Some physicochemical factors influencing foliar uptake enhancement of glyphosatemono(isopropylammonium) by polyoxyethylene surfactants

Structure-concentration–foliar uptake enhancement relationships between commercial polyoxyethylene primary aliphatic alcohol (A), nonylphenol (NP), primary aliphatic amine (AM) surfactants and the herbicide glyphosatemono(isopropylammonium) were studied in experiments with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and field bean (Vicia faba L.) plants growing under controlled-environment conditions. Candidate surfactants had mean molar ethylene oxide (EO) contents ranging from 5 to 20 and were added at concentrations varying from 0·2 to 10 g litre^?-1 to [¹⁴C]glyphosate formulations in acetone–water. Rates and total amounts of herbicide uptake from c. 0·2–μl droplet applications of formulations to leaves were influenced by surfactant EO content, surfactant hydrophobe composition, surfactant concentration, glyphosate concentration and plant species, in a complex manner. Surfactant effects were most pronounced at 0·5 g acid equivalent (a.e.) glyphosate litre^?-1 where, for both target species, surfactants of high EO content (15–20) were most effective at enhancing herbicide uptake: surfactants of lower EO content (5–10) frequently reduced, or failed to improve, glyphosate absorption. Whereas, at optimal EO content, AM surfactants caused greatest uptake enhancement on wheat, A surfactants gave the best overall performance on field bean; NP surfactants were generally the least efficient class of adjuvants on both species. Threshold concentrations of surfactants needed to increase glyphosate uptake were much higher in field bean than wheat (c. 2 g litre^?-1 and < 1 g litre^?-1, respectively); less herbicide was taken up by both species at high AM surfactant concentrations. At 5 and 10 g a.e. glyphosate litre^?-1, there were substantial increases in herbicide absorption and surfactant addition could cause effects on uptake that were different from those observed at lower herbicide doses. In particular, the influence of EO content on glyphosate uptake was now much less marked in both species, especially with AM surfactants. The fundamental importance of glyphosate concentration for its uptake was further emphasised by experiments using formulations with constant a.i./surfactant weight ratios. Any increased foliar penetration resulting from inclusion of surfactants in 0·5 g litre^?-1 [¹⁴C]glyphosate formulations gave concomitant increases in the amounts of radiolabel that were translocated away from the site of application. At these low herbicide doses, translocation of absorbed [¹⁴C]glyphosate in wheat was c. twice that in field bean; surfactant addition to the formulation did not increase the proportion transported in wheat but substantially enhanced it in field bean.     

Relative solubilities of bifenox and 1-naphthylacetic acid (NAA) in plant cuticles and in selected pure or aqueous glycol additives

The driving force for foliar penetration is the product of the partition coefficient (K) between the cuticle and the formulation residue, and the concentration of the active ingredient in the spray residue. Ethylene glycols and polyethylene glycols (PEGs) are often contained in commercial formulations, because they are good solvents and not toxic. Since they are humectants, the water content of the formulation residue varies with humidity of the air. At 25°C and 65% relative humidity PEG 400 contains about 50% water. The partition coefficients for the lipophilic herbicide, bifenox, increased with increasing water content of the ethylene glycols and PEGs, such that log K was a linear function of the mass fraction of water or PEG. The K value was about 0·5 for the system cuticle/pure PEG and 27500 for the system cuticle/water. When PEG contained 50% water, K was only 110. Partition coefficients of bifenox between cuticle and ‘Tween’ 80 depended also on humidity, having values of 0·75 in cuticle/pure ‘Tween’ 80 and 29·1 when ‘Tween’ 80 contained 50% water. With 1-naphthylacetic acid (NAA), which is a weak acid, partition coefficients also depended on water content of PEG 400, but a maximum curve was obtained. The maximum partition coefficient (211) was observed with a mixture of 30% PEG 400 and 70% water, which corresponded to a humidity of 88%. We suggest that this is due to an effect of PEG 400 on the ionisation of NAA. Our data demonstrate that partition coefficients are affected by humidity, because solubilities of lipophilic compounds and weak acids in PEG/water mixtures vary greatly with the water content. This in turn affects driving forces, mainly by the effect of humidity on partition coefficient. With non-ionisable lipophilic compounds, partition coefficients, driving forces and rates of foliar uptake therefore increase with increasing humidity. © 1998 SCI     

