Water-dispersible granules based on live organisms

It is an aim of this invention to provide spray formulations which include live organisms and which can be used as pesticides or plant treatment products and whose storage stability at room temperature is considerably higher compared with corresponding formulations of the prior art. Moreover, it is intended that the spray formulation can be handled with greater ease, that is to say that it is, for example, free-flowing, low in dust and readily measured out, in order to be more user friendly. This object is achieved by the preparation of special, water-dispersible granules. The granules according to the invention comprise: a) 5 to 80% by weight of spores or active units of one or more organisms which act as pesticides or plant treatment agents, b) 5 to 60% by weight of one or more suitable wetting agents and dispersants, c) 2 to 50% by weight of at least one protective substance which prevents desiccation, d) 5 to 70% by weight of magnesium silicate or aluminum silicate, e) 5 to 20% by weight of at least one substance which protects against UV radiation, and f) a residual water content of 2-10%.

EXAMPLE 1 
 Extruder WG of Beauveria bassiana A. Preparation of an Aqueous Dispersion of Beauveria: 1 % by weight Fungal spores 25 Genapol X-060 2.5 Glycerol 1.5 Sodium glutamate (protective 0.5 substances) Sodium alginate 0.5 Water 70 100.0 The components are mixed by stirring until a fine, highly-concentrated, homogeneous dispersion has formed. B. The resulting dispersion is sprayed onto a powder mixture while being kneaded continuously. The ratio by weight of dispersion to powder mixture is 8:7. The powder mixture used has the following composition: 2 % by weight Sucrose 7.1 Bentone EW 2.8 Bentonite 7C 28.5 Tecnocel 11.5 Kieselguhr 28.5 Saponit SKS 2C 1.5 Vanisperse CB 11.5 Geropon NK 2.8 Hostapon T 5.8 100.0 C. Using the resulting paste, the granules are prepared and dried in a fluidized-bed dryer at a product temperature of 30° C. until the residual moisture content is 6%. The final composition of the water-dispersible granules is: 3 % by weight Fungal spores 20 Genapol X 060 2 Glycerol 1.2 Sodium glutamate 0.4 Sodium alginate 0.4 Sucrose 5 Bentone EW 2 Bentonite 7C 20 Kieselguhr 20 Tecnocel 8 Vanisperse CB 8 Geropon NK 2 Hostapon T 4 Saponite SKS 2CV 1 Water 6 100.0 Using a key from 1 to 4, the spontaneous dispersibility is 2 (dispersing time 5 minutes). The suspendability is 87%. Using a 71 &mgr;m screen, the wet-screening residue is 0.7%; if a 250 &mgr;m screen is used, no residue is found. 
 EXAMPLE 2 
 Fluidized-bed WDG of Beauveria bassiana A. Preparation of the Aqueous Beauveria Dispersion: 4 % by weight Fungal spores 10 Genapol X-060 1 Glycerol 0.6 Sodium glutamate 0.2 Sodium alginate 0.2 Sucrose 2.5 Water 85.5 100.0 The components are stirred until a fine homogeneous dispersion has formed. B. A powder mixture is introduced into a fluidized bed, and the dispersion is sprayed onto this powder mixture at a product temperature of 30° C., and the product is subsequently dried. The ratio by weight of dispersion to powder mixture is 20:6.5. The powder mixture has the following composition: 5 % by weight Clarsol GFN-FR4 30.5 Kaolin 1777 23.5 Kieselguhr 23.5 Vanisperse CB 12 Geropon NK 3 Hostapon T 6 Saponit SKS 20 1.5 100.0 C. The final composition of the water-dispersible granules is as follows: 6 % by weight Fungal spores 20 Genapol X-060 2 Glycerol 1.2 Sodium glutamate 0.4 Sodium alginate 0.4 Sucrose 5 Clarsol FGN-FR4 20 Kaolin 1777 15 Kieselguhr 15 Vanisperse CB 8 Geropon NK 2 Hostapon T 4 Saponit SKS 20 1 Water 6 100.0 Using a key from 1 to 4, the spontaneous dispersibility of these granules is 1. The suspendability is 97%. If using a 71 &mgr;m screen, the wet-screening residue is 0.3%, if using a 250 &mgr;m screen, no residue is observed. 
