MXPA00000488A - Surfactants for use in agricultural formulations - Google Patents

Abstract

An adjuvant containing:(a) a C6-C22 fatty acid methyl ester ethoxylate having from 1 to about 200 moles of ethylene oxide;and (b) a component selected from the group consisting of nonionic surfactants, anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, alkyl esters, phytobland mineral oils, water soluble silicone surfactants, fatty acid dialkyl ethers, fatty acid dialkyl carbonates, vegetable oils, and mixtures thereof.

Description

SURFACTANTS FOR USE IN AGRICULTURAL FORMULATIONS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention, in general, relates to surfactants for agricultural formulations. More specifically, the invention relates to the use of ethoxylates of methyl, fatty acid ester as emulsifiers, dispersants, wetting agents and solvents for adjuvant concentrates, pesticidal compositions and other aqueous pesticidal compositions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Insecticides, insect repellents, fungicides, bactericides, bacteriostats, herbicides and plant growth regulators are normally formulated into different products for use in crops, for insect control, weed control and the like. Otherwise, the products can be formulated as liquids or powders or granules. Solvents, emulsifiers, dispersing agents and wetting agents are normally incorporated into these compositions to ensure the preparation of a uniform pesticidal formulation. These components of the formulation are also selected to ensure that the pesticidal composition will be uniformly dispersed or emulsified in a mixture in the tank at the point of application. Likewise, these have a third purpose which is to guarantee the optimum supply of the mixture preparation of the tank to the target pest or substrate. Sometimes these surfactants incorporated in the pesticide formulations are not sufficient to completely ensure stable mixtures in the tank when the mixtures in the tank contain multiple components. In the same way, it may be necessary to add adjuvants to the tank mixture for complete stability. It is widely known that the addition of adjuvants containing surfactants to the tank mixture will produce the desired stabilization. In addition, it has been demonstrated that additional amounts of surfactants enhance the pesticidal activity of many pesticides and there are multiple formulations of adjuvants that have been developed for this purpose. Surfactants are almost always components of these adjuvants in the range from minor components to a single component. Methyl esters of ethoxylated fatty acids are a class of nonionic surfactants that offer the advantage that they can be prepared from renewable resources, such as fats and natural oils. Methyl esters of ethoxylated fatty acids are easily biodegradable and have very low toxicity to water. These characteristics recommend methyl esters of ethoxylated fatty acids for pesticide formulators and adjuvant seekers to prepare product formulations with minimum levels of environmental impact and safe handling properties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION: The present invention relates to an adjuvant containing: (a) an ethoxylated fatty acid methyl ester corresponding to formula I: R1-CO- (CH2CH20) n-OCH3 (I) wherein Ri is a saturated or unsaturated alkylated group containing from about 6 to about 22 carbon atoms and n is an integer from 1 to about 200; and (b) a component selected from the group consisting of nonionic surfactants, cationic surfactant anionic surfactants, alkyl esters, soft mineral oils for plants, water soluble silicone surfactants, dialkyl ethers, fatty dialkyl carbonates, vegetable oils and mixtures thereof. The present invention also relates to a pesticide concentrate containing: (a) an ethoxylated fatty acid methyl ester; and (b) a biologically active ingredient. The present invention is also directed to an aqueous pesticidal composition containing: (a) an ethoxylated fatty acid methyl ester; (b) a biologically active ingredient; and (c) water. The present invention also relates to a process for the treatment of a target substrate that includes contacting the target substrate with the above-described aqueous pesticidal composition.

