Bioactive acid agrichemical compositions and use thereof

1 . A liquid bioactive agrichemical composition comprising an acid solution comprising a) solvent, b) an acid, c) at least one antimicrobial metal ion source, and, d) at least one surfactant, said acid and antimicrobial metal source being wholly or partially soluble in the solvent, wherein the solvent is water or a an aqueous-based solvent and the liquid composition has a pH of less than 6 and wherein the acid is present in a molar excess, relative to the antimicrobial metal ions of the source, and the concentration of antimicrobial metal ion attributed to the acid solution is from about 1 ppm to about 500 ppm in the case of a single antimicrobial metal ion or from 2 ppm to 1000 ppm in the case of multiple antimicrobial metal ions.

2 . The agrichemical composition claim 1 having a pH of from 1.5 to 5 and wherein the molar excess of acid, relative to the antimicrobial metal ions, is at least 2 times.

3 . The agrichemical composition of claim 1 wherein the acid concentration of the acid solution is from about 0.01 to about 10 weight percent and said acid is present at a molar excess, relative to the antimicrobial metal ions, of at least 2 times.

4 . The agrichemical composition of claim 1 wherein the acid is present in a molar excess of at least 5 times.

5 . The agrichemical composition of claim 1 wherein the acid concentration of the acid solution is from about 0.1 to about 4 weight percent.

6 . The antimicrobial composition of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial metal ions are selected from the group consisting of silver, copper, zinc, mercury, tin, iron, gold, lead, bismuth, cadmium, chromium, and thallium ions and combinations of any two or more of such ions.

7 . The agrichemical composition of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial metal ions are selected from the group consisting of silver ions, copper ions, zinc ions, a combination of silver and copper ions, a combination of silver and zinc ions, a combination of copper and zinc ions and a combination of silver, copper and zinc ions.

8 . The agrichemical composition of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial ion is present at a concentration of from about 1 ppm to about 300 ppm in the case of a single metal ion and from about 2 to about 500 in the case of multiple metal ions.

9 . The agrichemical composition of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial ion is present at a concentration of from about 5 ppm to about 150 ppm in the case of a single metal ion and from about 5 ppm to about 50 ppm in the case of multiple metal ions.

10 . The agrichemical composition of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial metal ion source is selected from antimicrobial metal salts, antimicrobial metal ion ion-exchange complexes and antimicrobial metal ion containing soluble glasses.

11 . The agrichemical composition of claim 1 wherein the at least one surfactant impacts or interacts with cell wall membranes of microorganisms or the function thereof and is present in an amount of from about 0.001 to about 3 weight percent.

12 . The agrichemical composition of claim 11 wherein a combination of two or more surfactants is employed, each surfactant independently an anionic surfactant, a non-ionic surfactant or an amphoteric surfactant.

13 . The agrichemical composition of claim 12 wherein the surfactants are selected from the group consisting of sulfonates, sulfates, sulfosuccinates, sarcosinates, mono- and di- glycerides, amine oxides, ether carboxylates, betaines, suflobetaines, and glycinates.

14 . The agrichemical composition of claim 13 wherein the surfactants are selected from the group consisting of sulfonates, sulfates, sulfosuccinates, sarcosinates, and amine oxides.

15 . The agrichemical composition of claim 1 wherein the acid is a carboxylic acid.

16 . The agrichemical composition of claim 1 wherein the acid is a mineral acid.

17 . The agrichemical composition of claim 1 further comprising one or more conventional agrichemical additives selected from protective colloids, adjuvants, stabilizers, binders, thickeners, thixotropic agents, penetrating agents, antifreeze agents, defoaming agents, foaming agents, oils for spraying, corrosion inhibitors, surfactants, fillers, wetting agents, dispersing agents, emulsifiers, rain fasteners, and dyes and other known active ingredients which have pesticide or plant growth related properties or both.

18 . A method of inhibiting the growth of fungi on plants said method comprising applying the agrichemical composition of claim 1 to the surfaces of plants to be treated at a rate whereby the amount of antimicrobial metal ions being applied is about 500 grams or less per acre.

19 . The method of claim 24 wherein the rate is such that the amount of antimicrobial agent to be applied is from about 1 gram to about 200 grams per acre.

20 . The method of claim 24 wherein the rate is such that the amount of antimicrobial agent to be applied is from about 5 grams to about 100 grams acre.

21 . A method of inhibiting the growth of fungi on seeds said method comprising applying the agrichemical composition of claim 1 to the seeds and allowing the solvent to evaporate.