The effects of six adjuvants on the rainfastness of chlorpyrifos formulated as an emulsifiable concentrate

The chemically different adjuvants ‘Agral’, ‘Bond’, ‘Codacide Oil’, Li 700, ‘Silwet L’-77, and ‘Headland Guard’ were assayed to determine their effects on the rainfastness of an emulsifiable concentrate formulation of the organophosphorus pesticide chlorpyrifos. Cabbage leaves were each treated with 200×0.25-μl droplets of diluted formulation using a hand-held microapplicator. Droplet deposits were left to air-dry for 1 h prior to exposure to simulated rainfall. Rain fastness was assessed using GC residue analyses of treated leaves after exposure to 10, 20 or 30 min simulated rainfall. The results indicated that the latex-based adjuvants ‘Bond’ and ‘Headland Guard’ induced a statistically significant increase in rainfastness, results for the other adjuvants assayed being either not significant or inconclusive. The results are discussed within the context of using adjuvants to enhance insecticide efficacy. ©1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

Relevance of the deposit structure for the uptake and bio-efficacy of diquat,as monitored by the spatially resolved chlorophyll fluorescence

Aim of our study was to exploit the relation between deposit structure at the microscale and the uptake and biological efficacy of herbicides. For this purpose, we analysed the relevance of the deposit structure of diquat dibromide, as affected by surfactants, on the spatially resolved chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) and the desiccation of the leaves. The present study is a sequential work to our studies with the systemic compound glyphosate. On that basis, we hypothesized here that larger deposits of diquat are negatively related to the bio-efficacy of the compound. By using selected ethoxylated rapeseed oil adjuvants (RSO 5, RSO 10, RSO 30, RSO 60) we influenced the deposit properties of diquat dibromide droplet residue on the leaves of easy-to-wet Viola arvensis and the difficult-to-wet Chenopodium album species. With the spatially-resolved pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) ChlF technique we demonstrated the effect of diquat on the physiology of the tissue. As shown, the RSO surfactants did not affect the area of diquat residue on the easy-to-wet leaves of V. arvensis; this trend is similar to those observed for ChlF and the herbicide desiccation potential. In contrary, on C. album, decreased deposit area of diquat droplet was associated with increased effect on ChlF parameters and increased desiccation potential of the herbicide, thus explaining its higher foliar uptake.     

Basis for changes in glyphosate phytotoxicity to barley by the non-ionic surfactants Tween 20 and Renex 36*

The non-ionic surfactants, Tween 20 (polyoxy-ethylene 20 sorbitan monolaurate) and Renex 36 (polyoxyethylene 6-tridecyl ether) enhanced the retention of a glyphosate-dye spray solution by barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) leaves. Tween 20 also enhanced absorption of ¹⁴C-glyphosate applied as droplets to barley leaves whereas Renex 36 similarly applied, reduced both absorption and movement of ¹⁴C-glyphosate. Renex 36 alone or mixed with glyphosate increased leakage of electrolytes from barley leaf segments whereas neither Tween 20 nor glyphosate, alone or mixed together, had any effect. No ¹⁴C-glyphosate complexes were detected in mixtures with either surfactant and neither surfactant affected the pH of the glyphosate solution. The results indicate that the reported enhancement of glyphosate phytotoxicity by Tween 20 is due to increased retention and absorption of the herbicide while the reported antagonism caused by Renex 36 is due to reduced glyphosate absorption and movement possibly as a result of alteration of membrane integrity.     

Surfactant and salt affect glyphosate retention and absorption

The influence of nonylphenoxy surfactants and glyphosate salt formulation on spray retention, phytotoxicity and [¹⁴C]glyphosate uptake was investigated in wheat (Triticum aestivum L). and Kochia scoparia L. The amount of spray retained, and uptake of [¹⁴C]glyphosate increased with increasing hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) value of surfactants. The volume of spray delivered to the plant treatment area and retained by wheat and K. scoparia plants increased with increasing surfactant HLB values, but this only partly accounted for the higher spray retention. Spray retention by leaves of plants was not affected by calcium chloride, either alone or with ammonium sulphate in the glyphosate spray solution. [¹⁴C]Glyphosate absorption by wheat and K. scoparia was reduced by calcium chloride alone, but not in mixtures with ammonium sulphate, regardless of surfactant. Phytotoxicity and uptake of glyphosate salt formulations for wheat was: isopropylamine > ammonium > sodium > calcium; these results indicate that the surfactant selected is important to maintain glyphosate efficacy and that sodium and calcium cations antagonize glyphosate by forming salts that are absorbed less than commercial isopropylamine formulations.     