Description of the invention: In addition to the claims and in the operative examples, or where otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing amounts of ingredients or reaction conditions used herein are to be understood as modified in all cases by the "approximate" term. The term "target substrate" as used herein means a plant, plant pest, or a combination of a plant or a plant pest. A plant pest is defined as any living stage of any weed, insect, tick, nematode, slug, viper, protozoan and other invertebrate animals, bacteria, fungi, other parasitic plants or reproductive parts thereof, viruses or any other organism similar to or allied with any of the aforementioned, or any infectious substance that directly or indirectly injures or causes illness or damage in any of the plants or parts thereof, or any processed, manufactured or other products of the plants. The ethoxylated fatty acid methyl ester of the present invention can provide a variety of functions in agricultural applications. These functions include: (1) solubilization of the biologically active ingredients combined therewith; (2) it acts as a co-solvent when it is combined with other organic materials used in the formulation of the adjuvant and the pesticide concentrates; (3) it acts as an emulsifier for a biologically active ingredient when diluted with water; and (4) facilitates the improved application of an aqueous pesticidal composition, ready for use when applied to the target substrate, the methyl ester of suitable ethoxylated fatty acids include those of the formula X: RI-CO- (CH2CH20) n-0CH3 (I) wherein Ri is a saturated or unsaturated alkyl group containing from about 6 to about 22 carbon atoms, and preferably from about 1? to about 18 carbon atoms, and n is an integer from 1 to about 200, preferably from about 3 to about 100, and most preferably from about 5 to about 30.

The reason that the methyl ester of ethoxylated fatty acids of the formula I are capable of facilitating the functions described above is that because the methyl esters of fatty acids are soluble in oil, these allow the formulation of an adjuvant and / or concentrate pesticide containing different organic liquids, such as, for example, co-surfactants that include nonionic, anionic, cationic and amphoteric surfactants, as well as coadjuvant based on synthetic and vegetable oils. Once the methyl esters are ethoxylated, the ethylene oxide substituents make the methyl ester more soluble in water. Hence, when a pesticide concentrate containing a solvated biologically active ingredient and an ethoxylated methyl ester is diluted with water to form an aqueous, ready-to-use pesticide composition, the biologically active ingredient is easily emulsified into droplets when applied to a substrate. objective, allowing the biologically active ingredient to be dispersed throughout the substrate by the mechanism of surface chemistry. ~ Although a pesticide concentrate can be successfully formulated using only an ethoxylated methyl ester as a solvent / surfactant, it is often desirable to combine the. ethoxylated methyl ester with a co-surfactant / solvent to provide additional solubilization, emulsification, dispersion and wetting properties. Examples of co-surfactants / solvents include, for example, other non-ionic surfactants such as ethoxylated castor oils, ethoxylated alcohol, alkyl polyglucosides, glucamides and the like, anionic surfactants such as ether fatty alcohol sulfates, phosphate esters, sultanates and similar, cationic surfactants such as ethoxylated fatty amines and the like, alkyl esters such as methyl oleate, ethyl acetate and methyl soyate, soft mineral oils for plants, water soluble silicone surfactants, dialkyl ethers, fatty dialkyl carbonates, vegetable oils such as canola oil, soybean oil and similar, and mixtures thereof, usually employed in coadjuvants and pesticide compositions. The co-surfactant / solvent of the present invention will ordinarily be present in the composition in an amount of from about 1 to about 99% by weight, preferably from about 10 to about 95% by weight, and most preferably from about 25% by weight. to about 90% by weight, based on weight of the adjuvant. According to another embodiment of the present invention, a pesticidal concentrate is provided which contains a mixture of the adjuvant described above and a biologically active ingredient.