 EXAMPLE 3 
 Oil-coated Beauveria Spores in Extruder WDG A. Preparation of the Suspoemulsion 7 % by weight Spores 25 Genapol X-060 2.5 Oil 3.7 Emulsogen EL-400 0.4 Water 68.4 100.0 B. A powder mixture is introduced into the kneader and sprayed with this highly concentrated suspoemulsion in a ratio by weight of 8:6.9. The powder mixture has the following composition: 8 % by weight Bentone EW 7.1 Bentonite 28.5 Kieselguhr 28.5 Tecnocel 14.3 Vanisperse CB 11.5 Geropon NK 2.8 Hostapon T 5.8 Saponit SKS 20 1.5 100.0 The granules are produced in an extruder and dried in a fluidized-bed dryer at a product temperature of 30° C. C. Final Composition of the WDG 9 % by weight Spores 20 Genapol X-060 2 Oil 3 Emulsogen EL-400 0.3 Bentone EW 3.7 Bentonite 20 Kieselguhr 20 Tecnocel 10 Vanisperse CB 8 Geropon NK 2 Hostapon T 4 Saponit SKS 20 1 Water 6 100.0 The spontaneous dispersibility is 2. The suspendability is 89%. If using 71 &mgr;m/250 &mgr;m screens, the wet-screening residue is 0.4/0. 
 EXAMPLE 4 
 UV Protection of Baauveria bassiana Spores in Extruder WDG by Means of TiO 2 A. Preparation of the Supoemulsion: 10 % by weight Fungal spores 20 Genepol X-060 2.5 Oil (corn oil) 5 Emulsogen EL-400 0.5 TiO 2 0.5 Water 66.5 100.0 B. A powder mixture is introduced into a kneader and sprayed with this suspoemulsion in a ratio by weight between dispersion and powder mixture of 8:6.7. The composition of the powder mixture is the same as in the case of the oil-coated spores. The final composition of the WDG is: 11 % by weight Fungal spores 20 Genapol X-060 2 Oil 5 Emulsogen EL-9.5 0.5 TiO 2 0.5 Bentone EW 3 Aluminum silicates 40 Cellulose 8 Vanisperse CB 8 Geropon NK 2 Hostapon T 4 Saponit 1 Water 6 100.0 The spontaneous dispersibility is 2. The suspendability is 90%. If using 71 &mgr;m/250 &mgr;m screens, the wet-screening residue is 0.4/0. 
 EXAMPLE 5 
 UV Protection of Beauveria bassiana Spores in Fluidized-bed WDG by Means of TiO 2 and ZnO. A. Preparation of the Suspoemulsion: 12 % by weight Fungal spores 10 Genapol X-060 1.75 Oil (groundnut oil) 2.5 Emulsogen EL-9.5 0.25 TiO 2 0.25 ZnO 0.25 The components are stirred until a fine homogenous dispersion has formed. B. A powder mixture is introduced into a fluidized bed, sprayed with the dispersion at a product temperature of 30° C. and dried. The ratio by weight of dispersion to powder mixture is 20:7. The final composition of the water-dispersible granules is: 13 % by weight Fungal spores 20 Genapol X-060 3.5 Oil (groundnut oil) 5 Emulsogen EL-9.5 0.5 TiO 2 0.5 ZnO 0.5 Clarsol FGN-FR4 20 Kaolin 1777 15 Kieselguhr 10 Benton EW 5 Saponit SKS 20 1 Vanisperse CB 8 Geropon NK 2 Hostapon T 3 Water 6 100.0 The spontaneous dispersibility of these granules is 1, the suspendability is 95%, and the wet-screening residue is 0.3%/0 if using 71/250 &mgr;m screens.