Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01N—PRESERVATION OF BODIES OF HUMANS OR ANIMALS OR PLANTS OR PARTS THEREOF; BIOCIDES, e.g. AS DISINFECTANTS, AS PESTICIDES OR AS HERBICIDES; PEST REPELLANTS OR ATTRACTANTS; PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS
  • A01N43/00—Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators containing heterocyclic compounds
  • A01N43/02—Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators containing heterocyclic compounds having rings with one or more oxygen or sulfur atoms as the only ring hetero atoms
  • A01N43/04—Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators containing heterocyclic compounds having rings with one or more oxygen or sulfur atoms as the only ring hetero atoms with one hetero atom
  • A01N43/06—Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators containing heterocyclic compounds having rings with one or more oxygen or sulfur atoms as the only ring hetero atoms with one hetero atom five-membered rings
  • A01N43/12—Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators containing heterocyclic compounds having rings with one or more oxygen or sulfur atoms as the only ring hetero atoms with one hetero atom five-membered rings condensed with a carbocyclic ring

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a new approach to the protection of wheat crops from unwanted weeds, and to new compositions for this purpose utilising ethofumesate.
• Ethofumesate (2-ethoxy-3,3-dimethyl-5-methylsulfonyloxy-2H-benzofuran) has been known as a herbicide since the 1970s. It was used for the control of cereal and other vegetation in sugar beet, but not for the control of weeds in wheat and other cereal crops. Weeds treated include knotgrass, redshank, black bindweed, cleavers, chickweed and annual meadow grass. The ethofumesate was conventionally used in large amounts, up to about 2000 grams of the active ingredient per hectare of grassland.
• EP 113169 A discloses herbicidal formulations optionally containing ethofumesate. Ethofumesate is shown to be used as a foliar spray as a herbicide to control a wide range of weeds (including, in this case, wheat) in crops such as grassland and beet crops.
• ethofumesate can in fact be effective as a herbicide for the protection of wheat crops while controlling or inhibiting the growth of unwanted weeds, and for killing the weeds. It was found that ethofumesate was useful in, for example, post emergence winter wheat programmes, and for most present day varieties except Soissons.
• the use and method allows wheat to be grown whilst controlling or inhibiting the growth of surrounding weeds.
• composition is preferably applied to the crop via a hydraulic sprayer, post crop emergence, and acts primarily via root uptake.
• Durum wheat T. durum
• emmer wheat are tetraploid wheats.
• Hexaploid wheats include spelt wheat, compact wheat and bread wheat.
• the wheat is bread, or common, wheat, T. aestivum.
• the wheat is a winter wheat.
• Winter wheat is a wheat that is usually planted in autumn (such as September to December for the northern hemisphere), and typically harvested around August the following year.
• Most commercially available varieties of winter wheat may be treated with the compositions of the invention.
• Other wheat, such as autumn drilled spring wheat which has hardened off, may also be treated.
• Soissons is preferably not used as the variety has been shown to have susceptibility to being killed by ethofumesate. Soissons is a variety bred by Maison Florimund Desprez (France) and has Jena x HN35 parentage. It is available from www.Elsoms.com.
• the timing of the application of the ethofumesate is an important factor in the protection of the wheat crops. While ethofumesate may be herbicidally effective against wheat plants at very early stages of growth, once the wheat plant reaches a certain stage of growth, the ethofumesate is no longer significantly herbicidally effective against it.
• a composition comprising ethofumesate is applied to the wheat either pre emergence or not before ZCK 12 or 13. While there is no definitive latest cut-off point for applying the ethofumesate, it is often not applied after ZCK 25 as the weed can be too large for the ethofumesate to be sufficiently effective, hi some seasons, the cut-off point can be later still, up to ZCK 30 or 31 if the weeds are small or if the ethofumesate is being used as a soil residual.
• ZCK refers to the Zadoks scale, which quantifies the development and growth of cereal grains.
• the scale is based on ten principal plant development stages, which are divided into secondary stages. A new leaf is counted as fully emerged when 50 percent of the leaf blade has unfolded.
• Two or more codes may be used to describe a plant using the Zadoks scale. For example, wheat that has six leaves unfolded (16), three tillers (23) and one node on the main stem (31) would be staged as 16,23,31. A full tabulated explanation of the various stages is given below.
• the composition is applied pre emergence or post emergence to the wheat after ZCK 12 or 13 at the earliest, most preferably between ZCK 13-21, especially if the crop is healthy. In the event that the crop is not considered to be healthy at ZCK 13, the composition can be applied at a later stage when it is considered by the skilled person to be sufficiently healthy.