The biologically active ingredients suitable for use in the pesticidal concentrates of the present invention are generally selected from the group consisting of insecticides, insect repellents, fungicides, bactericides, bacteriostats, herbicides, and plant growth regulators, all of which are based on biologically active ingredients. Suitable insecticides include, for example, o- (2-isopropyl-4-methyl-6-pyrimidinyl) phosphorothioate o, o-diethyl, o-o-diethyl, 2- [(ethylthio) ethyl] phosphorodithioate, or - o, o-dimethyl, (3-methyl-4-nitrophenyl) thiophosphate, o-, o-dimethyl, s- (N-methylcarbamoylmethyl) phosphorodithioate, s- (N-methyl-N-formylcarbamoylmethyl) phosphorodithioate 0.0- dimethyl, S-2- [(ethylthio) ethyl] o-dimethyl, phosphorodithioate, sZ- [(ethylthio) ethyl] -phosphodithioate 0.0-diethyl, or, o-dimethyl-l-hydroxy-2, 2, 2-trichloroethylphosphonate, o, o-diethyl-o- (5-phenyl-3-isooxazolyl) phosphorothioate, o- (2, 5-dichloro-4-bromophenyl) phosphorothioate, o, o-dimethyl-o-) 3-methyl -4-metilmercaptofenil) thiophosphate, O-ethyl-cyanophenyl op-o-fenilfosforotiato, o, o-dimethyl-S- (1, 2-dicarboetoxietil) phosphorodithioate, 2-chloro- (2, 4, 5-trichlorophenyl) vinildimetilfosfato , 2-chloro-l- (2,4-dichlorophenyl) vinyldimethylphosphate, o, o-dimethyl-op-cyanophenylphosphorothioate, 2,2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate, o, o-diethyl 0-2,4-dichlorophenyl phosphorothi enoate, ethyl 0,0-dimethyl phosphorodithioate mercaptofenilacetato, s- [(6-chloro-2-oxo-3-benzooxazolinil) methyl] o, o-ditil phosphorodithioate, 2-chloro-l- (2, dichlorophenyl) vinyl diethylphosphate 0,0-diethyl o- (3-oxo-2-phenyl-2H-pyridazin-6-yl) phosphorothioate, 0,0-dimethyl S- (1-methyl-2-ethylsulfinyl) -ethyl phosphoratolate [sic], 0 , 0-dimethyl S-phthalimidomethyl fosforaditioato, 0,0-diethyl 2,2,2-trichloroethanol, 2- (p-tert-butyl-phenoxy) isopropyl-2'-chloroethyl sulfite, azoxybenzene, di- (p-chlorophenyl) -cyclopropyl carbinol, di [tri (2, 2-dimethyl-2-phenylethyl) tin] oxide, l- (4-chlorophenyl) -3- (2, 6-difluorobenzoyl) urea and S-tricyclohexyltin O, O-diisopropilfosforoditioato; 2-methy1-2- (methylthio) propionaldehyde or- (methylcarbamoyl) oxime; ethyl [2- (4-phenoxyphenoxy) ethyl] carbamate; butyl-2, 3-dihydro-2, 2-dimethylbenzofuran-7-yl N, N '-dimethyl-N, Nt-thiodicarbamate; 1-naphthyl methyl carbamate; 2- (ethylthiomethyl) phenyl methylcarbamate; 5- (4-phenoxybutyl) dimethylthiocarbamate; dimethyl N, N '- (thiobis (methyloxy) carbonyloxy) -bis (ethanimidothioate); (RS) -alpha-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl (RS) -2- (4-chlorophenyl) -3-methylbutyrate; (RS) -alpha-cyano-3-phenoxyphenyl- (RS-2, 2-dichloro-l- (4-ethoxyphenyl) -cyclopropanecarboxylate; (RS) -alpha-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl-N- (2-chloro-alpha , alpha, alpha, trifluoro-p-tolyl-D-valinate; 3-phenoxybenzyl- (1RS) -cis, trans-3- (2, 2-dichlorovinyl) -2, 2-dimethylcyclopropanedicarboxylate Insect repellents that can used include, but are not limited to, 2-ethyl-l, 3-hexanediol, N- ~ octyl bicycloheptan-dicarboximide, N, N-diethyl-M-toluamide [sic]; 2, 3: 4, Bis (2- butylene) tetrahydro-2-furaldehyde; Di-n- -propyl isocincomeronate; and 2-hydroxyethyl-n-octyl sulfide Fungicides that can be used include, but are not limited to 3,3 '-ethylnebis (tetrahydro-4, 6-dimethyl-2H-1, 3, 5-thiadiazine-2-thione), zinc or manganese ethylenebis (dithiocarbamate), bis- (dimetilditiocarbamoil disulfide, zinc propylenebis (dithiocarbamate), bis (dimetilditiocarbamoil) etilenadiamina; dimethyldithiocarbamate nickel, methyl -1 (butylcarbamoi i • -2-benzimidazole carbamate, 1,2-bis (3-methoxycarbon? i-2-thioureido) benzene, l-isopropylcarbamoyl-3- t, 5-dichlorophenyl) hydantoin, potassium N-hydroxymethyl-N-methyldithiocarbamate and 5-methyl-10-butoxycarbonylamino-l-yl