MX2007011210A - Herbicidal suspension. - Google Patents

Abstract

A herbicidal suspension comprising (1) a sulfonylurea compound or its salt as a herbicidal component, (2) at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of an alkoxylated sorbitol fatty acid ester and an alkoxylated sorbitan fatty acid ester, and (3) a water-immiscible diluent. A method for controlling undesired plants or inhibiting their growth, which comprises applying a herbicidally effective amount of the herbicidal suspension to the undesired plants or to a place where they grow.

Description

SUSPENSION HERBICIDE TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a herbicidal suspension containing a sulfonylurea compound or its salt as a herbicidally active ingredient, and having a stable herbicidal effect, safety for crops and practically satisfactory effects.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND In recent years, several studies have been carried out to obtain agricultural chemicals that stably exhibit a favorable herbicidal effect, that have no harmful effect on crops, and that can be used safely. In addition, there is a tendency to use various additives for agricultural chemicals that can reduce the harmful effects of agricultural chemicals on humans and the environment as much as possible. Under these circumstances, it has been desired to rapidly develop alternatives for conventional agricultural chemicals that have the problems described above, and to provide on the market agricultural chemicals that are favorable for humans and the environment, and that are also practical.

EP 0598515 discloses a herbicidal composition of enhanced activity comprising a specific sulfonylurea compound, a surfactant of the ethoxylated fatty amine type and a vegetable oil and / or a mineral oil. However, more studies have been required to achieve formulations that are sufficiently practical, and that also have high added value. Under these circumstances, the present inventors have carried out extensive studies to solve the above problems and, as a result, have achieved the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Namely, to get ahead with the above problems, the present inventors have carried out studies that pay attention to the herbicidal effects and toxicity, and that also pay attention to safety for humans and the environment. As a result, they have found a herbicidal suspension containing a sulfonylurea compound or its salt as an active ingredient, which is sufficiently viable such that it has favorable physical and chemical characteristics, and which has an advantage such as more excellent herbicidal activity or improved safety for the crops. The present invention provides a herbicidal suspension comprising (1) a sulfonylurea compound or its salt as a herbicidal component, (2) at least one surfactant selected from the group consists of an alkoxylated sorbitol fatty acid ester and an alkoxylated sorbitan fatty acid ester, and (3) a water immiscible diluent; and a method for controlling unwanted plants or inhibiting their growth by means of said herbicidal suspension.

