Low-foam preparations for crop protection

1. An agrochemical preparation comprising:

(a) from 1 to 40 percent by weight of one or more water-soluble agrochemicals having a solubility in water of more than 10 mg of water-soluble agrochemical per liter of water;

(b) from 0 to 40 percent by weight of one or more water-insoluble agrochemicals having a solubility in water of less than 10 mg of water-insoluble agrochemical per liter of water;

(c) from 0.1 to 99 percent by weight of alkyl ether sulfates selected from the group consisting of:

butyl (poly)glycol ether sulfate, pentyl(poly)glycol ether sulfate, hexyl(poly)glycol ether sulfate, heptyl(poly)glycol ether sulfate, and octyl(poly)glycol ether sulfate;

each containing (poly)glycol ether moieties of 1 to 20 alkylene glycol units;

(d) from 0 to 25 percent by weight of anionic, nonionic, cationic, and/or zwitterionic surfactants;

(e) from 0 to 95 percent by weight of water; and

(f) from 0 to 50 percent by weight of other customary formulation auxiliaries.

2. The agrochemical preparation as claimed in claim 1 ;

wherein the alkyl ether sulfate (c) is:

n-butyl, isobutyl, sec-butyl, or tert-butyl (poly)glycol ether sulfate;

n-pentyl or isopentyl(poly)glycol ether sulfate;

n-hexyl, 1-methylpentyl, or isohexyl(poly)glycol ether sulfate;

n-heptyl or 1-methylhexyl(poly)glycol ether sulfate; or

n-octyl, isooctyl, or 2-ethylhexyl(poly)glycol ether sulfate;

each containing (poly)glycol ether moieties of 1 to 20 alkylene glycol units.

3. The agrochemical preparation as claimed in claim 1 ;

wherein the alkyl ether sulfate (c) has (poly)alkyleneoxy groups containing terminally a 1,2-ethyleneoxy group esterified with the sulfate group.

4. The agrochemical preparation as claimed in claim 2 ;

wherein the alkyl ether sulfate (c) has (poly)alkyleneoxy groups containing terminally a 1,2-ethyleneoxy group esterified with the sulfate group.

5. The agrochemical preparation as claimed in claim 1 ;

wherein the alkyl ether sulfate (c) is butyl(poly)glycol ether sulfate containing (poly)glycol ether moieties of 1 to 20 alkylene glycol units and terminally a 1,2-ethyleneoxy group esterified with the sulfate group.

6. The agrochemical preparation as claimed in claim 1 ;

wherein the alkyl ether sulfate (c) is pentyl(poly)glycol ether sulfate containing (poly)glycol ether moieties of 1 to 20 alkylene glycol units and terminally a 1,2-ethyleneoxy group esterified with the sulfate group.

7. The agrochemical preparation as claimed in claim 1 ;

wherein the alkyl ether sulfate (c) is hexyl(poly)glycol ether sulfate containing (poly)glycol ether moieties of 1 to 20 alkylene glycol units and terminally a 1,2 ethyleneoxy group esterified with the sulfate group.

8. The agrochemical preparation as claimed in claim 1 ;

wherein the alkyl ether sulfate (c) is heptyl(poly)glycol ether sulfate containing (poly)glycol ether moieties of 1 to 20 alkylene glycol units and terminally a 1,2-ethyleneoxy group esterified with the sulfate group.

9. The agrochemical preparation as claimed in claim 1 ;

wherein the alkyl ether sulfate (c) is octyl(poly)glycol ether sulfate containing (poly)glycol ether moieties of 1 to 20 alkylene glycol units and terminally a 1,2-ethyleneoxy group esterified with the sulfate group.

10. The agrochemical preparation as claimed in claim 1 ;

wherein agrochemical (a) is glufosinate or a salt thereof.

11. The agrochemical preparation as claimed in claim 1 ;

wherein agrochemical (a) is glyphosate or a salt thereof.