dehidrodibenzo ?, (b, f) azepine; the fungicides of pyridine ~ mo_ zinc bis (l-hydroxy-2 (1H) pyridinthionate and 2-pyridinyl-ol-i-oxide sodium salt; or, o-diisopropyl s-benzylphosphorothiate and o-ethyl S, S-diphenyldithiophosphate; fungicides of phthalimide N- (2, 6-p-diethylphenyl) phthalimide and N- (2,6-diethylpheni) -4- methylphthalimide; dicarboxyimide fungicides such as N-trichloromethylthio 4-cyclohexen-1, 2- dicarboxiimide and -tetrachloroethylthio-4-cyclohexen-l, 2-dicarboxiimide, b, o-dihydro-2-methyl-l, 4-oxatin-3-carboxanilido-4, 4-dioxide and 5,6-dihydro-2-methyl- l, [sic] 4-oxatin-3-carboxanilide; Naphthoquinone fungicides such as 2, 3-dichloro-l, 4-naphthoquinone, 2-oxy-3-chloro-l, 4-naphthoquinone "copper sulfate, pentachloronitrobenzene; 1,4-dichloro-2,5-dimethoxybenzene; methyl-s-triazole- (3, 4-b) benzothiazole; 2- (thiocyanomethylthio) benzothiazole; 3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole; N-2, 3-dichlorophenyltetrachlorophthalamic acid [sic]; 5-ethoxy-3-trichloromethyl- 1,2,4-thiaziazole [sic]; 2,4-dichloro-6- (0-chloroanilino) -1,3,5-triazine; 2,3-dicyano-1,4-dithioanthraquinone; copper 8-quinoline; polioxin, validamycin, cycloheximide, iron methanosonate, diisopropyl 1,3-dithiolan-2-iridene malonate, 3-allyloxy-1,2-benzoisothiazole-1, 1-dioxide kasugamycin, Blasticidin S, 4, 5, 6, 7 tetrachlorophthalide; 3- (3,5-dichlorophenyl) 5-ethenyl-5-methyloxazolizin-2,4-dione [sic]; N- (3, 5-dichlorophenyl) -1,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1,2-dicarboxyimide; Sn-butyl-5'-para-t-butylbenzyl-N-3-pyridyldithiocarbonylimidate; 4-chlorophenoxy-3, 3-dimethyl-1- (1H, 1,3,4-triazol-1-yl) -2-butanone; methyl-D, LN- (2,6-di) methylphenyl) -N- [2'-methoxyacetyl) alaninate; N-propyl-N- [2- (2,4,6-trichlorophenoxy) ethyl] imidazole-1-carboxamide; N- (3,5-dichlorophenyl) succinimide; tetrachloroisophthalonitrile; 2-dimethylamino-4-methyl-5-n-butyl-6-hydroxypyrimidine; 2,6-dichloro-4-nitroaniline; 3-methyl-4-chlorobenzothiazol-2-one; 1,2,5,6-tetrahydro-4H-pyrrolol- [3, 2, 1-1, J] quinolin-2-one; 3 '-isopropoxy-2-methylbenzanilide; 1- [2- (2,4-dichlorophenyl) -4-ethyl-l, 3-dioxoran-2-ylmethyl] -1H, 1, 2,4-triazole; 1,2-benzisothiazolin-3-one; basic copper chloride; basic copper sulfate; N "-dichlorofluoromethylthio-N, N-dimethyl-N-phenylsulfamide; ethyl-N- (3-dimethylaminopropyl) thiocarbamate hydrochloride; piomycin; S, S-6-methylquinoxalin-2,3-dithyldithiocarbonate; zinc and maanneb complex [sic]; di-zinc bis (dimethyldithiocarbato) ethylenebis (dithiocarbamate) Plant growth regulators that may be employed include, but are not limited to, N-methoxycaronyl [sic] -N'-4-methylphenylcarbamoylethyl-isourea and 1- (4-chlorophenylcarbamoyl) -3-ethoxycarbonyl-2-methylisourea; other types of plant growth regulators such as sodium naphthalene acetate, 1,2-dihydropyridazine-3,6-dione and gibberellins; triazine herbicides such as 2-methylthio -4,6-bisethylamino-1,3,5-triazine, 2-chloro-4,6-bisethylamino-1,3,5-triazine, 2-methoxy-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino 1,3,5- triazine, 2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-s-triazine, 2-methylthio-4,6-bis (isopropylamino) -S-triazine and 2-methylthio-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-s-triazine; phenoxy herbicides such as 2, 4-d acid chlorofenoxyacetic acid and methyl, ethyl and butyl esters thereof. 