BEST WAY TO CARRY OUT THE INVENTION The sulfonylurea compound is a compound having the following partial structure: - S02NHCON- I x (wherein X is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group), and may be, for example, amidosulfuron, azimsulfuron, bensulfuron-methyl, chlorimuron-ethyl, chlorsulfuron, cinosulfuron, cyclo-sulfamuron, ethanesulfuron-methyl, ethoxysulfuron, flazasulfuron, flucetosulfuron, flupirsulfuron, foramsulfuron, halosulfuron-methyl, imazosulfuron, iodosulfuron, isosulfuron-methyl, mesosulfuron-methyl, metsulfuron-methyl, nicosulfuron, oxasulfuron, primisulfuron- methyl, prosulfuron, pyrazosulfuron-ethyl, rimsulfuron, sulfometuron-methyl, sulfosulfuron, thifensulfuron-methyl, triasulfuron, tribenuron-methyl, trifloxysulfuron, triflusulfuron-methyl or tritosulfuron. Among them, azimsulfuron, bensulfuron-methyl, flazasulfuron or nicosulfuron are preferred. As the salt of said sulfonylurea compound, various types may be mentioned. It can be, for example, a salt with a metal alkaline such as sodium or potassium, a salt with an alkaline earth metal such as magnesium or calcium, or a salt with an amine such as monomethylamine, dimethylamine or triethylamine. The alkoxylated sorbitol fatty acid ester or the alkoxylated sorbitan fatty acid ester has one or more alkylene oxide moieties in optional positions. Said portion of alkylene oxide may be, for example, ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, a copolymer thereof or a block copolymer thereof. Among them, ethylene oxide is preferred. The average addition amount of the alkylene oxide is from 3 to 150 moles, preferably from 3 to 60 moles. The fatty acid ester number in the alkoxylated sorbitol fatty acid ester or the alkoxylated sorbitan fatty acid ester may be one or more, and there may be mentioned, for example, a monoester, a diester, a triester, a tetraester, a pentaester or a hexaester. In addition, in a case where there is a plurality of fatty acid esters, they may be the same or different. The fatty acid portion of the alkoxylated sorbitol fatty acid ester or the alkoxylated sorbitan fatty acid ester can be saturated or unsaturated, and can be linear or branched, and its carbon number can be from about 4 to about 24, preferably from about 10 to about 20. The fatty acid may be, for example, a saturated fatty acid such as butyric acid, n-caproic acid, caprylic acid, n-capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, isostearic acid or aracaric acid, or an unsaturated fatty acid such as palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, monoclonal acid, arachidonic acid or docosahexaenoic acid. Preferred are, for example, lauric acid, stearic acid or oleic acid. The water immiscible diluent can be, for example, a vegetable oil, a fatty acid derived from a vegetable oil, an alkyl ester of the fatty acid (including one having a fatty acid portion in a vegetable alkylated oil, such as oil methylated vegetable or methylated seed oil) or a mineral oil. The vegetable oil may be, for example, olive oil, kapok oil, castor oil, papaya oil, camellia oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, corn oil, rice bran oil, peanut oil. , cottonseed oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, flax oil, tung oil, sunflower oil or safflower oil. The fatty acid derived from a vegetable oil is a fatty acid derived from the vegetable oil described above or the like, and may be, for example, a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid of C 12-22, such as lauric acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linolic acid, linoleic acid, erucic acid or brassic acid, and the alkyl ester of the fatty acid may be, for example, a linear or branched alkyl ester of Ci.-iß, such as a methyl ester, a butyl ester, isobutyl ester or oleyl ester. The mineral oil can be, for example, a hydrocarbon aliphatic such as liquid paraffin or paraffinic oil, or an aromatic hydrocarbon such as an alkylbenzene or an alkylnaphthalene. The above water immiscible diluents can be a mixture, as the case requires. The herbicidal suspension contains (1) a sulfonylurea compound or its salt as a herbicidal component, (2) at least one surfactant (hereinafter referred to as an essential surfactant) selected from the group consisting of a fatty acid ester of alkoxylated sorbitol and an alkoxylated sorbitan fatty acid ester, and (3) a water immiscible diluent, and is prepared as an oil-based herbicidal suspension such as an oil-based suspension concentrate or a gel formulation. Several additives can be used for its preparation, as the case requires. Various additives which may be used herein may be any additive, as long as they are commonly used in this technical field and, for example, another surfactant may be mentioned (a surfactant other than the alkoxylated sorbitol fatty acid ester and the fatty acid ester of alkoxylated sorbitan), a solvent, an anti-settling agent, a thickener, an antifoaming agent, an antifreeze agent, an antioxidant, a gelling agent, a dispersion stabilizer, a phytotoxicity reducing agent, an anti-mold agent, a stabilizer , a preservative and an inorganic ammonium salt. The following may be mentioned, for example, as specific examples of said various additives. In addition, said formulations can be prepared in accordance with the methods commonly used in this technical field. The other surfactant includes, for example, anionic surfactants such as a fatty acid salt, a benzoate, an alkyl sulfosuccinate, a dialkylsulfosuccinate, a polycarboxylate, an ester salt of alkylsulfuric acid, an alkyl sulfate, an alkylaryl sulfate, an alkyl diglycol ether sulfate, an ester salt of sulfuric acid, an alkyl sulfonate, an alkylaryl sulfonate, an aryl sulfonate, a lignin sulfonate, an alkyl diphenyl ether disulfonate, a polystyrene sulfonate, an ester salt of alkyl phosphoric acid, an alkylaryl phosphate , a styrylaryl phosphate, an ester salt of polyoxyethylene alkyl ether sulfuric acid, a polyoxyethylene alkylaryl ether sulfate, a polyoxyethylene styryl ether ether sulfate, a polyoxyethylene styrylaryl ether ammonium sulfate, a polyoxyethylene alkylaryl ether sulfuric acid ester salt, a polyoxyethylene alkyl ether phosphate, a polyoxyethylene alkylaryl phosphoric acid ester salt, a polyoxyethylene styrylaryl ether phosphoric acid ester or its salt, a salt of a condensate of naphthalene sulfonate with formalin, a salt of an alkylnaphthalene sulfonate condensate with formalin, a salt of a condensate of phenol sulfonate with formalin, and a salt of alkylene copolymer and maleic anhydride; nonionic surfactants such as a sorbitan fatty acid ester, a glycerin fatty acid ester, a fatty acid polyglyceride, a polyglycol ether and a fatty alcohol, an acetylene glycol, an acetylene alcohol, a block copolymer of oxyalkylene, a polyoxyethylene alkyl ether, a polyoxyethylene alkylaryl ether, a polyoxyethylene styrylaryl ether, a polyoxyethylene glycol alkyl ether, an polyoxyethylene fatty acid, a polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty ester, a polyoxyethylene glycerin fatty acid ester, a hydrogenated polyoxyethylene castor oil, a polyoxyethylene castor oil, a polyoxypropylene fatty ester and an alkyl polyglucoside, and cationic surfactants such as an alkoxylated fatty amine. If desired, two or more of them may conveniently be used in combination. In the present invention, the herbicidal suspension preferably contains as another surfactant, at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants and prior cationic surfactants. Among them, the anionic surfactant is preferably an alkylaryl sulfonate, the nonionic surfactant is preferably a polyoxyethylene castor oil, and the cationic surfactant is preferably an alkoxylated fatty amine. The herbicidal suspension preferably contains a combination thereof. The full effect of the essential surfactant will be achieved when the cationic surfactant such as an alkoxylated fatty amine as the other surfactant is incorporated into the herbicidal suspension of the present invention. More particularly, the alkoxylated fatty amine can be, for example, an ethoxylated tallow amine, ethoxylated soy amine or ethoxylated cocoamine. The average addition amount of the alkylene oxide is from 3 to 100, preferably from 5 to 50. Said embodiment is one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention.