Reinvestigating adjuvants for the wild oat herbicide,flamprop-M-isopropyl. I: Glasshouse trials

Commercial formulations of flamprop-M-isopropyl and formulations of other members of this class of herbicide have always contained an oil adjuvant to increase herbicidal performance. Further increases of performance could be obtained by following the label recommendations to add further quantities of a commercial emulsifiable oil (e.g. ‘Swirl’). Nevertheless it was judged that, in view of current advances in adjuvant research, even greater improvements in herbicidal performance could be obtained with different types of adjuvants. Experimental trials using a cultivated oat (Avena sativa L.) assay under glasshouse conditions to test ranges of surfactants (alkyl aryl, alkyl saccharide, alkylamine and alcohol ethoxylates) and emulsifiable oils (paraffinic/naphthenic, rape seed, transmethylated rape seed) showed that all of these adjuvants were capable of increasing flamprop-M-isopropyl activity compared with that of an emulsifiable concentrate formulation containing no adjuvant. Alkylamine and alcohol ethoxylates, with no particular preference for the length of the alkyl chain, but optimum ethylene oxide content of 5 moles and 7–10 moles respectively, were the most efficacious and better than the current emulsifiable oil system. There was no additional benefit from mixture of these two types of adjuvant and an alcohol ethoxylate (‘Dobanol’ 25-7) was preferred on cost grounds. This adjuvant also gave substantial activity to the otherwise inactive suspension concentrate formulation. Final trials determined that the optimum application rate of ‘Dobanol’ 25–7 was in the range 1000–1500 g ha^?1, and this information guided the design of subsequent field trials.     

Effects of relative humidity and substrate on the spatial association between glyphosate and ethoxylated seed oil adjuvants in the dried deposits of sessile droplets

BACKGROUND: In recent years, several studies have shown the impact of adjuvants on the characteristics of herbicide deposits on leaf surfaces. Until now, most studies have addressed the distribution of active ingredients (AIs), whereas few experiments have focused on the location of the adjuvants. The objective of this study was a systematic examination of the particle distribution profile of both the AI (glyphosate, Gly) and the adjuvants after the application of sessile microdroplets on hydrophobic (Teflon) and hydrophilic (glass and aluminium) model surfaces. RESULTS: The association degree (AD) was surface dependent and specific for the tested adjuvants. In general, the rather hydrophobic adjuvant RSO 5 showed decreasing AD with Gly at increasing relative humidity (RH) levels. The rather hydrophilic RSO 60 adjuvant displayed higher AD between the compounds at a higher RH. A high concentration of the adjuvant reduced the AD for both of the RSO adjuvants evaluated. CONCLUSION: The combination of surface properties, the type of adjuvant and the relative humidity determines the degree of association between Gly and the adjuvants. The present results suggest that the interaction between the AI and an adjuvant determines whether spatial separation occurs, whereas physical processes (e.g. capillary particle movement, inward and outward Marangoni flows and the evaporation rate) are decisive for the extent of the separation. Coffee‐ring structures were formed exclusively with the adjuvant + Gly mixtures, whereas Gly alone formed either one big deposit or several small islands distributed within the droplet footprint. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Persistence to rainwashing of DDT wettable powders

The amounts of DDT removed by ‘rainwashing’ deposits of wettable powders on glass or cotton leaf surfaces were greatly diminished if the powders were formulated with amine stearates. The age and the density of the deposit affected retention to a lesser degree. Rates of loss by ‘rainwashing’ the deposits from both types of surface could be described in general terms by double exponential equations. The initial rate at which DDT penetrated into cotton leaves, but not the amount that penetrated after several weeks in the laboratory at 20°c, was influenced by the presence of amine stearates in the formulation (which formed stearic acid in the deposits). The proportional amounts, and the total amounts, of DDT that penetrated from these unweathered deposits depended on the deposit density.     