• the composition may be applied to the wheat such that only an amount of ethofumesate of between about 50 grams active/ha and about 800 grams active/ha, preferably at least 62.5 grams active/ha, or at least 200 grams active/ha is applied.
• This is equivalent to about 1-4 litres of formulated product (200gramme formulated product) per hectare, as compared with the 10 litres of formulated product (2000 grams active per hectare) which was previously used. This represents a significant reduction in the quantity of ethofumesate required.
• the composition is applied to the wheat such that an amount of ethofumesate of about 600 grams active/ha is applied to the wheat crops in any formulation.
• Ethofumesate may be used alone in the protection of wheat crops, or alternatively may be used in combination with one or more further herbicides.
• further herbicides include phenmedipham, pendimethalin, trifluralin, iodosulfuron, mesosulfuron, isoproturon (IPU), chlorotoluron (CTU), flufenacet, diflufenican (DFF), flurtamone, picolinofen, tribenuron, fenoxaprop, clodinafop, bromoxynil, ioxynil, flupyrsulfuron- methyl, pinoxaden, pyroxsulam and mixtures and combinations thereof.
• further herbicides include phenmedipham, pendimethalin, trifluralin, iodosulfuron, mesosulfuron, isoproturon (IPU), chlorotoluron (CTU), flufenacet, difluf
• herbicides such as IPU, CTU and trifluralin are facing opposition to their use due to concerns about their impact upon the environment.
• ethofumesate of the invention would be a substitute for them.
• some of the active ingredients may include substances as safeners, such as cloquintocet-methyl with clodinafop and mefenpyr-methyl with fenoxaprop, for example.
• the one or more further herbicides are selected from iodosulfuron, +/- mesosulfuron, pendimethalin, +/-picolinofen, flufenacet, and +/-DFF.
• these further herbicides can include mixtures of iodosulfuron with mesosulfuron (marketed by Bayer under the trade name Atlantis), flufenacet with DFF (marketed by Bayer under the trade names Firebird and Liberator), flurtamone with DFF, pendimethalin with picolinofen, clodinafop with trifluralin (marketed by Syngenta under the trade name Hawk), bromoxynil with ioxynil, clodinafop with DFF, clodinafop with pinoxaden, and fenoxaprop with IPU.
• iodosulfuron with mesosulfuron marketed by Bayer under the trade name Atlantis
• flufenacet with DFF marketed by Bayer under the trade names Firebird and Liberator
• flurtamone with DFF pendimethalin with picolinofen
• clodinafop with trifluralin marketed by Syngenta under the trade name Hawk
• sources of ethofumesate which may be used in the invention comprise Leyclene (a mixture ethofumesate, bromoxynil and ioxynil; sold under that trade name by Bayer), or a mixture of phenmedipham and ethofumesate, the latter being useful in later growth stages.
• compositions used in the invention can also comprise one or more adjuvants.
• adjuvants can be any adjuvants which are authorised for use in herbicidal formulations, but are preferably selected from oil based adjuvants and mixtures, organosilicone based adjuvants and mixtures, non-ionic based adjuvants and mixtures, polymeric based adjuvants and mixtures, and fatty acid based adjuvants and mixtures, and combinations thereof.
• Weeds are usually considered to be plants that grow among cultivated plants, such as wheat crops, and compete with the crop for space, nutrients, water, etc.
• the ethofumesate-containing composition is used to control or inhibit the growth of weeds, and also preferably to kill the weeds.
• Preferred target weeds are grasses, such as blackgrass (Alopecurus myosurides), annual meadow grass (Poa annua), knotgrass, chickweed, cleavers, redshank and/or black bindweed.
• blackgrass Alopecurus myosurides
• Moa annua annual meadow grass
• knotgrass chickweed
• cleavers redshank and/or black bindweed.
• composition comprising ethofumesate and one or more further herbicides.
• further herbicides include pendimethalin, trifluralin (sold for example under the trademark "Treflan” by Dow Agrosciences or in combination with diflufenican as Ardent tm by Bayer Crop Sciences), iodosulfuron, mesosulfuron, isoproturon (IPU), chlorotoluron (CTU), flufenacet, diflufenican (DFF), flurtamone, picolinofen, tribenuron, fenoxaprop, +/- clodinafop ( for example sold under the trademark Topik by Syngenta), flupyrsulfuron- methyl (for example sold under the trademark Lexus by DuPont), pinoxaden, and combinations thereof.
• the one or more further herbicides are selected from iodosulfuron, +/- mes
• these further herbicides can include mixtures of iodosulfuron with mesosulfuron (marketed by
• compositions comprising more than one further herbicides can also comprise one or more adjuvants.
• adjuvants can be any adjuvants which are authorised for use in herbicidal formulations, but they are preferably selected from oil based adjuvants and mixtures, organosilicone based adjuvants and mixtures, non-ionic based adjuvants and mixtures, polymeric based adjuvants and mixtures, and fatty acid based adjuvants and mixtures, and combinations thereof.