The solvent may be, for example, water, naphtha, paraffin, dioxane, acetone, sophorone, methyl isobutyl ketone, chlorobenzene, cyclohexane, dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethylformamide, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, an alcohol, acetic acid, acid butyric acid, isopropyl acetate, butyl acetate, benzene, an alkylbenzene or an alkylnaphthalene. If desired, two or more of them may be conveniently used in combination. The anti-sedimentation agent can be, for example, silica, bentonite-alkylamino complex, bentonite, white carbon or magnesium aluminum acid. If desired, two or more of them may conveniently be used in combination. The thickener can be, for example, a heteropolysaccharide such as xanthan gum or guar gum, a water soluble polymer such as polyvinyl alcohol, a sodium salt of carboxymethylcellulose or sodium alginate, bentonite or white carbon. If desired, two or more of them may conveniently be used in combination. The antifoaming agent can be, for example, polydimethylsiloxane or acetylene alcohol. If desired, two or more of them may conveniently be used in combination. The antifreeze agent can be, for example, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerin or urea. If desired, two or more of them may conveniently be used in combination. The gelling agent can be, for example, silica, organic attapulguite, clay, hydrogenated castor oil, a fatty acid ester above, a higher alcohol, an ester salt of dialkylsulfosuccinic acid, a benzoate, an alkyl sulfate, a polyacrylic polymer, or a mixture of a copolymer of polyacrylic acid and water, or 12-hydroxystearic acid. If desired, two or more of them may conveniently be used in combination. The stabilizer can be, for example, urea. The preservative can be, for example, formalin, p-chloro m-xylenol or 1,2-benzisothiazolin-3-one. If desired, two or more of them may conveniently be used in combination. In the preparation of the herbicidal suspension of the present invention, the essential surfactant and another optional surfactant can be preliminarily combined, and then the various other components are mixed therewith. Specifically, a mixture of surfactant comprising the essential surfactant and the other optional surfactant such as an anionic surfactant or a nonionic surfactant can be preliminarily prepared and used. In that case, the surfactant mixture is prepared so that the amount of the essential surfactant is usually at least 40 parts by weight, preferably 40 to 90 parts by weight. Said embodiment is one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention. In the present invention, if desired, another herbicidal compound other than the sulfonylurea compound or its salt can be used in combination, whereby more excellent effects and functionality can be achieved in some cases. For example, the range of plants can be extended which will be destroyed, the stage at which the herbicide suspension is applied may be extended, or the herbicidal activity may be improved in some cases. The sulfonylurea compound or its salt and the other herbicidal compound can be prepared separately and can be mixed at the time of application, or they can be prepared in a composition. The present invention includes the above combined herbicidal composition, and a method for controlling unwanted plants or inhibiting their growth by means of said composition. As the other herbicidal compound that can be used in combination with the sulfonylurea compound or its salt, there may be mentioned, for example, the groups of compounds of (1) to (11) below (common names, code names). Even when not specifically mentioned, in a case where said compounds have salts, alkyl esters or various structural isomers such as optical isomers, all of them are included, in fact. (1) Those believed to exhibit herbicidal effects by disturbing the hormonal activities of plants, such as a type of phenoxy such as 2,4-D, 2,4-DB, 2,4-DP, MCPA, MCPB, MCPP or naproanilide, a type of aromatic carboxylic acid, such as 2,3,6-TBA, dicamba, dichlobenil, picloram, triclopyr, clopyralid or aminopyralid, and others such as naptalam, benazolin, quinclorac, quinmerac, diflufenzopyr and thiazopyr. (2) Those believed to exhibit herbicidal effects by inhibiting the photosynthesis of plants, such as a type of urea such as chlorotoluron, diuron, fluometuron, linuron, isoproturon, methobenzuron or tebutiuron, a type of triazine such as simazine, atrazine, atratone, symmetry, prometryn, dimethamethrin, hexazinone, metribuzin, terbuthylazine, cyanazine, ametryn, cibutrin, triaziflam or propazine, a type of uracil such as bromacil, lejo or terbacillus, a type of anuide such as propanil or cipromid, a type of carbamate such as swep, desmedipham or fenmedipham, a type of hydroxybenzonitrile such as bromoxynil, bromoxynil octanoate or ioxyin, and others such as pyridate, bentazone, amicarbazone and methazole. (3) Those of the quaternary ammonium salt type such as paraquat or diquat, which is believed to be converted to free radicals by themselves to form active oxygen in the body of the plant. (4) Those believed to exhibit herbicidal effects by inhibiting plant chlorophyll biosynthesis, and abnormally accumulating a photosensitizing peroxide substance in the body of the plant, such as a type of diphenyl ether, such as nitrofen, clometoxifen, bifenox , acifluorfen-sodium, fomesafen, oxyfluorfen, lactofen or ethoxyphen-ethyl, a type of cyclic imide such as chlorphthalim, flumioxazin, flumiclorac-pentyl or flutiacet-methyl, and others such as oxadiargyl, oxadiazon, sulfentrazone, carfentrazone-ethyl, thidiazimine, pentoxazone, azafenidin, isopropazole, pyraflufen-ethyl, benzfendizone, butafenacil, methobenzuron, cinidon-ethyl, flupoxam, fluazolate, profluazol, pyraclonil and flufenpyr-ethyl. (5) Those that are believed to exhibit herbicidal effects characterized by bleaching activities by inhibiting the chromogenesis of the plants, such as carotenoids, such as a type of pyridazinone such as norflurazon, chloridazon or metflurazon, a type of pyrazole such as pyrazolate, pyrazoxifen, benzofenap or BAS-670H, and others such as amitrol, fluridone, flurtamone, diflufenican, methoxyphenone, clomazone, sulcotrione, mesotrione, AVH-301, isoxaflutole, difenzoquat, isoxaclortol, benzobicyclone, picolinafen and beflubutamid. (6) Those that exhibit strong herbicidal effects specifically for grass plants, such as a type of aryloxyphenoxypropionic acid, such as diclofop-methyl, flamprop-M-methyl, pyrifenop-sodium, fluazifop-butyl, haloxifop-methyl, quizalofop-ethyl, cyhalofop-butyl, fenoxaprop-ethyl or metamifop-propyl, and a type of cyclohexanedione such as alloxydim-sodium, clethodim, sethoxydim, traxoxidim, butroxydim, tepraloxydim, caloxydim, clefoxidim or profoxydim. (7) Those believed to exhibit herbicidal effects by inhibiting an amino acid biosynthesis of plants, such as a type of triazolopyrimidine sulfonamide such as flumetsullam, methosullam, diclosullam, cloransullammethyl, florasullam, methosulpham or penoxsullam, a type of imidazilinone such as imazapyr. , imazethapyr, imazaquin, imazamox, imazamet, imazametabenz or imazapic, a type of pyrimidinyl-salicylic acid, such as piritiobac-sodium, bispyribac-sodium, pyriminobac-methyl, pyribenzoxim or pyriftalid, a type of sulfonylaminocarbonyltriazolinone such as flucarbazone or procarbazone-sodium, and others such as glyphosate-ammonium, glyphosate-isopropylamine, glufosinate-ammonium and bialaphos. (8) Those that are believed to exhibit herbicidal effects by inhibiting the mitosis of plant cells, such as a type of dinitroaniline such as trifluralin, orizalin, nitralin, pendimethalin, etalfluralin, benfluralin or prodiamine, a type of amide such as bensulide, napronamide or pronamide, a type of organic phosphorus such as amiprofos-methyl, butamifos, anilofós or piperofós, a type of phenylcarbamate such as profam, chlorprofam or barbano, a type of cumilamine such as daimuron, cumiluron or bromobutide, and others such as asulam , dithiopyr and thiazopyr. (9) Those believed to exhibit herbicidal effects by inhibiting protein biosynthesis or lipid biosynthesis of plants, such as a type of chloroacetamide such as alachlor, metazachlor, butachlor, pretilachlor, metolachlor, S-metolachlor, tenylchlor, petoxamid, acetochlor, propachlor or propisoclor, a type of carbamate such as molinate, dimepiperate or pyributicarb, and others such as etobenzanid, mefenacet, flufenacet, tridifan, cafenstrol, fentrazamide, oxaziclomephone, indanofan, dimethenamid and benfuresate. (10) A type of thiocarbamate such as EPTC, butylate, vernolate, pebulate, cycloate, prosulfocarb, esprocarb, thiobencarb, dialate or trialate, and others such as MSMA, DSMA, endotal, ethofumesate, sodium chlorate, pelargonic acid, fosamine, pinoxadén and HOK-201. (11) Those believed to exhibit herbicidal effects being parasitic on plants, such as Xanthomonas campestris, Epicoccosurus nematosurus, Exserohilum monoseras and Drechsrela monoceras.