Green nano-emulsion intervention for water-soluble glyphosate isopropylamine (IPA) formulations in controlling Eleusine indica (E. indica)

This article describes the development of environmentally friendly nano-emulsion system for water-soluble herbicide application. Pseudoternary phase diagrams were established in the emulsion system of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs)/alkylpolyglucosides (APG) and/or 3-(3-hydroxypropyl)-heptamethyltrisiloxane (organosilicone)/water encompassed with 41% (w/w) glyphosate isopropylamine (IPA) as herbicide active. Pre-formulations were selected from isotropic (L) region in the phase diagrams and their emulsion system characteristics were determined. The microemulsion systems were chosen and then dispersed into water using low-energy stirring method (200 rpm for 5 min). Oil-in-water (O/W) nano-emulsions were formed with particle sizes of diameter less than 200 nm. The nano-emulsion systems showed significantly lower surface tension than a commercial formulation (Roundup®). In the biological application study, treatments of nano-emulsion formulations and Roundup® were applied on narrow-leaved weed Eleusine indica. Multiple doses of glyphosate IPA of the treatments were applied for the construction of dose-response curves for determination of effective dose (ED₅₀). The nano-emulsion formulation showed lower ED₅₀ was 0.40 kg a.e./ha in controlling the weed than Roundup® was 0.48 kg a.e./ha. This finding suggested that the possibility of using nano-emulsion system to increase penetration and uptake of glyphosate IPA.     

Comparison of commercial glyphosate formulations for control of prickly sida, purple nutsedge, morningglory and sicklepod

The efficacy of the commercial glyphosate [( N -phosphonomethyl) glycine] formulations Roundup Ultra, Touchdown and Engame were compared for the control of prickly sida ( Sida spinosa L.), morningglory ( Ipomeae hederacea var. integriuscula Gray), sicklepod ( Senna obtusifolia L.) and purple nutsedge ( Cyperus rotundus L.). Engame is a new formulation of glyphosate that contains glyphosate acid and 1-aminomethanamide dihydrogen tetraoxosulfate (AMADS), a proprietary mixture of sulfuric acid and urea, other than glyphosate salt and surfactants. Injury by Engame differed from Roundup Ultra and Touchdown in that necrotic lesions formed on leaves several hours after treatment. Leaves of very susceptible species, such as prickly sida, were rapidly, although incompletely, desiccated and then became chlorotic and died in a manner typical of other glyphosate formulations. Engame was 2–3 times more active to growth inhibition than either the Roundup Ultra or Touchdown formulations, based on GR₅₀ comparisons expressed on an acid equivalent basis. The GR₅₀ estimates did not change over the 3 week evaluation period for prickly sida and purple nutsedge, and after 2 weeks after treatment for morningglory. The GR₅₀ estimates for sicklepod decreased over the 3 week evaluation period indicating a slower response to glyphosate. The application of AMADS alone caused minute necrotic lesions on sicklepod and purple nutsedge, and lesions up to 3 mm in diameter on prickly sida and morningglory. Further injury from AMADS was not noted and plants resumed growth without apparent delay. At glyphosate rates above 1120 g ha⁻¹, greater than 80% control was achieved at 7 days after treatment. These results demonstrate that glyphosate efficacy can be further enhanced by formulations that apparently improve uptake and translocation.     

Joint action of amino acid biosynthesis-inhibiting herbicides

The joint action of binary mixtures of the amino acid biosynthesis‐inhibiting herbicides glyphosate, glufosinate‐ammonium, metsulfuron‐methyl and imazapyr was assessed in pot experiments applying the Additive Dose Model (ADM). Plants of Sinapis arvensis or S. alba were sprayed with seven doses of the herbicides alone and binary fixed‐ratio mixtures of the four herbicides. In total, 73 binary mixtures were studied in six separate experiments. Mixtures of glyphosate and glufosinate‐ammonium were less phytotoxic than predicted by ADM whether commercial formulations or technical grade products were applied. In contrast, mixtures of glyphosate and metsulfuron‐methyl, glyphosate and imazapyr, glufosinate‐ammonium and metsulfuron‐methyl, glufosinate‐ammonium and imazapyr, and metsulfuron‐methyl and imazapyr either followed ADM or were synergistic. Synergism was observed most frequently for mixtures of glyphosate or glufosinate‐ammonium with metsulfuron‐methyl. Synergism was also more pronounced for commercial formulations of glyphosate and glufosinate‐ammonium than for the corresponding technical grade formulations, implying that synergism was caused by the presence of the formulation constituents of the commercial glyphosate and glufosinate‐ammonium formulations in the spray solution.     

