant; (j) from about 0.0 to 1.0 percent of the conservative; and (k) from about 0.0 to 1.0 percent of the chelating agent. 4. The pesticidal-aqueous micronutrient composition of claim 3, wherein the nonionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of an alkylaryl polyether alcohol, tristyryl phenol, and block copolymer of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide; the heteropolysaccharide gum is xanthan gum; the antifoaming agent is a silicon emulsion; the agent against cake formation is amorphous silica; the protective colloid is polyvinyl pyrrolidone; the freezing point depressant is selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol; the preservative is 1,2-benzisothiazolin-3-one; and the chelating agent is ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. The pesticidal-aqueous micronutrient composition of claim 1, wherein the pesticide essentially insoluble in water is chlorothalonil. 6. A pesticidal-micronutrient zinc composition in the form of a wettable powder, which comprises, by weight: (a) from about 50 to 80 percent of a pesticide component having an average particle size of 2.0 to 4.0 mieras; (b) from about 7.0 to 15.0 percent zinc oxide with an average particle size of 1.0 to 4.0 microns; (c) from about 1.0 to 6.0 percent of a dispersing agent; (d) from about 0.5 to 2.0 percent of a wetting agent; (e) from about 0.6 to 40.0 percent of a diluent; (f) from about 0.1 to 1.0 percent of a grinding aid; and (g) from about 0.1 to 5.0 percent of a chelating agent. The pesticidal zinc micronutrient wettable powder composition of claim 6, which comprises: (a) from about 70 to 80 percent of the pesticidal component; (b) from about 7.0 to 15.0 percent zinc oxide; (c) from about 2.0 to 6.0 percent of the dispersing agent; (d) from about 0.5 to 1.5 percent wetting agent; (e) from about 5.0 to 10 percent of the diluent; (f) from about 0.3 to 0.8 percent of the milling aid; and (g) from about 0.2 to 2.0 percent of the chelating agent. The pesticidal zinc micronutrient wettable powder composition of claim 7, wherein the dispersing agent is selected from the group consisting of sodium lignosulfonates, and formaldehyde condensates of sodium naphthalenesulfonate; the wetting agent is selected from the group consisting of dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate, alkylaryl polyether alcohols, sodium alkyl naphthalenesulfonates, and block copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide; the diluent is selected from the group consisting of Bardin clay and amorphous silica; the grinding aid is amorphous silica; and the chelating agent is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyethylethylenediaminetriacetic acid and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. 9. The zinc-pesticide wettable powder composition of claim 6, wherein the pesticidal component is chlorothalonil. 10. A wettable powder composition of zinc pesticide in the form of a spray-dried dispersible granule, comprising, in percent by weight of the total composition: (a) from about 50 to 80 percent of a pesticide component that it has an average particle size of 2 to 4 microns; (b) from about 6.5 to 15 percent zinc oxide having an average particle size of 1 to 4 microns; and (c) from about 2.0 to 20 percent of a dispersing agent. 11. The zinc pesticide granule composition of claim 10, which further includes, in percent by weight of the total concentrate: (d) from about 0.0 to 10.0 percent of a wetting agent; (e) from about 0.0 to 1.0 percent of an antifoam agent; (f) from about 0.0 to 10.0 percent of a diluent; and (g) from about 0.0 to 5.0 percent of a chelating agent. The zinc pesticide composition of claim 11, which, in percent by weight of the total concentrate, comprises: (a) from about 70 to 80 percent of the pesticidal component; (b) from about 8 to 12 percent zinc oxide; (c) from about 6 to 12 percent of the dispersing agent; (d) from about 1.0 to 4.0 percent wetting agent; (e) from about 0.0 to 0.5 percent of the antifoam agent; (f) from about 0.0 to 1.0 percent of the diluent; and (g) from about 0.1 to 2.0 percent of the chelating agent. The zinc pesticide granule composition of claim 12, wherein the sparking agent is selected from the group consisting of sodium lignosulfonates and formaldehyde condensates of sodium naphthalenesulfonate; the wetting agent is selected from the group consisting of dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate, block copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, sodium alkyl naphthalenesulfonates and alkylaryl polyether alcohols; the antifoaming agent is a silicon emulsion; the diluent is selected from the group consisting of kaolin clay and amorphous silica; and the chelating agent is selected from the group consisting of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and hydroxyethylenediaminetriacetic acid. 14. The zinc pesticide granule composition of claim 9, wherein the pesticidal component is chlorothalonil.