In the present invention, the proportions of the various components in the mixture can not be generally defined, since they can be conveniently changed, depending on the types of the components of the mixture, the formulations or the application sites. A formulation can be prepared, for example, by incorporating the sulfonylurea compound or its salt in a proportion of 0.5 to 20 parts by weight, preferably 2 to 10 parts by weight, preferably in addition to 5 to 10 parts by weight; the essential surfactant in a proportion of 0.5 to 35 parts by weight, preferably 1 to 25 parts by weight; another surfactant, if incorporated as the case requires, in a proportion of 0.5 to 55 parts by weight, preferably 1 to 40 parts by weight; a solvent, if incorporated as the case requires, in a proportion of 0J to 30 parts by weight, preferably 0.5 to 20 parts by weight; an anti-sedimentation agent, if incorporated as the case requires, in a proportion of 0J to 10 parts by weight, preferably 0.5 to 5 parts by weight; a gelling agent, if incorporated as required, in a proportion of 0 to 50 parts by weight, preferably 5 to 40 parts by weight; a stabilizer, if incorporated as the case requires, in a proportion of 0J to 20 parts by weight, preferably 1 to 10 parts by weight; another herbicidal compound, if incorporated as the case requires, in a proportion of 0.5 to 75 parts by weight, preferably 0.5 to 50 parts by weight, and the diluent immiscible in water like the rest, so that the total would be of 100 parts by weight. The herbicidal suspension of the present invention prepared from this way has favorable and selective herbicidal effect, since when diluted with water at the time of its use, oil droplets will be well dispersed, whereby excellent emulsion characteristics will be achieved. The herbicidal suspension of the present invention is capable of controlling a wide range of weeds including, for example, sedges (or cyperaceae) such as flat-leaved sedge (Cyperus iría L.) or nut-shaped tuberosity sedge (Cyperus rotundus L.), grasses (or grasses) such as crow's feet (Echinochloa crus-galli L.), digitaria or crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis L.), green foxtail (Setaria viridis L.), grass of love (Eleusine indicates L.), wild oats (Avena fatua L.), Johnson grass (Sorghum halepense L.) or wheatgrass (Agropyron repens L.), and broad-leaved plants such as alcotán (Abutilón theophrasti MEDIC), morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea L.), common ash (Chenopodium album L.), spiny aids (Sida spinosa L.), common purslane (Portulaca olerácea L. ), barley (Amaranthus retroflexus L.), cassia (Cassia obtusifolia L.), blackberry (Solanum nigrum L.), pale water pepper (Polygonum lapathifolium L.), common mouse ear (Stellaria media L.), cachurrera common (Xanthium strumarium L.), cardamina flexuosa (Cardamine flexuosa WITH.), nettle (Lamium amplexicaule L.) or plant copper leaves of three seeds (Acalypha austalis L.), or to inhibit its growth, applying it to said plants not desired, or to a place where they grow, for example, by foliar application. Accordingly, its range of application extends not only to fields of crop plants, but also to agricultural fields such as orchards, mulberry or paddy fields, and non-agricultural fields such as forest floor, neighborhood roads, sports fields, factory sites or meadows. The sulfonylurea compound or its salt can be applied in an amount of 1 to 500 g / ha, preferably 2 to 250 g / ha. In particular, a herbicidal suspension comprising nicosulfuron or its salt is able to control noxious weeds or to inhibit its growth without presenting phytotoxicity to corn, and is very useful as a herbicidal composition for cornfields. The nicosulfuron can be applied in an amount of 2 to 400 g / ha, preferably 5 to 200 g / ha.