Effects of some nonionic polyoxyethylene surfactants on uptake of ethirimol and diclobutrazol from suspension formulations applied to wheat leaves

The influence of a number of commercial nonionic polyoxyethylene surfactants on the foliar penetration and movement of two systemic fungicides, ethirimol and diclobutrazol, was studied in outdoor-grown wheat plants at different growth stages and post-treatment temperatures in two consecutive growing seasons. Both fungicides were applied as ca 0·2 μl droplets of aqueous suspension formulations containing 0·5 g litre^?1 of ¹⁴C-labelled active ingredient; surfactants were added to these suspensions at concentrations ranging from 0·2-10 g litre^?1. To achieve optimum uptake of each fungicide the use of surfactants with different physicochemical properties was required. For diclobutrazol, a lipophilic compound, uptake of radiolabel was best with surfactants of low mean molar ethylene oxide (E) content (5-6) but it was necessary to use concentrations of ca 5 g litre^?1 to attain this. The surfactant threshold concentration for uptake enhancement of radiolabel from ethirimol formulations (< 2 g litre^?1) was much lower than that for diclobutrazol but surfactants with E contents > 10 induced the greatest amount of uptake. For both fungicides, surfactants with an aliphatic alcohol hydrophobe were generally more efficient in promoting their uptake than those with a nonylphenol moiety. The sorbitan-based surfactant ‘Tween 20’ proved to be an effective adjuvant only for the ethirimol formulation; the uptake enhancing properties of the block copolymer ‘Synperonic PE/F68’ were weak. Uptake performance could not be related to the spreading properties of the respective formulations on the wheat leaf surface or to differences in solubilisation of the two fungicides by the surfactants. Although surfactants could substantially increase the amount of acropetal transport of radiolabel from both fungicides, none of those tested specifically promoted it; a constant proportion of the radioactive dose absorbed by a treated leaf was usually exported away from the site of application. The results are discussed in the light of current theories about the mode of action of surfactants as spray adjuvants.     

Effect of Adjuvants on the Therapeutic Activity of Dimethomorph in Controlling Vine Downy Mildew. I. Survey of Adjuvant Types

The effect of adjuvants on the performance of emulsifiable concentrate (EC) and wettable powder (WP) formulations of dimethomorph, a new systemic Oomycete fungicide, has been investigated using a two-day therapeutic (curative) assay with downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola, Berl. & de T.) on vines (Vitisvinifera L., cv. Cabernet Sauvignon) in glasshouse trials. The EC formulation had some therapeutic activity in this type of test. This activity was increased by the spray tank incorporation of 6 g litre⁻¹ of either emulsifiable rape seed oil (‘Atplus’ 412) or emulsifiable paraffinic oil (‘Atplus’ 411F). However, these improvements in performance were overshadowed by those brought about by incorporation of 3 g litre⁻¹ of a series of C₁₃/C₁₄ alcohol ethoxylates varying in ethylene oxide content from 5 to 20 moles:(‘Marlipal’ 34/6EO, 34/11EO, 34/20EO). Nearly complete fungal control was obtained in the presence of these adjuvants with a dimethomorph application rate of 25 g ha⁻¹ compared with only around 90% control at 400 g ha⁻¹ without adjuvants. The WP formulation was inactive in this therapeutic test but the presence of the adjuvants improved the performance of this formulation towards the high levels observed with the EC plus adjuvants, demonstrating that adjuvants could markedly influence the performance of solid, otherwise therapeutically inactive, dimethomorph formulations. Further trials examined other types of adjuvants (nonylphenol, alkylamine and silicone ethoxylates) but either they were no better than the alcohol ethoxylates or they induced unacceptable phytotoxicity. Trials with alcohol ethoxylates (‘Genapols’) from another source demonstrated activity equivalent to the ‘Marlipal’ surfactants. A two-factorial matrix experiment with ‘Genapol’ C050 showed that, under glasshouse conditions, >90% control could be obtained with the dimethomorph EC at 25 g AI ha⁻¹ with 375 g ha⁻¹ ‘Genapol’ C050. Applications of the WP formulation required slightly higher rates of either 50 g AI ha⁻¹ plus 375 g ha⁻¹ ‘Genapol’ C050 or 25 g AI ha⁻¹ plus 750–1500 g ha⁻¹ ‘Genapol’ C050. The overall conclusion was that alcohol ethoxylates varying in alkyl chain length from C₁₂ to C₁₈ and ethylene oxide content between 5 and 20 moles for the C₁₂ surfactants and ∽15 moles for the C₁₈ surfactants were effective adjuvants in promoting the therapeutic activity of dimethomorph formulationsagainst P. viticola on glasshouse-propagated vines.     

