CEREAL BASED ADJUVANT FOR AGROCHEMICAL PERFORMANCE

Abstract

The present invention is an adjuvant for use as an isolate suspension that is used to enhance various agrochemicals such as fertilizers, plant growth formulae, fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides. The adjuvant is derived from a cereal or legume and enhances active ingredients in the agrochemical by creating more absorption surface area per droplet, and increases optimum chemical penetration into the leaf stoma due to the complex protein relationship upon deposition.

Claims

1. A method for improving a performance of an agrochemical comprising combining the agrochemical with an adjuvant having a cereal or legume base selected from a group comprising corn, wheat, oat, canola, and soybean, the adjuvant comprising solids obtained from a process of grinding the cereal base and extracting oils therefrom, drying and milling said solids into an isolate having a particle size between about 20 and 200 microns, introducing the isolate into the adjuvant in a solution of up to twenty-five percent (25%) by weight of isolate, five to twenty-five percent (5%-25%) nonionic or anionic surfactant, and water.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a ratio of the adjuvant solution to isolate is controlled by a particle size of the solids.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjuvant solution includes soil micronutrients.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjuvant solution includes a wetting agent.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjuvant solution excludes a wetting agent.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjuvant solution includes a humectant.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjuvant solution includes silica.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjuvant solution includes clay.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjuvant solution includes oat protein.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjuvant solution includes a dispersant.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjuvant solution includes a surfactant.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjuvant solution includes an emulsifier.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjuvant solution is processed into water dispersible granules.

15. An agricultural treatment for improving a performance of an agrochemical, comprising: an agrochemical; an adjuvant having a cereal or legume base selected from a group comprising corn, wheat, oat, canola, and soybean, the adjuvant comprising an isolate having a size between 20 and 200 microns, said isolate suspended in a solution; and wherein the adjuvant when combined with the agrochemical reduces a foaming characteristic of the agrochemical.

16. The agricultural treatment of claim 15, wherein a ratio of the adjuvant to isolate is controlled by the isolate size.

17. The agricultural treatment of claim 15, wherein the adjuvant solution includes a soil micronutrient.

18. The agricultural treatment of claim 15, wherein the adjuvant solution includes a wetting agent.

19. The agricultural treatment of claim 15, wherein the adjuvant solution excludes a wetting agent.

20. The agricultural treatment of claim 15, wherein the adjuvant solution includes a humectant.

21. The agricultural treatment of claim 15, wherein the adjuvant solution includes silica.

22. The agricultural treatment of claim 15, wherein the adjuvant solution includes clay.

23. The agricultural treatment of claim 15, wherein the adjuvant solution includes oat protein.

24. The agricultural treatment of claim 15, wherein the adjuvant solution includes a dispersant.

25. The agricultural treatment of claim 15, wherein the adjuvant solution includes a surfactant.

26. The agricultural treatment of claim 15, wherein the adjuvant solution includes an emulsifier.

27. The agricultural treatment of claim 18, wherein the adjuvant solution is processed into water dispersible granules.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0102] The plant-based isolate used in the present invention is derived from certain common cereals or legumes, such as corn, wheat, soy, and barley. The plant material is ground or crushed and the oil is extracted. The residual cell mass, which in the case of canola or wheat is primarily the carbohydrate portion of the cotyledon, consists of cell walls, membranes and microfilaments and is separated from the solution and dried.

[0103] The term “agrochemical” includes biopesticides or mixtures thereof. Included within the term “agrochemicals” are herbicides, fungicides, bactericides, acaricides, insecticides, gametocides, nematocides, algicides, rodenticides, molluscides, insect baits, repellents, pheromones, insect growth regulators, fertilizers, micronutrients, soil conditioners, growth regulators and the like, or mixtures thereof. It should also be understood that the term “agrochemical” also includes agricultural, horticultural, fruticultural and floricultural use.

[0104] The isolate can be added to the agrochemical as described above. The resultant formulas may be formulated as dry flowables, water dispersible granules, broadcast granules, suspensions, emulsions, tablets, briquettes and so forth. When the product is formulated as a granule, tablet or briquette, it has good hardness and does not tend to crumble or dust, thereby reducing operator exposure to the biological control agent, a matter of considerable health concern. The product however can be readily dispersed in water for spray application or the like.

[0105] The following examples illustrate the invention.

Example 1

[0106] Glyphosate comes in several formulations but the most common is a standard 41% glyphosate acid. Traditionally 5%-25% of the inert ingredients include a surfactant or inert ingredients to activate the herbicide and assist in delivery. A product using the present invention would comprise a formulation that consists of 41% glyphosate and 5%-25% of a cereal based adjuvant in place of the standard surfactant.

Example 2

[0107] Dicamba comes in multiple formulations but the most common is a standard 49% Dicamaba salt acid. Traditionally 5%-20% of the inert ingredients include a surfactant or drift agent in inert ingredients to activate the herbicide and assist in delivery. A product using the present invention would comprise a formulation that consists of 49% Dicamba and 5%-25% of a cereal based adjuvant in place of the standard surfactant and Drift reduction agent.