Agrochemical granules made of polyalkoxylate, dispersant, sugar, and polyvinylpyrrolidone

1. A granular composition comprising:

a) 20 to 40 wt. % of a mixture of pesticides comprising alpha-cypermethrin and dinotefuran;

b) 0.1 to 10 wt. % of a nonionic amphiphilic polyalkoxylate comprising a triblock polymer of A-B-A type comprising a polyethoxylated type A block and a poly-(C 3 -C 5 )-alkoxylate type B block;

c) 20 to 50 wt. % of a solid water-soluble anionic dispersant, wherein the dispersant comprises sulfonated and/or sulfated aryl-formaldehyde condensation products or mixtures thereof;

d) 5 to 35 wt. % of a sugar selected from the group consisting of lactose, saccharose, maltose, and mixtures thereof;

e) 0.5 to 4 wt. % of a polyvinylpyrrolidone;

f) a stabilizer;

g) a defoamer; and

h) 0.1 to 5 wt. % of a solid anionic wetting agent selected from the group consisting of alkanesulfonate, alpha-olefin sulfonate, alkyl sulfate, alkali, alkaline earth or ammonium salt of alkyl sulfate, and mixtures thereof; and

wherein the granular composition comprises less than 2 wt. % of organic solvent.

2. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the wetting agent is selected from the group consisting of alkanesulfonate, alpha-olefin sulfonate, alkyl sulfate, and mixtures thereof.

3. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the dispersant comprises sulfonated and/or sulfated phenol-formaldehyde condensation products, sulfonated and/or sulfated cresol-formaldehyde condensation products, sulfonated and/or sulfated naphthalene-formaldehyde condensation products, or mixtures thereof.

4. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the dispersant is a mixture of sulfonated and/or sulfated aryl-formaldehyde condensation products.

5. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the polyvinylpyrrolidone is selected from homopolymers of vinylpyrrolidone, copolymers of vinylpyrrolidone, which comprise at least 80 mol % of vinylpyrrolidone, based on the total amount of monomers in the copolymer or mixtures thereof.

6. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the dispersant is soluble in water at least 50 g/I.

7. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the nonionic amphiphilic polyalkoxylate is present from 2 wt. % to 7 wt. %, the dispersant is present from 30 wt. % to 50 wt. %, the sugar is present from 15 wt. % to 35 wt. % and the anionic wetting agent is present from 0.7 wt. % to 3.5 wt. %.

8. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the nonionic amphiphilic polyalkoxylate is present from 2 wt. % to 7 wt. %, the poly-(C 3 -C 5 )-alkoxylate type B block comprises a polypropoxylate; the dispersant is present from 30 wt. % to 50 wt. % and comprises a mixture of phenolsulfonic acid-formaldehyde-polycondensate, sodium salt and naphthalenesulfonic acid-formaldehyde-polycondensate, sodium salt; the sugar is lactose and is present from 15 wt. % to 35 wt. %; and the anionic wetting agent is dodecyl sulfate and is present from 0.7 wt. % to 3.5 wt. %.

9. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the nonionic amphiphilic polyalkoxylate is present from 2 wt. % to 7 wt. %, the poly-(C 3 -C 5 )-alkoxylate type B block comprises a polypropoxylate; the dispersant is present from 30 wt. % to 50 wt. % and comprises a mixture of phenolsulfonic acid-formaldehyde-polycondensate, sodium salt and naphthalenesulfonic acid-formaldehyde-polycondensate, sodium salt; the sugar is lactose and is present from 15 wt. % to 35 wt. %; the stabilizer comprises an aliphatic carboxylic acid; the defoamer comprises silicone; and the anionic wetting agent is dodecyl sulfate and is present from 0.7 wt. % to 3.5 wt. %.

10. A method for the preparation of a granular composition, wherein the composition comprises:

a) 20 to 40 wt. % of a mixture of pesticides comprising alpha-cypermethrin and dinotefuran;

b) 0.1 wt. % to 10 wt. % of a nonionic amphiphilic polyalkoxylate comprising a triblock polymer of A-B-A type comprising a polyethoxylated type A block and a poly-(C3-C5)-alkoxylate type B block;

c) 20 wt. % to 50 wt. % of a solid water-soluble anionic dispersant, wherein the dispersant comprises sulfonated and/or sulfated aryl-formaldehyde condensation products or mixtures thereof;

d) 5 wt. % to 35 wt. % of a sugar selected from the group consisting of lactose, saccharose, maltose, and mixtures thereof;

e) 0.5 to 4 wt. % of a polyvinylpyrrolidone;

f) a stabilizer;

g) a defoamer; and

h) 0.1 to 5 wt. % of a solid anionic wetting agent selected from the group consisting of alkanesulfonate, alpha-olefin sulfonate, alkyl sulfate, alkali, alkaline earth or ammonium salt of alkyl sulfate, and mixtures thereof; and

comprising the steps of:

(i) providing an aqueous suspension comprising the pesticide, the polyalkoxylate, the dispersant, the sugar, the wetting agent and the antifoaming agent;

(ii) drying the aqueous suspension; and

(iii) granulating the aqueous suspension or the dried aqueous suspension and

wherein the polyvinylpyrrolidone is added in step (i) and/or step (iii).

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the granulating is made by spray granulation of the aqueous suspension, and wherein the polyvinylpyrrolidone is added in step (i).

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the polyvinylpyrrolidone is added in steps (i) and (iii).

13. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the nonionic amphiphilic polyalkoxylate is present from 2 wt. % to 7 wt. %, the dispersant is present from 30 wt. % to 50 wt. %, the sugar is present from 15 wt. % to 35 wt. % and the anionic wetting agent is present from 0.7 wt. % to 3.5 wt. % and wherein the anionic wetting agent is added in step (i).

14. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the nonionic amphiphilic polyalkoxylate is present from 2 wt. % to 7 wt. %, the poly-(C 3 -C 5 )-alkoxylate type B block comprises a polypropoxylate; the dispersant is present from 30 wt. % to 50 wt. % and comprises a mixture of phenolsulfonic acid-formaldehyde-polycondensate, sodium salt and naphthalenesulfonic acid-formaldehyde-polycondensate, sodium salt; the sugar is lactose and is present from 15 wt. % to 35 wt. %; and the anionic wetting agent is dodecyl sulfate and is present from 0.7 wt. % to 3.5 wt. % and wherein the anionic wetting agent is added in step (i).

15. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the nonionic amphiphilic polyalkoxylate is present from 2 wt. % to 7 wt. %, the poly-(C 3 -C 5 )-alkoxylate type B block comprises a polypropoxylate; the dispersant is present from 30 wt. % to 50 wt. % and comprises a mixture of phenolsulfonic acid-formaldehyde-polycondensate, sodium salt and naphthalenesulfonic acid-formaldehyde-polycondensate, sodium salt; the sugar is lactose and is present from 15 wt. % to 35 wt. %; the stabilizer comprises an aliphatic carboxylic acid; the defoamer comprises silicone; and the anionic wetting agent is dodecyl sulfate and is present from 0.7 wt. % to 3.5 wt. % and wherein the anionic wetting agent is added in step (i) and the polyvinylpyrrolidone is added in step (iii).

16. A method for controlling undesired attack by insects or mites, where the composition as defined in claim 1 is allowed to act on the insects or mites, and/or their habitat or the plants to be protected from the insects or mites.