Herbicide composition comprising herbicide compound in acid form and acidifying agent

Abstract

Described are herbicide compositions and methods for their preparation and use, in particular, herbicide compositions and methods relating to herbicide compositions containing herbicide compounds in acid form, and further including an acidifying agent.

1 . A method of controlling plant growth, the method comprising: 
 preparing a herbicide composition, by 
 providing a herbicide concentrate composition comprising herbicide compound in acid form other than glyphosate acid,  
 combining the herbicide concentrate composition with acidifying agent and water to form a herbicide application composition having a pH below the pKa of the herbicide compound in acid form, and  
   applying the herbicide application composition to control plant growth.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  comprising 
 providing the herbicide concentrate composition,    adding acidifying agent to the herbicide concentrate composition, and    adding water to the herbicide concentrate composition.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the herbicide concentrate composition is selected from the group consisting of: a microemulsion-forming concentrate, a microemulsion, and a suspension concentrate.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  comprising combining the herbicide concentrate composition with water and acidifying agent in a spray tank to form the herbicide application composition.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the herbicide concentrate composition is selected from the group consisting of: a microemulsion-forming concentrate, a microemulsion, and a suspension concentrate.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the pH of the herbicide application composition as applied is below 7.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the pKa of the herbicide compound is below 5.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the acidifying agent is sulfuric acid.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the acidifying agent is selected from the group consisting of: hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, acetic acid, phosphoric acid, polyphosphoric acid, perchloric acid, and combinations thereof, and the herbicide composition does not include sulfuric acid.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the acidifying agent is selected from the group consisting of: sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, acetic acid, phosphoric acid, perchloric acid, polyphosphoric acid, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the acidifying agent is selected from the group consisting of: sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, acetic acid, phosphoric acid, perchloric acid, and polyphosphoric acid, and the composition does not include a sulfuric acid adduct of the formula:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein X is chalcogen, and each of R 1 , R 2 , and R  3  is independently selected from hydrogen and organic radicals.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the herbicide compound in acid form is chosen from the group consisting of: a phenoxy herbicide, a pyridine herbicide, a benzoic acid herbicide, a quinolinic acid herbicide, an aryloxy phenoxy propionic acid herbicide, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the herbicide compound in acid form is selected from the group consisting of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, dicamba acid (3,6-dichloro-O-anixic acid), 4-methyl-4-chloropnenoxyacetic acid, 2(-2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxy)propionic acid, 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridyloxyacetic acid (triclopyr acid), fluazifop acid, [(4-amino-3,5-dichloro-6-fluoro-2-pyridinyl)oxy]acetic acid (fluoroxypyr acid), and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the herbicide application composition further comprises glyphosate acid.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the herbicide application composition does not include glyphosate acid.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the herbicide concentrate composition contains essentially no organic solvent.