EXAMPLES Now, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples. However, it should be understood that the present invention is in no way restricted to said specific examples.

EXAMPLE 1 (1) Nicosulfuron (purity: 94.5%): 7.23 parts by weight (2) Mixture (surfactant A) containing polyoxyethylene sorbitol tetraoleate as the main component and containing polyoxyethylene castor oil and calcium salt of dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid: 10.35 parts by weight (3) Ethoxylated tallow amine (surfactant B): 15.53 parts by weight (4) Bentonite-alkylamino complex: 1.03 parts by weight (5) Urea: 3.11 parts by weight (6) Mixture of methylated oil and oil corn: 62.75 parts by weight The above components were mixed, and the mixture was wet milled using a wet mill for 15 minutes to prepare an oil-based suspension concentrate.

EXAMPLE 2 (1) Nicosulfuron (purity: 94.5%): 7.23 parts by weight (2) Surfactant A: 10.35 parts by weight (3) Surfactant B: 15.53 parts by weight (4) Bentonite-alkylamino complex: 1.03 parts by weight (5) Urea: 3.11 parts by weight (6) Mixture of methylated seed oil and corn oil: 60.68 parts by weight (7) Alcohol: 2.07 parts by weight The above components were mixed, and the mixture was wet milled using a wet mill for 15 minutes to prepare a suspension concentrate based on oil.

EXAMPLE 3 (1) Nicosulfuron (purity: 94.5%): 7.23 parts by weight (2) Surfactant A: 10.35 parts by weight (3) Surfactant B: 15.53 parts by weight (4) Bentonite-alkylamino complex: 1.03 parts by weight (5) Urea: 3.11 parts by weight (6) Mixture of methylated seed oil and corn oil: 55.25 parts by weight (7) Alcohol: 7.50 parts by weight The above components were mixed, and the mixture was wet milled using a wet mill for 15 minutes to prepare a suspension concentrate based on oil.