Promotion of stomatal infiltration of glyphosate by an organosilicone surfactant reduces the critical rainfall period

The addition of the organosilicone surfactant ‘Silwet L77’ at 1-5 ml litre^?1 to formulated glyphosate gave complete surface wetting on application to the adaxial leaf surface of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). The wetting characteristics of the solution were associated with rapid foliar uptake and near maximal uptake in 3 h compared to greater than 5 h in the absence of ‘Silwet L77’. Evidence is presented showing that solutions containing ‘Silwet L77’ rapidly infiltrate stomata. Rapid uptake did not occur after application to the astomatous abaxial surface of perennial ryegrass leaves. The rapid rate of glyphosate uptake reduced the critical rainfall period to 2 h or less, compared to up to 10 h in the absence of ‘Silwet L77’. The use of ‘Silwet L77’ has major practical implications for the use of glyphosate in regions with unpredictable rainfall or high rainfall frequency.     

Saflufenacil efficacy on horseweed and its interaction with glyphosate

Saflufenacil is a new herbicide on the market and its effectiveness on horseweed, several populations of which have evolved resistance to glyphosate, is not clear. In this research, the effect of adjuvants on the control of horseweed with saflufenacil in the field, the effect of the interaction between glyphosate and saflufenacil on glyphosate‐resistant and glyphosate‐susceptible horseweed and the patterns of uptake and translocation of glyphosate applied alone and in combination with saflufenacil in horseweed were evaluated. The addition of methylated seed oil to saflufenacil provided the best control of horseweed, with crop oil concentrate being intermediate in effect and non‐ionic surfactant ranking as the least‐effective adjuvant. The interaction between glyphosate and saflufenacil was additive with regards to the control of glyposate‐resistant horseweed. The glyphosate‐susceptible horseweed population absorbed 6–13% more ¹⁴C‐glyphosate than the glyphosate‐resistant population. The addition of saflufenacil reduced ¹⁴C‐glyphosate translocation in both the glyphosate‐resistant and the glyphosate‐susceptible horseweed populations by at least 6%; however, due to the exceptional efficacy of saflufenacil, these reductions did not reduce the level of control. Saflufenacil holds great potential as an alternative control option for glyphosate‐resistant horseweed and is a valuable tool in the management of resistant weeds.     

Factors influencing the association between active ingredient and adjuvant in the leaf deposit of adjuvant-containing suspoemulsion formulations

BACKGROUND: For an oil adjuvant to enhance uptake of a particulate active ingredient (AI), it is hypothesised that closer association between the two should result in higher uptake. Accordingly, factors important for the spray deposit size on grapevine leaves have been investigated for a series of model suspoemulsion formulations containing colloidal crystalline AI or fluorescent pigment particles and an emulsion of an oil adjuvant with different degrees of wetting and different spray volumes. RESULTS: Low spray volumes (<100 L ha(-1)) produced small deposits with high particle-adjuvant association. Complementary uptake studies showed increased uptake with decreasing deposit size, in agreement with the above hypothesis. Higher spray volumes produced larger deposits that consisted of annuli formed by pinning of the contact line by particles. Low surfactant concentrations favoured particles in the annulus and adjuvant separated in the centre. Intermediate surfactant concentrations produced annuli containing both particles and adjuvant, while with high surfactant concentrations the deposits were large with few annuli.CONCLUSIONS: Small deposits result in high AI-adjuvant association. With larger deposits, annulus structures allow for enhanced AI-adjuvant association (5-20 times greater). The formation of annuli appears to be important in enhancing the biodelivery of particulate AIs in adjuvant-containing suspoemulsion formulations at intermediate spray volumes.     

