Anthroquinone Containing Derivatives as Biochemical Agricultural Products

Abstract

Formulations containing anthraquinone derivatives with increased effectiveness as pesticides are provided. These formulations may comprise (a) a preparation comprising one or more anthraquinone derivatives having activity against plant pests; (b) one or more C2-C7 alcohols, or glycols or lactones; and (c) one or more surfactants selected from the group consisting of a sulfate, ethoxylated fatty acid esters wherein said alcohols and surfactants are present in amounts effective to stability said preparation. Also provided are methods of using these formulations as pesticides.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A formulation comprising (a) a preparation comprising one or more anthraquinone derivatives having activity against plant pests; (b) one or more C2-C7 alcohols, or glycols or lactones; (c) one or more surfactants selected from the group consisting of a sulfate, ethoxylated fatty acid esters wherein said alcohols and surfactants are present in amounts effective to stability said preparation and optionally at least one of (d) an antifreeze, (e) a carrier or (f) an antimicrobial agent. 
     
     
         2 . The formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein said preparation comprising one or more anthraquinone derivatives having activity against plant pests is an extract derived from the family Polygonaceae, Rhamnaceae, Fabaceae, Asphodelaceae, and Rubiaceae. 
     
     
         3 . The formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein said anthraquinone derivative has the structure 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       Where R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7 and R8 are hydrogen, hydroxyl, hydroxylalkyl, halogen, carboxyl, alkyl, alkyoxyl, alkenyl, alkenyloxyl, alkynyl, alkynyloxyl, heterocyclyl, aromatic, or aryl group or sugars. 
     
     
         4 . The formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein said anthraquinone derivative is selected from the group consisting of physcion, emodin, chrysophanol, ventiloquinone, emodin glycoside, chrysophanol glycoside, physcion glycoside, 3,4-dihydroxy-1-methoxy anthraquinone-2-carboxaldehyde and damnacanthal. 
     
     
         5 . The formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of: (a) said anthraquinone derivative is present in an amount of about 0.01% to about 45% by weight; (b) said alcohol or glycol or lactone is present in an amount of about 0.001% to about 20% by weight; (c) said surfactant is present in an amount of between 0.001% to about 35% by weight; (d) said antimicrobial agent is present in the amount of about 0.001% to about 10% by weight; (e) said anti-freeze is present in the amount of about 2% to about 8% by weight. 
     
     
         6 . The formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein said C2-C7 alcohol is selected from the group consisting of ethanol, isopropanol, butanol and hexanol, wherein said glycol is selected from ethylene glycols and propylene glycols and wherein said lactone is a water soluble lactone such as gamma-butyrolactone. 
     
     
         7 . The formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein said surfactant is selected from the group consisting of a sulfate salt, ethoxylated alcohol, ethoxylated fatty acid ester, sulfate salt, phosphate salt, ethoxylated alcohols, ethoxylated fatty acid esters, ethoxylated phenols and ethoxylated fatty acids. 
     
     
         8 . The formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein said surfactant is at least one of 2-[2-[3,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)oxolan-2-yl]-2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethyl hexadecanoate or sodium lauryl sulfate. 
     
     
         9 . The formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein where said formulation further comprises an antimicrobial agent and wherein the antimicrobial agent is selected from the group consisting of a chemical pesticide, biopesticide or natural or oil-product having fungicidal and/or insecticidal activity. 
     
     
         10 . The formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the antifreeze is a glycol. 
     
     
         11 . The formulation according to  claim 10 , wherein the glycol is propylene glycol. 
     
     
         12 . The formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the formulation is a liquid formulation comprising a preparation comprising one or more anthraquinone derivatives having activity against plant pests dissolved in hexanol and ethanol and further comprises sodium lauryl sulfate and calcium propionate. 
     
     
         13 . The formulation according to  claim 12 , wherein said preparation comprising one or more anthraquinone derivatives having activity against plant pests is present in an amount of about 0.001% to 45%, said hexanol is present in the amount of about 0.1% to 20%, said ethanol is present in the amount of about 1% to 12%, sodium lauryl sulfate is present in the amount of about 0.01% to 15% and calcium propionate is present in the amount of about 0.001% to 10%. 
     
     
         14 . The formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the formulation is a microemulsion comprising (a) a preparation comprising one or more anthraquinone derivatives having activity against plant pests; (b) hexanol; (c) sodium lauryl sulfate; (d) 2-[2-[3,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)oxolan-2-yl]-2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethyl hexadecanoate; (e) calcium propionate; (f) propylene glycol and (g) water. 
     
     
         15 . The formulation according to  claim 14 , wherein said preparation comprising one or more anthraquinone derivatives having activity against plant pests is present in an amount of about 0.001% to 45%, said hexanol is present in the amount of about 0.1% to 10%, said propylene glycol is present in the amount of about 1% to 8%, sodium lauryl sulfate is present in the amount of about 0.01% to 15% and calcium propionate is present in the amount of about 0.01% to 10%. 
     
     
         16 . An aqueous formulation comprising (a) a preparation comprising one or more anthraquinone derivatives having activity against plant pests; (b) one or more bases; (c) one or more water miscible co-solvents. 
     
     
         17 . The formulation according to  claim 16 , wherein at least one of: (a) said base is selected from the group consisting of carbonate salts and hydroxide salts and (b) said water miscible co-solvent is selected from the group consisting of an organic acid, glycol and/or C2-C7 aliphatic alcohol or a lactone. 
     
     
         18 . The formulation according to  claim 16 , wherein the anthraquinone derivative having activity against plant pests is present in an amount of about 0.01 to about 45% by weight; the base is present in an amount of about 0.2% to 5% and the co-solvent is present in the amount of about 0.1% to 15%. 
     
     
         19 . The formulation according to  claim 16 , wherein the formulation comprises said anthraquinone derivative having activity against plant pests, propylene glycol, an organic acid, and a hydroxide base. 
     
     
         20 . A method for modulating phytopathogenic, fungal and/or bacterial infection and/or plant pest infestation in a plant comprising applying to the plant and/or seeds thereof and/or substrate used for growing said plant an amount of the formulation of  claim 1  effective to modulate said phytopathogenic, fungal and/or bacterial infection and/or plant pest infestation. 
     
     
         21 . A method for modulating phytopathogenic, fungal and/or bacterial infection and/or plant pest infestation in a plant comprising applying to the plant and/or seeds thereof and/or substrate used for growing said plant an amount of the formulation of  claim 16  effective to modulate said phytopathogenic, fungal and/or bacterial infection and/or plant pest infestation.