EXAMPLE 4 (1) Nicosulfuron (purity: 94.5%): 7.23 parts by weight (2) Mixture (surfactant D) containing polyoxyethylene sorbitan trioleate as the main component and containing polyoxyethylene castor oil and calcium salt of dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid: 10.35 parts by weight (3) Surfactant B: 20.70 parts by weight (4) Hydrophobic smoked silica: 1.03 parts by weight (5) Urea: 1.03 parts by weight (6) Corn oil: 54.48 parts by weight (7) Alcohol: 5J8 parts by weight The above components were mixed, and the mixture was wet milled using a wet mill for 15 minutes to prepare an oil-based suspension concentrate.

EXAMPLE 5 (1) Flazasulfuron (purity: 95.1%): 7.14 parts by weight (2) Surfactant A: 10.35 parts by weight (3) Surfactant B: 20.70 parts by weight (4) Hydrophobic smoked silica: 1.04 parts by weight (5) ) Urea: 3.11 parts by weight (6) Corn oil: 52.48 parts by weight (7) Alcohol: 5.18 parts by weight The above components were mixed, and the mixture was wet milled using a wet mill for 15 minutes to prepare a Concentrate in suspension based on oil.

EXAMPLE 6 (1) Azimsulfuron (purity: 99.0%): 7.14 parts by weight (2) Surfactant A: 10.35 parts by weight (3) Surfactant B: 20.70 parts by weight (4) Hydrophobic smoked silica: 1.04 parts by weight (5) ) Urea: 3.11 parts by weight (6) Corn oil: 52.48 parts by weight (7) Alcohol: 5.18 parts by weight The above components were mixed, and the mixture was wet milled using a wet mill for 15 minutes to prepare a Concentrate in suspension based on oil.

EXAMPLE 7 (1) Bensulfuron-methyl (purity: 99.3%): 7.14 parts by weight (2) Surfactant A: 10.35 parts by weight (3) Surfactant B: 20.70 parts by weight (4) Hydrophobic smoked silica: 1.04 parts by weight (5) Urea: 3.11 parts by weight (6) Corn oil: 52.48 parts by weight (7) Alcohol: 5.18 parts by weight The above components were mixed, and the mixture was milled wet using a wet mill for 15 minutes to prepare an oil-based suspension concentrate.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 1 An oil-based suspension concentrate was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a mixture (surfactant C) of polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil and dioctyl sulfosuccinate was used in place of the surfactant A.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 2 An oil-based suspension concentrate was prepared in the same manner as in Example 2, except that the surfactant C was used in place of the surfactant A.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 3 An oil-based suspension concentrate was prepared in the same manner as in Example 3, except that the surfactant C was used in place of the surfactant A.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 4 An oil-based suspension concentrate was prepared in the same manner as in Example 4, except that the surfactant C was used in place of the surfactant D.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 5 An oil-based suspension concentrate was prepared in the same manner as in Example 5, except that the surfactant C was used in place of the surfactant A.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 6 An oil-based suspension concentrate was prepared in the same manner as in Example 6, except that the surfactant C was used in place of the surfactant A.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 7 An oil-based suspension concentrate was prepared in the same manner as in Example 7, except that the surfactant C was used in place of the surfactant A.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 8 An oil-based suspension concentrate was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a mixture (surfactant E) of polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether, dialkylsulfosuccinate, hydrogenated polyoxyethylene castor oil and fatty acid esters of polyglycerol, instead of the surfactant A.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 9 An oil-based suspension concentrate was prepared in the same manner as in Example 2, except that the surfactant E was used in place of the surfactant A.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 10 An oil-based suspension concentrate was prepared in the same manner as in Example 3, except that the surfactant E was used in place of the surfactant A. Now, test examples of the present invention will now be described.

EXAMPLE OF TEST 1 Each of the oil-based suspension concentrates obtained in the examples and comparative examples, was diluted with ion exchange water, and charged in a circulating bath of a particle size measuring apparatus (MICROTRAC HRA, model 9320- x100, HONEYELL), followed by circulation for 5 minutes. The size of the droplets of the diluted emulsion was measured from 1500 to 200 times. The results are shown in table 1.

TABLE 1 The conditions in this test correspond to a state where the herbicidal suspension is diluted with water at the time of application. The oil-based suspension concentrates prepared in comparative examples 1 to 3 corresponding to formulations similar to the formulations described in the examples of EP 0598515, the oil-based suspension concentrates were under a certain emulsified condition, while the oil-based suspension concentrates which were herbicidal suspensions of the present invention prepared in the examples 1 to 3, they were under a more finely emulsified condition, being excellent.

