AGRICULTURAL PESTICIDES

Abstract: A preservative or sterilant of the type used in the food and/or brewing industry is used to kill pests on crop and ornamental plants comprising applying to them a preserv­ ative or sterilant of the type used. Novel compositions contain such a preservative or sterilant together with a coating agent, e.g. di-1-p-menthene, and possibly also a surface-active agent.

Description: This invention relates to pesticides for use in agriculture and horticulture, including the treatment of ornamental and crop plants. More particularly and indeed exclusively, it is concerned with the use as a pesticide of sodium metabisulphite, which has previously been used in food and drink preservation and for sterilization of utensils in the food and brewing industries. Sodium metabisulphite is capable of releasing sulphur dioxide. Sodium propionate and sodium ascorbate have also been so used. None of these compounds has hitherto been used in controlling fungal or bacterial infection in growing plants, whether grown for crop production or for ornamental purposes. In accordance with the present invention, sodium metabisulphite is used to kill pests on growing crop and ornamental plants by application to the plants. It may be used in conjunction with sodium propionate and/or sodium ascorbate. The effect of these three materials lasts only for a short time, sometimes as little as ten minutes, under agricultural conditions. However, such materials are readily available and inexpensive, are permitted food additives and are non-specific fungicides and bactericides, so that the establishment of resistance to them is unlikely. Used by itself at rates from 5 grams to 2.5 kg per hectare, sodium metabisulphite can offer a degree of fungal or bacterial control which is commercially useful in relating to its cost. A preferred embodiment of the present invention is based on the discovery that sodium metabisulphite, possibly in association with sodium propionate and/or sodium ascorbate, can be made into useful pesticide compositions (particularly fungicides and bactericides) of enhanced efficacy, persistance and rainfastness by also incorporating a coating agent into the composition. Such compositions may have a life of 2 hours or so and can usefully sterilize the leaf and surfaces of plants. The preferred coating agent that can be used in accordance with the invention is di-1- p -menthene (which normally occurs in association with its polymers). Other monoterpenes (C₁₀H₁₆) can also be used. The agents can be used in admixture with one another. Apart from monoterpenes, the following compounds are suitable, though this is not an exhaustive list:- 1. Terpene hydrocarbons of the elementary composition C₁₅H₂₄ (sesquiterpenes) 2. Terpene hydrocarbons of the elementary composition C₂₀H₃₂ (diterpenes) 3. Terpene hydrocarbons of the elementary composition C₃₀H₄₈ (triterpenes) 4. Terpenes having 40 carbon atoms (tetraterpenes) 5. Bicyclic and tricyclic monoterpenes and their derivatives (e.g. oxygenated derivatives) such as and pinene, d -camphor, d -borneol, d -tanacetone, β-thujone, d -Δ³-carene 6. Terpene resins (compounded with or without natural or synthetic rubbers) 7. Gum turpentine 8. Sulphate of turpentine 9. Wood turpentine 10. Pineoils 11. Terpineols 12. Non-oxidizing Alkyd Resins, e.g. those of the castor oil, coconut oil, hydrogenated castor oil, lauric acid, oil-free, saturated acid and synthetic fatty acid types 13. Oxidizing Alkyd Resins, e.g. acrylic-resin-modified dehydrated castor oil types, epoxide-resin-modified, isophthalic-acid-based types, linoleic-rich oil type, linseed oil types, linseed oil/dehydrated castor oil types, linseed oil/soya bean oil types, linseed oil/tung oil types, maleic-resin-modified, marine oil types, phenolic-resin-modified, rosin-modified, safflower seed oil types, silicone-resin-modified, soya bean oil types, soya bean oil/tung oil types, styrenated types, sunflowerseed oil types, tall oil types, tobaccoseed oil types, unmodified types, vinyltoluene-modified types and water-soluble types 14. Benzoguanamine resins 15. Styrene polymers and copolymers, e.g. polystyrene and styrene/maleic anhydride and butadiene/styrene copolymer resins 16. Carbamide resins 17. Copal ester resins 18. Coumarone-indene resins 19. Cresylic resins 20. Epoxy resins - e.g. dehydrated castor oil types, linseed oil types, linseed oil/rosin types, phenolic-resin-modified, soya bean oil types, styrenated types, vinyltoluene-modified, and unmodified types as well as those sold under the trade marks Epikote 205, Epikote 825, Epikote 828 and Epikote 1001 21. Epoxide melamine condensates 22. Epoxide