2-Chloro-4-methylphenoxyacetic acid, 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid and methyl 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxybutylate; diphenyl ether herbicides such as 2,4,6-trichlorophenyl-4'-nitrophenylether, 2,4-dichlorophenyl-4'-nitrophenylether and 3,5-dimethylphenyl-4'-nitrophenylether; Urea herbicides such as 3- (3,4-dichlorophenyl) -1-methoxy-1-methylurea, 3- (3,4-dichlorophenyl) -1, 1-dimethylurea and 3- (4-chlorophenyl) -1, 1-dimethylurea; carbamate herbicides such as 3-methoxycarbonylaminophenyl-N- (3-methylphenyl) carbamate, isopropyl-N- (3-chlorophenyl) carbamate and methyl-N- (3,4'-dichlorophenyl) carbamate; uracil herbicides such as 5-bromo-3-sec-butyl-6-methyluracil and l-cyclohexyl-3,5-propylene-nuclide; thiolcarbamate herbicides such as s- (4-chlorobenzyl) -N, N-diethylthiocarbamate, s-ethyl-N-cyclohexyl-N-ethylthiolcarbamate and s-ethylhexahydro-1H-azepine-1-carbothioate and S-ethyl-N, N -di-n-propyl-thiocarbamate; pyridinium herbicides such as 1,1'-di-methyl-4,4'-bispyridinium dichloride, phosphoric herbicides such as N- (phosphonomethyl) glycine; aniline herbicides such as alpha, alpha, alpha-trifluoro-2, 6-dinitro-N, N-dipropyl-p-toluidine, 4- (methylsulfonyl) -2,6-dinitro-N, N-dipropylaniline and N [3], N [3] -diethyl-2,4-dinitro-6-trifluoromethyl-1,3-phenylenediamine; acidic acidic herbicides such as 2-chloro-2 ', 6'-diethyl-N- (butoxymethyl) acetanilide, 2-chloro-2', 6'-diethyl-N- (methoxymethyl) acetanilide and 3,4-dichloropropionanilide; pyrazole herbicides such as 1,3-dimethyl-4- (2,4-dichlorobenzoyl) -5-hydroxypyrazole and 1,3-di-methyl-4- (2,4-dichlorobenzoyl) -5- (p-toluenesulfonyloxy) pyrazole; 5-tert-butyl-3- (2,4-dichloro-5-isopropoxyphenyl) -1,3,4-oxadiazolin-2-opa; 2- [N-isopropyl, N- (4-chlorophenyl) carbamoyl] -4-chloro-5-methyl-4-isooxazolin-3-one; 3-isopropylbenzo-2-thia-l, 3-diazinon- (4) -2,4-dioxide and 3- (2-methylphenoxy) pyridazine. The biologically active ingredients of the present invention may be present in the concentrate in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 95% by weight, and preferably from about 5 to about 85% by weight, and most preferably from about 10 to about 80. % by weight, based on the weight of the concentrate. According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is thus provided a pesticidal concentrate containing: (a) from about 99.9 to about 5% by weight, preferably from about 95 to about 15% by weight, and most preferably from about 90 to about 20% by weight of the adjuvant described above; and (b) from about 0.1 to about 95% by weight, preferably from about 5 to about 85% by weight, and most preferably from about 10 to about 80% by weight of a biologically active ingredient. The precise amount of the biologically active ingredient contained in the pesticide concentrate will often depend on the specific end use application, i.e., the target substrate to be treated, the area to be treated, etc. In this way, it is within the ability of the applicator to determine the specific amount of the biologically active ingredient that is to be used for a particular application. According to another embodiment of the present invention, an aqueous pesticidal composition is also provided which contains from about 0.1% to about 103 by weight, and preferably from about 0.5 to about 5% by weight, based on the weight of the composition , of the pesticide concentrate described above. The precise amount of the dilution of the pesticide concentrate needed to form an aqueous pesticide composition ready for use again will depend on the specific application, i.e., it will depend on the specific application, i.e., on the target substrate to be treated, the area that is going to be treated, etc. Thus, once again this gives the ability of the applicator to determine the specific amount of water needed to dilute the pesticide concentrate. Finally, the present invention also provides a process for the treatment of a target substrate which includes contacting the target substrate with the above-described aqueous pesticidal composition. The present invention will be better understood from the following examples, all of which are intended to be illustrative only, and are not intended to unduly limit the scope of the invention in any way.