EXAMPLE OF TRIAL 2 Each of the oil-based suspension concentrates obtained in the examples and comparative examples was diluted with CIPAC standard deionized water 600 times, and the diluted concentrate was allowed to stand for 15 minutes. The diluted concentrate was placed in a measuring cell, and the measurement was carried out using a colorimeter (CT-310, manufactured by MINOLTA CAMERA Co.) by means of the colorimetric system L * a * b * (JIS Z 8729: 2004 ) to determine the color difference (? E) between the example and the corresponding comparative example of the following formula. The results are shown in table 2.? E = (? L2 +? A2 +? B2) / 2 TABLE 2 TABLE 2 (CONTINUED) The brightness (L *) is represented by a numerical value from 0 to 100, and the larger the value, the brighter the concentrate (the luminosity of the ion exchange water is approximately 100). As shown in Table 2, the luminosities of the oil-based suspension concentrates which are herbicidal suspensions of the present invention in Examples 1 to 3, are smaller than those of the corresponding Comparative Examples 1 to 3. Accordingly, it is understood that the oil-based suspension concentrates of Examples 1 to 3 have a more intense color (emulsified condition). In addition, the color difference (? E) is evaluated based on evaluation standards (unit of NBS, National Bureau of Standard) as shown in table 3 below and, as a result, there is a significant difference between the herbicidal suspensions of the present invention prepared in examples 1 to 3 and the concentrates prepared in the corresponding comparative examples 1 to 3.

TABLE 3 EXAMPLE OF TEST 3 Highland soil was filled in a pot of 1/1, 000,000 ha, and seeds of digitaria (Digitaria sanguinalis L.) were sown in the same, which were grown in a greenhouse. When the digitaria reached the three-leaf stage, a prescribed amount (17.5 g of active ingredient / ha) was diluted for each of the oil-based suspension concentrates prepared in the examples and comparative examples with water corresponding to 300 liters / ha, followed by foliar application. On the twenty-first day after the application of the herbicide, the growth of the digitaria was observed visually (growth inhibition index (%) = 0: untreated plot at 100: complete destruction), and the results shown in table 4 were obtained.

TABLE 4 EXAMPLE OF TEST 4 Highland soil was filled in a pot of 1/1, 000,000 ha, and corn seeds (Zea mays) were sown in the same, which were grown in a greenhouse in winter. When the corn reached the 3-leaf stage, a prescribed amount (90 g of active ingredient / ha) was diluted from each of the oil-based suspension concentrates prepared in the examples and comparative examples with water corresponding to 300 liters / ha, followed by foliar application. On the fourteenth day after the application of the herbicide, corn growth was observed visually and, as a result, oil-based suspension concentrates that were suspensions herbicides of the present invention prepared in Examples 1 to 3, exhibited a low degree of corn growth inhibition, and showed more excellent safety for the crops, as compared to the corresponding comparative examples 1 to 3.

EXAMPLE OF TEST 5 With respect to the oil-based suspension concentrates prepared in the above example and comparative example, the size of the droplets of the emulsion was measured according to test example 1 above. The results are shown in table 5.

TABLE 5 The oil-based suspension concentrate prepared in comparative example 4 corresponding to a formulation similar to the formulation described in the example of EP 0598515, was under a certain emulsified condition, while the oil-based suspension concentrate which was a herbicidal suspension of the present invention prepared in example 4, was under a more finely emulsified, being excellent.

EXAMPLE OF TRIAL 6 With respect to the oil-based suspension concentrates prepared in the examples and comparative examples above, the droplet size of the emulsion was measured according to test example 1 above. The results are shown in table 6.

TABLE 6 The oil-based suspension concentrates prepared in Comparative Examples 5 to 7 were under a certain emulsified condition, while the oil-based suspension concentrates which were herbicidal suspensions of the present invention prepared in Examples 5 to 7 were under one condition more finely emulsified, being excellent.

EXAMPLE OF TEST 7 With respect to the oil-based suspension concentrates prepared in the examples and comparative examples above, the droplet size of the emulsion was measured according to test example 1 above. The results are shown in table 7.

TABLE 7 The oil-based suspension concentrates prepared in comparative examples 8-10 corresponding to preparations described in the examples of EP 0598515 were under a certain emulsified condition, while the oil-based suspension concentrates which were herbicidal suspensions of the present invention prepared in Examples 1 to 3 were under a more finely emulsified condition, being excellent.

EXAMPLE OF TEST 8 With respect to the oil-based suspension concentrates prepared in the above example and comparative example, the luminosity and chromaticities were measured to determine the color difference according to test example 2 above. The results are shown in table 8.

TABLE 8 Since the luminosity (L *) of the oil-based suspension concentrate which is a herbicidal suspension of the present invention prepared in example 4, is small in comparison with the corresponding comparative example 4, it is understood that the suspension concentrate based on The oil of example 4 has a more intense color (emulsified condition). Furthermore, it is also understood that there is a significant difference between them with respect to the color difference (? E).

EXAMPLE OF TEST 9 With respect to the oil-based suspension concentrates prepared in the above examples and comparative examples, the luminosity and chromaticities were measured to determine the color difference according to test example 2 above. The results are shown in table 9.

