Agricultural compositions and their uses

Abstract

Provided is an agricultural composition that is capable of providing a stable pest control effect by reducing the influence of rainfall, etc., on spraying of agrochemicals. The present invention also reduces adverse effects in a natural environment such as rainfall and wind imposed on field crops, provides assistance to the growth of crops, and stabilizes the supply of food.　The agricultural composition contains (a) a fatty acid ester, (b) an unsaturated fatty acid or a salt thereof, and water. The fatty acid ester (a): (i) includes, as a fatty acid forming the fatty acid ester, at least one fatty acid selected from the group consisting of saturated fatty acids having 12-22 carbon atoms; (ii) generates, when the fatty acid ester is hydrolyzed, an alcohol which is a polyol having a valence of 4 or more; (iii) has an HLB of 5 or less; and (iv) is solid at 20°C under an ordinary pressure. In the agricultural composition, (a) the fatty acid ester and (b) the unsaturated fatty acid or a salt thereof are emulsified or dispersed in water.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an agricultural composition. More specifically, the present invention relates to an agricultural composition that is classified as a food additive and contains highly safe fatty acid esters and fatty acid salts, and that is a functional composition for spraying that has excellent adhesion to agricultural crops. [Background technology]

[0002] In plant cultivation for the purpose of food supply, in order to obtain stable crop yields, pesticides are often sprayed on target plants to prevent diseases caused by plant pathogens and damage caused by plant pests. However, pesticides attached to plants are easily peeled off, washed away, or dislodged under natural conditions such as rainfall and wind, resulting in a loss of efficacy and insufficient pest control effects. In particular, during periods of heavy rainfall, such as the rainy season, the humid environment slows the drying of the sprayed pesticide, making it difficult for the pesticide to adhere to the plant, and much of the pesticide is washed away by the rain. As a result, additional pesticide spraying is required, causing problems such as increased pest control costs, reduced work efficiency, and increased environmental impact. Additionally, the effects of rainfall and wind can increase the risk of disease due to the transmission of plant pathogens and physical damage to plants. While methods for directly reducing such abiotic stress include enclosed cultivation using greenhouses and netting, these methods are often difficult to implement for large crops such as fruit trees due to increased cultivation costs and reduced workability. Therefore, in many cases, disease risk is reduced solely through the spraying of pesticides, which further increases costs and increases the environmental impact.

[0003] In order to overcome these problems, methods have been developed to improve the rain resistance of pesticides and prevent leaching, peeling, washout, or shedding due to wind and rain. For example, Patent Document 1 reports that the use of a cationic quaternary ammonium salt surfactant improves the adhesion of pesticides to plants and prevents the runoff of the pesticide, thereby improving efficacy. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 reports that a pesticide formulation composition combining an alkyl-modified silicone oil with an appropriate surfactant imparts rain resistance. As such, examples have been reported in which the adhesion of pesticide spray solutions to crops has been stabilized and the rain resistance has been improved, but the use of these components cannot be said to be desirable from the standpoint of biological toxicity and environmental impact.

[0004] Fatty acid esters are emulsifiers obtained from plant-derived raw materials. Furthermore, because the only components generated upon decomposition are low-toxicity fatty acids and alcohols, they have low environmental impact and biotoxicity, and are also used as food additives. In recent years, methods have been developed to improve the rain resistance of pesticides using these fatty acid esters. For example, Patent Document 3 discloses a pesticide binder composition with high adhesiveness that combines a fatty acid triglyceride, a fatty acid, and a polyoxyalkylene sorbitol fatty acid ester. Patent Document 4 reports that a spreader composition that can impart high rain resistance can be obtained by combining a fatty acid ester with polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil with a high number of ethylene oxide added moles. However, these conventional techniques do not provide sufficient rain resistance to cope with humid conditions such as those during the rainy season, and there is a demand for pesticide spraying techniques that can provide faster and more reliable rain resistance. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-51861 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-189642 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-163604 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-25026 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the problems in the prior art, and aims to provide a rain-resistant agricultural composition that can reduce the effects of rainfall, etc. on pesticide application and achieve stable pest control effects. In particular, the present invention aims to provide an agricultural composition that can quickly exhibit high rain resistance even in high-humidity environments such as the rainy season. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of investigations aimed at solving these problems, the present inventors discovered that an agricultural composition obtainable by emulsifying or dispersing in water a fatty acid ester (a) and a surfactant (b) containing an unsaturated fatty acid salt, wherein (i) the fatty acid constituting the fatty acid ester contains at least one selected from the group consisting of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 22 carbon atoms, (ii) the alcohol obtained by hydrolyzing the fatty acid ester contains a polyol having 4 or more valences, (iii) the HLB of the fatty acid ester is 5 or less, and (iv) the composition is solid at 20°C and normal pressure, can be made to have high rain resistance, leading to the present invention.

