ACTIVE COMPOUND COMBINATIONS COMPRISING FATTY ACIDS

Abstract

The present invention relates to active compound combinations, in particular within a fungicide composition, which comprise as compound (a) one or more fatty acids or derivatives thereof selected from unsaturated and saturated C.sub.12-24 fatty acids, salts thereof, esters thereof or mixtures of any of the foregoing and as compound (b) at least one further agent active against at least one plant pathogen and/or active in plant growth promotion. Moreover, the invention relates to fungicide and/or plant health compositions comprising such compound combination and to the use of the compound combinations and the fungicide compositions as biologically active agent, especially for control of phytopathogenic fungi in crop protection and in the protection of industrial materials and as plant growth regulators and for improving plant health.

Claims

1. An active compound combination comprising (a) one or more fatty acids or derivatives thereof selected from unsaturated and saturated C.sub.12-24 fatty acids, salts thereof, esters thereof or mixtures of any of the foregoing; and (b) at least one further agent active against at least one plant pathogen and/or active in plant growth promotion.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said one or more fatty acids or derivatives thereof are selected from unsaturated and saturated C.sub.14-20 fatty acids, salts thereof, esters thereof or mixtures of any of the foregoing.

3. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the one or more fatty acids or derivatives thereof comprises two or more fatty acids selected from C16:0 fatty acids, C16:1 fatty acids, C18:0 fatty acid, C18: lfatty acids, C18:2 fatty acids, and C18:3 fatty acids, or salts thereof.

4. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the one or more fatty acids or derivatives thereof comprises oleic acid or a salt thereof.

5. (canceled)

6. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the fatty acid derivatives are alkali metal salts of fatty acids.

7. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said fatty acid derivatives are salts of lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, aluminum, copper iron or zinc or a mixture thereof.

8. The combination according to claim 1, wherein component a) is a potassium salt of one or more fatty acid.

9. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said agent active against at least one plant pathogen is selected from the group consisting of (1) inhibitors of the ergosterol synthesis, (2) inhibitors of the respiratory chain at complex I or II, (3) inhibitors of the respiratory chain at complex III, (4) inhibitors of the mitosis and cell division, (5) compounds capable of having a multisite action, (6) compounds capable of inducing a host defense, (7) inhibitors of the amino acid and/or protein biosynthesis, (8) inhibitors of the ATP production, (9) inhibitors of the cell wall synthesis, (10) inhibitors of the lipid and membrane synthesis, (11) inhibitors of the melanine biosynthesis, (12) inhibitors of the nucleic acid synthesis, (13) inhibitors of the signal transduction, (14) compounds capable of acting as uncoupler, and (15) other fungicides.

10-16. (canceled)

17. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said at least one agent active against at least one plant pathogen and/or active in plant growth promotion is selected from copper hydroxide, copper naphthenate, copper oxide, copper oxychloride, copper(2+) sulfate, sulfur and sulfur preparations including calcium polysulfide.

18. The combination according to claim 17, wherein said at least one agent active against at least one plant pathogen and/or active in plant growth promotion is selected from copper hydroxide and sulfur and sulfur preparations.

19. The combination according to claim 1 additionally comprising at least one auxiliary selected from the group consisting of extenders, solvents, spontaneity promoters, carriers, emulsifiers, dispersants, frost protectants, thickeners and adjuvants.

20. A seed coated with the active compound combination according to claim 1. 21-24. (Canceled)

25. A method for reducing overall damage of plants and plant parts as well as losses in harvested fruits or vegetables caused by plant pathogens comprising the step of simultaneously or sequentially applying one or more fatty acids or derivatives thereof selected from unsaturated and saturated C.sub.12-24 fatty acids, salts thereof, esters thereof or mixtures of any of the foregoing and at least one further agent active against at least one plant pathogen and/or active in plant growth promotion to a plant or seed or a locus where said plant or seed is intended to be grown.

26. (canceled)

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein the plant pathogen is a strain of a genus selected from the group consisting of Venturia, Sclerotinia, Rhizoctonia; Plasmodiophora; Helminthosporium, Phytium, Alternaria; Cercospora; Cladiosporium; Cochliobolus; Colletotrichum; Diaporthe; Gloeosporium; Corynespora; Guignardia; Elsinoe; Magnaporthe; Microdochium; Mycosphaerella; Pyrcnophora; Pyricularia; Ramularia; Rhynchosporium; Botrytis, Phytophthora; Brcmia; Pcronospora; Plasmopara; Pseudoperonospora, Puccinia; Hemileia; Phakopsora; Uromyces; Blumcria; Podosphaera; Sphaerotheca; Uncinula, Fusarium, Septoria, Aspergillus; Cladosporium; Claviceps; Gibberella; Monographella, Sphacelotheca; Tilletia; Ustilago, Monilinia; Rhizopus; Verticillium, Taphrina, Xanthomonas; Pseudomonas; Envinia; Liberibacter; Xyella; Ralstonia; Clavibacter; Streptomyces, Anthracnose; Cercospora; Phomopsis; Stcmphylium; Corynespora; Diaporthe.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein said plant pathogen is selected from Plasmopara viticola and Unicnula necator.

29. The method according to claim 25, wherein said applying is effected as a foliar or soil application or as a seed treatment.

30. A kit-of-parts comprising a biological control agent selected from the group consisting of one or more fatty acids or derivatives thereof selected from unsaturated and saturated C.sub.12-24 fatty acids, salts thereof, esters thereof or mixtures of any of the foregoing and at least one further agent active against at least one plant pathogen and/or active in plant growth promotion in a spatially separated arrangement.