Contributions of stomatal infiltration and cuticular penetration to enhancements of foliar uptake by surfactants

Radiolabelled deoxyglucose (DOG) and glyphosate were used to investigate the effects of certain non-ionic surfactants on the kinetics of foliar uptake in three species. ‘Silwet L-77’ (5 g litre^?1), an organosilicone surfactant, enabled spray solutions to infiltrate stomata, providing uptake of DOG into Vicia bean (50%), oat (35%) and wheat (20%) within 10 min of application. ‘Silwet Y-12301’, another organosilicone, also induced stomatal infiltration but to a lesser extent; unlike L-77, this was attenuated by partial stomatal closure. A third organosilicone, ‘Silwet L-7607’, and two conventional surfactants, ‘Triton X-45’ (OP5) and ‘Agral 90’ (NP9), did not induce stomatal infiltration. The effective minimum concentration of L-77 required to enable infiltration of stomata was 2 g litre^?1. The uptake of glyphosate into bean did not differ from that of DOG but the ‘Roundup’ formulation of glyphosate partially antagonised the infiltration provided by L-77. Addition of surfactants did not increase the rate of cuticular penetration of DOG into bean but total uptake was increased, except by NP9, either via infiltration (L-77 and Y-12301) or by extending the period during which penetration occurred (L-7607 and OP5). The surfactants had a variable effect on rates of penetration of DOG into wheat and oat. In general, foliar uptake followed an exponential timecourse which was largely complete within 6 h and only rarely approached 100% of the applied chemical. The stomatal infiltration provided by L-77 caused an increase in translocation of DOG in bean.     

Leaching of Alachlor from Alginate-Encapsulated Controlled-Release Formulations

The mobility of alachlor from alginate-encapsulated controlled-release (CR) formulations was investigated in two contrasting soil profiles. Two CR formulations of alachlor were prepared with the following components (1) base—sodium alginate+kaolin+‘Tween’ 20 (1+10+0·5 by mass) and (2) base+40 g kg⁻¹ linseed oil. These were compared to technical grade alachlor and to a commercial alachlor EC formulation (‘Lasso’ 4EC). All herbicide treatments were labeled with [¹⁴C]alachlor and were applied to duplicate soil columns that were composed of a surface and a subsoil horizon. Each horizon was packed to a depth of 12·5 cm, giving a total column length of 25 cm. The columns were leached with 21 cm (420 ml) to 30 cm (600 ml) of 0·01M calcium chloride for a period of 7 to 10 days. Alachlor leaching from the EC formulations was the same as that from the technical material in both soils: 33% in the Evesboro and 10% in the Conover soil. The CR-Oil formulation leached 4 and 2% of the applied [¹⁴C]alachlor, compared to 12 and 3% for the CR-N formulation for the Evesboro and Conover soils, respectively. The CR-Oil formulation also increased the amount of [¹⁴C]alachlor retained in the soil surface horizon (105–114%), compared to CR-N (39–45%), technical material (14–23%) and EC (12–17%).     

Redvine (Brunnichia ovata) and trumpetcreeper (Campsis radicans) controlled under field conditions by a synergistic interaction of the bioherbicide, Myrothecium verrucaria, with glyphosate

In field experiments conducted near Stoneville, MS, USA, in 2000 and 2001, the bioherbicidal fungus, Myrothecium verrucaria (Alb. & Schwein.) Ditmar: Fr., was tested alone and in combination with a glyphosate ( N -[phosphonomethyl]glycine) product for controlling natural infestations of the invasive vines, redvine ( Brunnichia ovata [Walt.] Shinners) and trumpetcreeper ( Campsis radicans [L.] Seem. ex Bureau). After 12 days, redvine and trumpetcreeper were controlled by 88% and 90%, respectively, through a synergistic interaction between the fungus and the herbicide, glyphosate. The disease symptomatology was characterized by rapid necrosis of the leaf and stem tissues, with mortality occurring within 72 h. Neither glyphosate alone, nor M. verrucaria alone, controlled these weeds at commercially acceptable levels (≥80%). No visual disease or herbicide damage occurred to the soybean in the treated test plots 12 days after planting. These results suggest that some formulations of glyphosate, mixed with M. verrucaria , can effectively control redvine and trumpetcreeper.