12. The agrochemical preparation as claimed in claim 1 ;

wherein agrochemical (a) is paraquat or a salt thereof.

13. The agrochemical preparation as claimed in claim 1 ;

wherein agrochemical (a) is diquat or a salt thereof.

14. The agrochemical preparation as claimed in claim 1 ;

wherein the preparation contains 1 to 20 percent by weight of a surfactant (d) selected from the group consisting of:

d1-1) anionic derivatives of fatty alcohols having 10-24 carbon atoms with 0-60 EO and/or 0-20 PO and/or 0-15 BO in any order, in the form of ether carboxylates, sulfonates, sulfates and phosphates and their salts;

d1-2) anionic derivatives of copolymers composed of EO, PO and/or BO units with a molecular weight of 400 to 108, in the form of ether carboxylates, sulfonates, sulfates and phosphates and their salts;

d1-3) anionic derivatives of alkylene oxide adducts of C1-C9 alcohols, in the form of ether carboxylates, sulfonates, sulfates and phosphates and their salts, unless their structures are included in the definition of the alkyl ether sulfates of component (c);

d1-4) anionic derivatives of fatty acid alkoxylates in the form of ether carboxylates, sulfonates, sulfates and phosphates and their salts;

d2-1) alkylene oxide adducts of fatty amines, quarternary ammonium compounds having 8 to 22 carbon atoms;

d2-2) surface-active, zwitterionic compounds;

d3-1) fatty alcohols having 8-24 carbon atoms with 0-60 EO and/or 0-20 PO and/or 0-15 BO in any order;

d3-2) fatty acid alkoxylates and triglyceride alkoxylates;

d3-3) fatty acid amide alkoxylates;

d3-4) alkylene oxide adducts of alkynediols;

d3-5) glucitols;

d3-6) silicone- and/or silane-based surface-active compounds;

d3-7) surface-active sulfonamides;

d3-8) surface-active polyacrylic and polymethacrylic derivatives;

d3-9) surface-active polyamides;

d3-10) surfactant polyvinyl compounds;

d3-11) surface-active polymers based on maleic anhydride and/or reaction products of maleic anhydride and also maleic anhydride copolymers and/or copolymers containing reaction products of maleic anhydride;

d3-12) surface-active derivatives of montan waxes, polyethylene waxes and polypropylene waxes;

d3-13) polyol-based alkylene oxide adducts;

d3-14) surface-active polyglycerides and derivatives;

d3-15) alkylpolysaccharides and mixtures thereof;

d3-16) alkylpolyglycosides;

d3-17) sorbitan esters;

d3-18) cyclodextrin esters or ethers;

d3-19) surface-active cellulose derivatives and algin, pectin, and guar derivatives; and

d3-20) alkylpolyglycoside-alkylpolysaccharide mixtures based on C8-C10 fatty alcohol.

15. A method for enhancing the activity of a water-soluble or partially water-soluble agrochemical, comprising:

applying the alkyl ether sulfate (c) of claim 1 , as low-foam additive, together with the agrochemical (a) of claim 1 , if desired in combination with surfactants, to arrive at the agrochemical preparation of claim 1 .

16. The method as claimed in claim 15 ;

wherein the agrochemical (a) is selected from the group consisting of active crop protectant ingredients and fertilizers.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15 ;

wherein the agrochemical (a) selected is an active ingredient from the group consisting of glufosinate (salts), glyphosate (salts), paraquat, diquat, and fertilizers.

18. The method as claimed in claim 15 ;

wherein the agrochemical (a) selected is the active crop protectant ingredient glufosinate-ammonium.

19. A method of controlling unwanted plant growth, comprising:

applying an effective amount of the agrochemical preparation of claim 1 , if desired after dilution with water, to the plants, to parts of plants, seeds of the plants, or to the area under cultivation.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19 ;

wherein component (a) comprises one or more active ingredients from the group consisting of glufosinate (salts), glyphosate (salts), paraquat, and diquat.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20 ;

wherein component (a) comprises glufosinate-ammonium.