EXAMPLES Examples of adjuvant formulations: Example 1 Component ^%, / weight Cis methyl ester / 13 units EO 10% Methyl oleate 89% Water 1% Example 2 Component -_-- _% by weight Cis methyl ester w / 13 units EO 8% Methyl soyate 88% AGRIMUL® PG 2065 (*) 4% (*) AGRIMUL® PG 2065 surfactant - an alkyl polyglucoside in which the alkyl group contains 8 to 10 carbon atoms and has an average degree of polymerization of 1.7.

Example 3 Component _ _ _. -B? weight Methyl ester of Cß-io w / 3 units EO 6% Mineral oil 92% POE (4) lauryl alcohol 2% Examples of pesticide concentrates: Example 1: Component __ "% / weight Methyl ester of C 8 w / 13 units EO 13% Mild Laurate 42.5% Chloropyrophos 42T5% Dodecylbenze 2% calcium sulfonate Example 2: Component _ i / weight Cie methyl ester w / 13 units EO 4% Methyl canolate 82% AGRIMUL® PG 2065 2% Dodecylbenzene calcium sulfonate 2% 2,4 D octyl ester 10%

Claims (34)

1. An adjuvant containing: (a) an ethoxylated fatty acid methyl ester corresponding to formula I: R1-CO- (CH2CH20) n-OCH3 (I) wherein R ± is a saturated or unsaturated alkylated group containing from about 6 to about 22 carbon atoms and n is an integer from 1 to about 200; and (b) a component selected from the group consisting of nonionic surfactants, cationic surfactant anionic surfactants, alkyl esters, soft mineral oils for plants, water soluble silicone surfactants, dialkyl ethers, fatty dialkyl carbonates, vegetable oils and mixtures thereof.

The adjuvant of claim 1, wherein the ethoxylated fatty acid methyl ester is present in an amount of from about 1 to about 99% by weight, based on the weight of the adjuvant.

The adjuvant of claim 1, wherein the component is present in an amount of from about 1 to about 99% by weight, based on the weight of the adjuvant.

4. The adjuvant of claim 1, wherein the component is an alkyl ester.

5. The adjuvant of claim 1, wherein the component is a dialkyl ether of fatty acid.

The adjuvant of claim 1, wherein the component is a fatty acid dialkyl carbonate.

The adjuvant "of claim 1, wherein the component is a vegetable oil 8.

The adjuvant of claim 1, wherein the component is a mild mineral oil for the plants 9.

The adjuvant of claim 1, wherein the component is a non-ionic surfactant 10.

The adjuvant of claim 9, wherein the component is a nonionic surfactant is an alkyl polyglucoside 11.