Description

EXAMPLE 1

[0358] Field trials were set up with 10 grape plants per plot as per the scheme according to table 1 and 2 to test the fungicidal efficacy of one formulation comprising carboxylic acid potassium salt, one comprising copper and one comprising both agents. Sprays (foliar) were carried out in BBCA stages as described underneath tables 1 and 2 in the presence of a natural infestation of Plasmopara viticola.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Treatment Treatment of vine grapes (Albarino) Number against Plasmopara viticola 1. UTC 2. 2878.8 g/ha carboxylic acid potassium salt (Flipper ®.sup.1) 3. 2628 g/ha carboxylic acid potassium salt and 48.6 g/ha copper 4. 1235 g/ha. Copper (Funguran CO HYD) .sup.1Flipper: 479.8 g/l Carboxylic Acid Potassium Salt, sprays at BBCA 55, 57, 65, 71, 75 and 77 with a water volume of 1000 l/ha, application interval between 7 and 10 days;

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Treatment Treatment of vine grapes (Barbera) Number against Plasmopara viticola 1. UTC 2. 1439.4 g/ha carboxylic acid potassium salt (Flipper ®.sup.1) 3. 1314 g/ha carboxylic acid potassium salt and 24.3 g/ha copper 4. 1235 g/ha. Copper (Funguran CO HYD) .sup.1Flipper: 479.8 g/l Carboxylic Acid Potassium Salt, sprays at BBCA 53, 53, 57, 69, 71, 73, 75 and 75 with a water volume of 500 l/ha, application interval between 5 and 7 days

[0359] Evaluation:

[0360] Assessment was done on bunches (50 bunches/plot) on pest severity. The efficacy was calculated according to Abbott

[0361] Results are depicted in tables 3 and 4.

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Treatment Replicate Efficacy Abbott [%]  1* A 36.2 B 42.6 MEAN 2 A 38.1 B 44.9 MEAN 3 A 55.3 B 49.7 MEAN 4 A 84.7 B 83.1 MEAN Efficacy against Plasmopara viticola, *infestation level in untreated control, assessment timing: 1 day after application 6.

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Treatment Efficacy Abbot [%]  1* 7.6 2 74.6 3 84.2 4 98.7 Efficacy against Plasmopara viticola, *infestation level in untreated control, assessment timing 1 day after application 8

[0362] Conclusion: The combination of carboxylic acid potassium salt with a low rate of Copper provided increased activity against Plasmopara viticola in grapes, compared to carboxylic acid potassium salt applied on its own. The application of commercial rates of copper (25-fold and 50-fold, respectively, the Co-rate as compared to the Co-rate when combined with carboxylic acid potassium salt) resulted in overall higher control levels. However, by combining carboxylic acid potassium salt with a low rate of copper, good control can be achieved with less copper load for the soil.

EXAMPLE 2

[0363] Field trials were set up with 10 grape plants per plot as per the scheme according to tables 5 and 6 to test the fungicidal efficacy of one formulation comprising carboxylic acid potassium salt, one comprising sulfur and one comprising both agents. Sprays (foliar) were carried out in BBCA stages as described underneath tables 5 and 6 in the presence of a natural infestation of Uncinula necator.

TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Treatment Treatment of vine grapes (Airen) Number against Uncinula necator 1. UTC 2. 1919.2 g/ha carboxylic acid potassium salt (Flipper ®.sup.1) 3. 1340 g/ha carboxylic acid potassium salt and 200 g/ha sulfur 4. 4000 g/ha. Sulfur (Sulfur 4000 G/A/HA) .sup.1Flipper: 479.8 g/l Carboxylic Acid Potassium Salt, sprays at BBCA 53, 61, 68, 71, 73 and 75 with a water volume of 1000 l/ha, application interval between 7 and 15 days

TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 Treatment Treatment of vine grapes (Canelli) Number against Uncinula necator 1. UTC 2. 959.6 g/ha carboxylic acid potassium salt (Flipper ®.sup.1) 3. 670 g/ha carboxylic acid potassium salt and 100 g/ha sulfur 4. 4000 g/ha. Sulfur (Sulfur 4000 G/A/HA) .sup.1Flipper: 479.8 g/l Carboxylic Acid Potassium Salt, sprays at BBCA 53, 53, 57, 69, 71, 73, 75 and 77 with a water volume of 500 l/ha, application interval between 6 and 7 days

[0364] Evaluation: Assessment and evaluation was done according to Example 1.

[0365] Results are depicted in tables 7 and 8.

TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 7 Treatment Pest incidence Pest Severity  1* 13.3 10.3 2 67.5 41.9 3 92.5 77.4 4 82.5 87.1 Efficacy against Uncinula necator, *infestation level in untreated control, assessment timing 7 days after application 6

TABLE-US-00008 TABLE 8 Treatment Pest incidence Pest Severity 1 53.3 1 2 36.3 90.7 3 76.3 100 4 56.3 100 Efficacy against Uncinula necator, *infestation level in untreated control, assessment timing 15 days after application 8

[0366] Conclusion: The combination of FLIPPER® with low rate of Sulphur (ABP580) provided increased activity against Uncinula viticola in grapes, compared to FLIPPER® (ABP617) applied on its own. The application of commercial rates of Sulphur (20 fold the S-rate of the Flipper mixture) resulted in overall higher control levels.

[0367] The combination of carboxylic acid potassium salt with a low rate of sulfur provided increased activity against Uncinula viticola in grapes, compared to carboxylic acid potassium salt applied on its own. The application of commercial rates of sulfur (20-fold the S-rate as compared to the S-rate when combined with carboxylic acid potassium salt) resulted in overall higher control levels. However, by combining carboxylic acid potassium salt with a low rate of sulfur, good control can be achieved with less sulfur load for the soil.