Patent ID: 8747874

Claim:
A method for controlling a turfgrass pest comprising: applying to turfgrass an oil-in-water emulsion comprising a paraffinic oil and a quick break emulsifier, wherein the oil-in-water emulsion quickly breaks upon application to the turfgrass to release the paraffinic oil from the oil-in-water emulsion, and the oil-in-water emulsion is applied to provide a dosage of paraffinic oil to the turfgrass that is effective for controlling the turfgrass pest; wherein: the paraffinic oil comprises a paraffin having a carbon number ranging from about C16 to about C35, with an average carbon number of about C23, and the paraffinic oil has a paraffin content of about 99%; the quick break emulsifier comprises polyoxyethylene lauryl ether, C 10 to C 16 alcohol ethoxylates and glycerol oleate; the weight ratio of the paraffinic oil to the quick break emulsifier is about 99.2:0.8; and the dosage of paraffinic oil ranges from about 10 gal/acre to about 20 gal/acre; wherein the turfgrass pest is selected from the group consisting of an insect, a fungus, and a microorganism; and wherein the oil-in-water emulsion is effective in controlling the turfgrass pests without added synthetic chemical pesticides.