The adjuvant of claim 1, wherein the component is an anionic surfactant.

The adjuvant of claim 1, wherein the component is a cationic surfactant

13. The adjuvant of claim 1, wherein the component is a water-soluble silicone surfactant

14. An adjuvant containing: (a) ) from about 10 to about 75% by weight of an ethoxylated grade acid methyl ester corresponding to formula I: R1-CO- (CH2CH20) n-OCH3 (I) wherein Ri is a saturated or unsaturated alkyl group containing e from about 12 to about 18 carbon atoms, n is an integer from 5 to about 30; and (b) from about 90 to about 25% by weight of a non-ionic co-surfactant, all weights being based on the weight of the adjuvant.

15. A pesticide concentrate consisting of: (a) a coadjuvant containing: (i) an ethoxylated fatty acid methyl ester corresponding to formula I: R1-CO- (CH2CH20) n-0CH3 (I) wherein Ri is a saturated or unsaturated alkyl group containing from about 6 to about 22 carbon atoms, n is an integer from 1 to about 200; and (ii) a component selected from the group consisting of nonionic surfactants, anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, alkyl esters, mild mineral oils for plants, silicone surfactants soiuoles in water, dialkyl ethers of fatty acids, dialkyl carbonates of fatty acids , vegetable oils and mixtures thereof; and (b) a biologically active ingredient.

16. The concentrate of claim 15, wherein the ethoxylated fatty acid methyl ester is present in an amount of from about 1 to about 99 by weight, based on the weight of the adjuvant.

17. The concentrate of claim 15 wherein the component is present in an amount of from about 1 to about 99% by weight, based on the weight of the adjuvant.

18. The concentrate of claim 15 wherein the component is an alkyl ester

19. The concentrate of claim 15, wherein the component is a dialkyl ether of fatty acid.

20. The concentrate of claim 15, wherein the component is a dialkyl carbonate of fatty acid.

21. The concentrate of claim 15, wherein the component is a vegetable oil.

22. The concentrate of claim 15, wherein the component is a mild mineral oil for the plants.

23. The concentrate of claim 15, wherein the component is a non-ionic surfactant.

24. The concentrate of claim 23, wherein the nonionic surfactant is an alkyl polyglucoside.

25. The concentrate of claim 15, wherein the component is an anionic surfactant.

26. The concentrate of claim 15, wherein the component is a cationic surfactant.

27. The concentrate of claim 15, wherein the component is a water soluble silicone surfactant.

The concentrate of claim 15, wherein the biologically active ingredient is selected from the group consisting of insecticides, insect repellents, fungicides, bactericides, bacteriostats, herbicides, plant growth regulators and mixtures thereof.

29. The concentrate of claim 15, wherein the active ingredient is present in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 95% by weight, based on the weight of the concentrate.

30. The concentrate of claim 15, wherein the biologically active ingredient is present in an amount of from about 5 to about 85% by weight, based on the weight of the concentrate.

31. A pesticide concentrate containing: (a) from about 90 to about 20% by weight of an adjuvant, the adjuvant consists of: (i) from about 10 to about 75% by weight of a corresponding methyl ester of ethoxylated fatty acid to the formula I: R1-CO- (CH2CH20) n-OCH3 TD wherein Ri is a saturated or unsaturated alkyl group containing from about 10 to about 18 carbon atoms, n is an integer from about 5 to about 30; and (ii) from about 90 to about 25% by weight of a nonionic co-surfactant, the weights of (i) and (ii) being based on the weight of the adjuvant; and (b) from about 10 to about 80% by weight of a biologically active ingredient, the weights of (a) and (b) being based on the weight of the concentrate.

32. An aqueous pesticidal composition containing: (a) from about 0.1 to about 10% by weight of the pesticidal concentrate of claim 16.

33. A process for treating a target substrate consisting of contacting the substrate with the aqueous pesticidal composition of claim 32.

34. The process of claim 33, wherein the target substrate is selected from the group consisting of a plant, a plant pest, and a combination of plant and a plant pest.