Agricultural adjuvant compositions, herbicide compositions, and method for using such compositions

Abstract

Pesticide compositions that contain, based on 100 pbw of such composition, (a) greater than or equal to about 0.006 parts by weight of a betaine surfactant, (b) greater than or equal to about 0.02 parts by weight of a humectant selected from polyhydric alcohols, polysaccharide humectants, and mixtures thereof, and (c) an effective amount of a pesticide, exhibit reduced foaming and high efficacy.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . An adjuvant composition for a pesticide comprising, based on 100 parts by weight of the adjuvant composition:
 (a) greater than or equal to about 1 part by weight of at least one betaine surfactant,
 wherein the at least one betaine surfactant is the only surfactant in the composition, 
   (b) greater than or equal to about 1 part by weight of glycerol, and   (c) optionally one or more solvents.   
     
     
         12 . The adjuvant composition of  claim 11 , wherein the betaine surfactant comprises a (C 12 -C 18 )alkyldimethyl betaine, a cocoamidopropyl betaine, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The adjuvant composition of  claim 12 , wherein the betaine surfactant comprises a (C 12 -C 18 )alkyldimethyl betaine. 
     
     
         14 . The adjuvant composition of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the amount of the betaine surfactant ranges from 1 to about 30 parts by weight, and   the amount of the glycerol ranges from about 10 to about 90 parts by weight.   
     
     
         15 . The adjuvant composition of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the amount of the betaine surfactant ranges from 5 to about 25 parts by weight, and   the amount of the glycerol ranges from about 10 to about 90 parts by weight.   
     
     
         16 . The adjuvant composition of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one betaine surfactant consists of:
 a single betaine surfactant, or   a mixture of betaine surfactants that differ from one another only in the length of a carbon chain.   
     
     
         17 . A pesticide composition comprising, based on 100 parts by weight of the composition:
 (a) greater than or equal to about 0.001 parts by weight of at least one betaine surfactant,
 wherein the at least one betaine surfactant is the only surfactant in the composition, 
   (b) greater than or equal to about 0.005 parts by weight of glycerol,   (c) an effective amount of a pesticide, and   (d) optionally, one or more solvents.   
     
     
         18 . The pesticide composition of  claim 17 , where the pesticide comprises at least one compound comprising glufosinate, glyphosate, a water soluble glufosinate salt, a water soluble glyphosate salt, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The pesticide composition of  claim 17 , wherein the betaine surfactant comprises (C 12 -C 18 )alkyldimethyl betaine, cocoamidopropyl betaine, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The pesticide composition of  claim 19 , wherein the betaine surfactant comprises the (C 12 -C 18 )alkyldimethyl betaine. 
     
     
         21 . The pesticide composition of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the amount of the betaine surfactant ranges from about 0.001 to about 2 parts by weight, and   the amount of the glycerol ranges from about 0.005 to about 2 parts by weight.   
     
     
         22 . The pesticide composition of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one betaine surfactant consists of:
 a single betaine surfactant, or   a mixture of betaine surfactants that differ from one another only in the length of a carbon chain.   
     
     
         23 . A pesticide composition consisting essentially of, based on 100 parts by weight of such composition:
 (a) greater than or equal to about 0.001 parts by weight of betaine surfactant,   (b) greater than or equal to about 0.005 parts by weight of glycerol,   (c) an effective amount of a pesticide, and   (d) optionally, one or more solvents, thickeners, antifoam agents, spreaders, drift control agents, water conditioners, or fertilizers.   
     
     
         24 . The pesticide composition of  claim 23 , where the pesticide comprises at least one compound comprising glufosinate, glyphosate, a water soluble glufosinate salt, a water soluble glyphosate salt, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The pesticide composition of  claim 23 , wherein the betaine surfactant comprises (C 12 -C 18 )alkyldimethyl betaine, cocoamidopropyl betaine, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         26 . The pesticide composition of  claim 25 , wherein the betaine surfactant comprises the (C 12 -C 18 )alkyldimethyl betaine. 
     
     
         27 . The pesticide composition of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the amount of the betaine surfactant ranges from about 0.001 to about 2 parts by weight, and   the amount of the glycerol ranges from about 0.005 to about 2 parts by weight.   
     
     
         28 . The pesticide composition of  claim 23 , wherein at least one of said one or more water conditioners comprises ammonium sulfate. 
     
     
         29 . The pesticide composition of  claim 28 , wherein the composition comprises greater than 0.1 parts by weight of the ammonium sulfate. 
     
     
         30 . A method for treating a target plant, comprising applying to the plant a pesticide composition comprising, based on 100 parts by weight of the composition:
 (a) greater than or equal to about 0.001 parts by weight of at least one betaine surfactant,
 wherein the at least one betaine surfactant is the only surfactant in the composition, 
   (b) greater than or equal to about 0.005 parts by weight of glycerol,   (c) an effective amount of a pesticide, and   (d) optionally, one or more solvents.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the betaine surfactant comprises (C 12 -C 18 )alkyldimethyl betaine, cocoamidopropyl betaine, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the betaine surfactant comprises (C 12 -C 18 )alkyldimethyl betaine. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the pesticide composition comprises from about 0.001 to about 2 parts by weight of the betaine surfactant and from about 0.005 to about 2 parts by weight of the glycerol. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , where the pesticide composition comprises one or more compounds comprising glufosinate, glyphosate, a water soluble glufosinate salt, a water soluble glyphosate salt, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         35 . The adjuvant composition of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one betaine surfactant consists of a single betaine surfactant. 
     
     
         36 . The pesticide composition of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one betaine surfactant consists of:
 a single betaine surfactant, or   a mixture of betaine surfactants that differ from one another only in the length of a carbon chain.