• the composition comprises between about 50 to about 500 g/1 of ethofumesate, and between about 1 to about 1500 g/1 of any further herbicide component. More preferably, the composition comprises between about 75 to about 250 g/1 of ethofumesate, and between about 75 to about 1250 g/1 of any further herbicide component. Still more preferably, the composition comprises between about 90 to about 200 g/1 of ethofumesate, and between about 90 to about 800 g/1 of any further herbicide component.
• a method of controlling or inhibiting the growth of weeds and of killing weeds associated with wheat crops comprising applying a herbicidally effective amount of ethofumesate alone or a composition containing ethofumesate and one or more further herbicides as described above.
• Experimental data shows that ethofumesate is as least as or more efficient in controlling and killing blackgrass as any other residual partners currently used, and that it achieves high activity against annual meadow grass even at low concentrations.
• the propellant source e.g.CO 2 /compressed air
• the vessel containing the appropriate treatment This pressurises the vessel so that when the valves are opened, the spray is forced out of the bottle and through the boom.
• the gas bottle is attached to a regulator to control the amount of gas entering the vessel and the pressure is monitored by a gauge attached to the handle of the sprayer.
• Each boom is individually numbered.
• the number of nozzles present on the boom are either 4 (2m swath) or 6 (3m swath) at 50 cm spacing or 5 (2m swath) at 40cm spacing.
• the output required from each nozzle per minute is calculated using a typical formula such as :
• the boom can then be calibrated. This is done by measuring the output from each nozzle at a specified pressure over a given period of time. The pressure can then be adjusted to give the required output within a 5% tolerance. A check for satisfactory atomisation is also made at this point and any errant nozzles are replaced and the calibration procedure repeated.
• the calibration procedure is carried out at least before commencement of spray season i.e. Autumn and Spring and as soon as possible after any nozzles need to be replaced in the field.
• Granule applications are normally made by the use of a Pepperpot.
• Seed is normally provided pre-treated by an Officially Recognised Efficacy Testing Facility or Organisation.
• Tables 1-8 below detail the data obtained from applying compositions comprising ethofumesate onto crops to control the growth of blackgrass over a number of years, 2003-2006.
• Galion is an adjuvant (oxyalkylene glycol)
• Protugan Plus was a mixture of isoproturon and simazine and has been removed from the market due to environmental issues with simazine. The data clearly shows that ethofumesate alone is as effective as this product when used in programmes, with no loss in weed control or effect on crop safety. It is therefore an ideal environmentally friendly replacement for the now unavailable Protugan Plus.
• BioPower is an alkylethersulphate sodium salt adjuvant (Bayer Crop Science Ltd)
• Ethofumesate mixes again show good crop selectivity.
• the ethofumesate gave a degree of weed control which is significantly superior to the herbicides which are presently use as partners for Firebird.
• the ethofumesate gave a weed control which is significantly superior to the present day standards.
• Blackgrass including BYDV % Control
• Ethofumesate shows good crop selectivity as the final residual herbicide, and gives weed control which is comparable to the Atlantis + Firebird followed by Treflan programme, and which is also significantly better than the other existing programmes. Treflan, however, is in danger of being removed from the market.
• Ethofumesate provides a novel opportunity to introduce a new active into blackgrass and annual meadow grass programmes. It can replace present day actives, which are either showing some degree of resistance or are under review from environmental issues.
• the attached table shows that ethofumesate may be used to successfully control chickweed at concentrations as low as 62 grams active ingredient/ha.
• Soil Type Sandy Clay Loam
• Trooper contains flufenacet and pendimethalin Firebird (Bayer) contains flufenacet and diflufenican Diflanil contains diflufenican Ethostat contains ethofumesate

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• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Agronomy & Crop Science (AREA)
• Pest Control & Pesticides (AREA)
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• Agricultural Chemicals And Associated Chemicals (AREA)

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Cited By (13)

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• 2006
  • 2006-12-21 GB GBGB0625589.7A patent/GB0625589D0/en active Pending
• 2007
  • 2007-12-20 ES ES07848641T patent/ES2386070T3/es active Active
  • 2007-12-20 EP EP07848641A patent/EP1981339B1/en active Active
  • 2007-12-20 SI SI200730923T patent/SI1981339T1/sl unknown
  • 2007-12-20 AT AT07848641T patent/ATE547001T1/de active
  • 2007-12-20 WO PCT/GB2007/004912 patent/WO2008075065A2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2007-12-20 PT PT07848641T patent/PT1981339E/pt unknown
  • 2007-12-20 PL PL07848641T patent/PL1981339T3/pl unknown
  • 2007-12-20 DK DK07848641.2T patent/DK1981339T3/da active
• 2021
  • 2021-06-25 LT LTPA2021513C patent/LTPA2021513I1/lt unknown

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