phenolic condensates 23. Ester gums 24. Fumaric resins 25. Furan resins 26. Ketone resins 27. Maleic resins 28. Melamine resins - e.g. butylated types, hexamethoxymethyl types and formaldehyde condensates 29. Metallic rosinates - e.g. calcium or zinc resinates, zinc/calcium mixtures both rosin or modified rosin 30. Phenolic resins and modified phenolic resins - e.g. phenol/aldehyde resole condensates adducted to rosin or modified rosin, as well as phenol/formaldehyde resins 31. Phenoxy resins 32. Polybutadiene resins 33. Polybutene resins 34. Polycarbonate resins 35. Polyisobutylene resins 36. Polyester resins - e.g. polyacrylate and polymethacrylate ester resins 37. Polysulphide resins 38. Polyurethane resins - e.g. modified types and oil-modified types 39. Polyvinyl acetal resins 40. Polyether resins - e.g. polyvinyl ether resins 41. Polyvinyl formal resins 42. Rosin derivatives - e.g. esters of rosin, copal, rosin acids or rosin modified by hydrogenation, polymerization isomerization or disproportionation with glycerol, pentaerythritol or other polyhydric alcohols 43. Maleic/fumaric condensate resins - e.g. maleic or fumaric acid/anhydride adducts on rosin or modified rosins, their esters with glycerol, pentaerythritol or other polyhydric alcohols 44. Silicone resins and polymers 45. Urea resins - e.g. urea-formaldehyde 46. Xylene-formaldehyde resins 47. Natural gums/resins - e.g. accoroides, arabic, benzoin, copals, damar, elemi, gamboge, karaya, mastic, rosin, sandarac, shellac and tragacanth 48. Acrylic polymers and copolymers - e.g. polyacrylic acid, polyacrylamide, polyacrylonitrile, poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(ethyl acrylate/butyl acrylate) 49. Cellulose ethers - e.g. hydroxyethyl cellulose and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose 50. Cellulose esters - e.g. methyl cellulose 51. Hydrocarbon resins - e.g. petroleum resins 52. Polyamide resins 53. Rubbers - e.g. natural rubber, butyl, rubber, nitrile rubber, polychloroprene, rubber/oil emuline and polyurethane rubber and cyclized rubber resins 54. Vinyl polymers and copolymers other than those already mentioned - e.g. poly(vinyl acetate), poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinyl butyral), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), poly(vinyl acetate/vinyl chloride) and poly(vinyl acetate/acrylate) and 55. Natural drying oils, with or without metal accelerators - e.g. linseed oil and tung oil and mixtures of them. Sodium metabisulphite may be used (with or without a coating agent) in combination with fungicides or bacteriocides commonly used for such purposes in crop plants such as carbendazim, chlorothalonil, propiconazole, triadimefon and benomyl (United Kingdom Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Ref Book 380(84)). A surface-active agent, e.g. nonyl phenol ethylene oxide condensate, may also be applied with the fungicide or bactericide, in the presence or absence of a coating agent. The following Examples illustrate the method and compositions of the present invention. Four aqueous formulations were made up. The first two contained, on a w/v basis, the following ingredients. Formulation 1: sodium metabisulphite 0.1% Formulation 2: sodium metabisulphite 0.1%, sodium propionate 0.05%, sodium ascorbate 0.02% Formulations 1A and 2A corresponded respectively to each of Formulations 1 and 2, but each of them also contained, on a v/v basis, 0.25% of di-1- p -menthene and 0.025% of nonyl phenol ethylene oxide condensate. All these Formulations are in accordance with the present invention. The formulations were used to control powdery mildew (Erisiphe graminis) on spring barley, var. 'Triumph'. The plants were sprayed as soon as mildew development was seen. The plants were scored from 0 (no control) to 10(100% control) two weeks later.

Claims: The use of sodium metabisulphite to kill pests on growing crop and ornamental plants by application to the plants. A use as claimed in Claim 1, in which the sodium metabisulphite is used in a composition that also comprises a coating agent. A use as claimed in Claim 2, in which the coating agent is di-1- p -menthene. A use as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the sodium metabisulphite is used in a composition that also comprises sodium propionate and/or sodium ascorbate. A use as claimed in Claim 4, in which the composition also comprises a coating agent. A use as claimed in Claim 5, in which the coating agent is di-1- p -menthene.

Inventors: SAMPSON, MICHAEL JAMES
Applicants: SAMPSON, MICHAEL JAMES
Application year: 1985
Main classification: A01N27
IPC codes: A01N37, A01N43, A01N31, A01N61, A01N27, A01N59