TABLE 9 Since the luminosities (L *) of the oil-based suspension concentrates which are herbicidal suspensions of the present invention prepared in Examples 5 to 7 are small compared to the corresponding Comparative Examples 5 to 7, it is understood that the concentrates in oil-based suspension of the Examples 5 to 7 have a more intense color (emulsified condition). Furthermore, it is also understood that there is a significant difference between the example and the corresponding comparative example, with respect to the color difference (? E).

EXAMPLE OF TEST 10 With respect to the oil-based suspension concentrates prepared in the above examples and comparative examples, the luminosity and chromaticities were measured to determine the color difference according to test example 2 above. The results are shown in table 10.

TABLE 10 Since the luminosities (L *) of the oil-based suspension concentrates which are herbicidal suspensions of the present invention prepared in Examples 1 to 3, are small compared to the corresponding comparative examples 8 to 10, it is understood that the concentrates in suspension based on oil of the examples 1 to 3 have a more intense color (emulsified condition). Furthermore, it is also understood that there is a significant difference between the example and the corresponding comparative example, with respect to the color difference (? E).

Claims (17)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS

1. - A herbicidal suspension comprising (1) a sulfonylurea compound or its salt as a herbicidal component, (2) at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of an alkoxylated sorbitol fatty acid ester and a fatty acid ester of alkoxylated sorbitan, and (3) a water immiscible diluent. 2.- The herbicidal suspension in accordance with the claim 1, further characterized in that it comprises (1) from 0.5 to 20 parts by weight of a sulfonylurea compound or its salt, (2) from 0.5 to 35 parts by weight of at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of an ester of alkoxylated sorbitol fatty acid and an alkoxylated sorbitan fatty acid ester, and (3) a water immiscible diluent as the major component of the moiety. 3. The herbicidal suspension according to claim 1, further characterized in that it comprises (1) a sulfonylurea compound or its salt as a herbicidal component, (2) an alkoxylated sorbitol fatty acid ester as a surfactant, and ( 3) a diluent immiscible in water. 4. The herbicidal suspension according to claim 1, further characterized in that the sulfonylurea compound or its salt is at least one sulfonylurea compound selected from the group consisting of amidosulfuron, azimsulfuron, bensulfuron-methyl, chlorimuron-ethyl, chlorsulfuron, cinosulfuron, cyclo-sulfamuron, etamethysulfuron-methyl, ethoxysulfuron, flazasulfuron, flucetosulfuron, flupirsulfuron, foramsulfuron, halosulfuron-methyl, imazosulfuron, yodosulfuron, isosulfuron-methyl, mesosulfuron-methyl, metsulfuron-methyl, nicosulfuron, oxasulfuron, primisulfuron-methyl, prosulfuron, pyrazosulfuron-ethyl, rimsulfuron, sulfometuron-methyl, sulfosulfuron, thifensulfuron-methyl, triasulfuron, tribenuron-methyl, trifloxysulfuron, triflusulfuron- methyl and tritosulfuron, and its salt. 5.- The herbicide suspension in accordance with the claim 1, further characterized in that the water-immiscible diluent is at least one member selected from the group consisting of a vegetable oil, a fatty acid derived from a vegetable oil, an alkyl ester of the fatty acid and a mineral oil. 6.- The herbicide suspension in accordance with the claim 1, further characterized in that it comprises another surfactant. 7.- The herbicide suspension in accordance with the claim 2, further characterized in that it comprises from 0.5 to 55 parts by weight of another surfactant. 8.- The herbicide suspension in accordance with the claim 6, further characterized in that the other surfactant is at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant and an agent cationic surfactant. 9. The herbicidal suspension according to claim 6, further characterized in that the other surfactant is an anionic surfactant. 10. The herbicidal suspension according to claim 9, further characterized in that the anionic surfactant is an alkylaryl sulfonate. 11. The herbicidal suspension according to claim 6, further characterized in that the other surfactant is a nonionic surfactant. 1

2. The herbicidal suspension according to claim 11, further characterized in that the nonionic surfactant is at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of polyoxyethylene castor oil and hydrogenated polyoxyethylene castor oil. 1

3. The herbicidal suspension according to claim 6, further characterized in that the other surfactant is a cationic surfactant. 1

4. The herbicidal suspension according to claim 13, further characterized in that the cationic surfactant is an alkoxylated fatty amine. 1

5. The herbicidal suspension according to claim 6, further characterized in that it comprises as the other surfactant an alkylaryl sulfonate and an alkoxylated fatty amine. 1

6. The herbicidal suspension according to claim 6, further characterized in that it comprises as the other surfactant an alkylaryl sulfonate, polyoxyethylene castor oil and an alkoxylated fatty amine. 1

7. A method for the control of unwanted plants or to inhibit their growth, which comprises applying a herbicidally effective amount of the herbicidal suspension as defined in claim 1 to the unwanted plants, or to a site where they grow.