[0008] That is, the present invention relates to an invention having the following configuration. (1) An agricultural composition containing (a) a fatty acid ester, (b) an unsaturated fatty acid or a salt thereof, and water, (a) Fatty acid esters are (i) the fatty acid constituting the fatty acid ester contains at least one fatty acid selected from the group consisting of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 22 carbon atoms; (ii) the alcohol produced by hydrolysis of the fatty acid ester is a tetrahydric or higher polyol, (iii) HLB is 5 or less; and (iv) is a solid at 20°C and atmospheric pressure; and An agricultural composition in which (a) a fatty acid ester and (b) an unsaturated fatty acid or a salt thereof are emulsified or dispersed in water. (2) (a) The agricultural composition according to (1), wherein the fatty acid constituting the fatty acid ester includes at least one fatty acid selected from the group consisting of lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and behenic acid. (3) The agricultural composition according to (1) or (2), wherein the (a) fatty acid ester is a polyglycerin fatty acid ester. (4) The agricultural composition according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the (a) fatty acid ester is a polyglycerol fatty acid ester composed of polyglycerol having a degree of polymerization of 3 to 10. (5) The agricultural composition according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the (b) unsaturated fatty acid or a salt thereof includes an oleate. (6) The agricultural composition according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the weight ratio of (a) the fatty acid ester to (b) the unsaturated fatty acid or a salt thereof in the agricultural composition, (a) / (b), is 1 to 50. (7) The agricultural composition according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the oily droplets containing (a) a fatty acid ester and (b) an unsaturated fatty acid or a salt thereof have a particle size of 50 μm or less in water. (8) The agricultural composition according to any one of (1) to (7), further comprising (c) a nonionic surfactant. (9) The agricultural composition according to (8), wherein the nonionic surfactant (c) is a (polyoxyethylene) sorbitan fatty acid ester or a (poly)glycerin fatty acid ester having an HLB of 4 or more. (10) The agricultural composition according to (8) or (9), wherein the nonionic surfactant (c) is a fatty acid ester, and the fatty acid ester contains oleic acid as a constituent fatty acid. (11) The agricultural composition according to any one of (1) to (10), wherein (a) the fatty acid ester and (b) the unsaturated fatty acid or its salt are emulsified or dispersed as oily droplets that are melted and integrated together. (12) An agricultural composition according to any one of (1) to (11), wherein the content of (a) fatty acid ester is greater than the content of (b) unsaturated fatty acid or its salt, and optional (c) nonionic surfactant. (13) A rain-resistant agricultural spreading agent comprising the agricultural composition according to any one of (1) to (12). (14) A pesticide composition containing the agricultural composition according to any one of (1) to (12) and an active pesticide ingredient. (15) The pesticide composition according to (14), comprising (a) a fatty acid ester at a concentration of 5 to 5000 ppm.

[0009] The agricultural composition of the present invention can form a film on the surface of plants by spraying it, thereby reducing the adverse effects of natural environmental factors such as rainfall and wind on agricultural crops, supporting crop growth, and stabilizing food supply. Therefore, the following uses are also provided. (16) A plant protection agent comprising the agricultural composition according to any one of (1) to (12). (17) A plant protection agent for protecting plants from exposure to pathogens transmitted by rain, wind, etc., comprising the agricultural composition according to any one of (1) to (12). (18) A plant protection agent for reducing stress from the natural environment such as rain and wind, comprising the agricultural composition according to any one of (1) to (12). (19) The plant protection agent according to any one of (16) to (18), which contains (a) a fatty acid ester at a concentration of 5 to 5000 ppm. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The present invention provides an agricultural composition with excellent adhesion. The agricultural composition of the present invention can impart high rain resistance by adding it to a pesticide spray solution. Since all of the fatty acid esters used in the present invention have low toxicity to living organisms and many have a track record of use as food additives, the agricultural composition of the present invention is extremely safe. The agricultural composition of the present invention can impart excellent rain resistance at component concentrations equivalent to or lower than those of known compositions, and can rapidly exhibit rain resistance even under humid and rainy conditions such as the rainy season, etc. Therefore, the efficacy of the applied pesticide can be maintained, resulting in a reduction in the number of pesticide applications, the amount of application, pest control costs, environmental impact, etc. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The agricultural composition of the present invention is an agricultural composition containing (a) a fatty acid ester, (b) an unsaturated fatty acid or a salt thereof, and water (hereinafter also referred to as the "agricultural composition of the present invention" or "composition of the present invention"), and was completed based on the finding that, compared to conventional agricultural compositions, the composition uses ingredients that are less harmful to humans and the environment, and maintains its pest control effect by reducing the washout of pesticide ingredients due to rainfall. In this specification, "rain resistance" refers to the ability to prevent the applied pesticide active ingredient from peeling off, falling off, or being washed away from the plant surface due to rainfall. In this specification, the term "fatty acid ester" refers to a compound obtained by dehydration condensation of an aliphatic carboxylic acid (hereinafter also referred to as "fatty acid") and a monohydric or higher alcohol.

[0012] The (a) fatty acid ester used in the agricultural composition of the present invention contains, as a constituent fatty acid, at least one selected from saturated fatty acids having 12 to 22 carbon atoms, such as lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, isostearic acid, and behenic acid. Among these, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and behenic acid are preferred, with stearic acid and behenic acid being more preferred, and stearic acid being particularly preferred. The saturated fatty acid having 12 to 22 carbon atoms may be a single type or may contain two or more types. The (a) fatty acid ester is preferably composed of a saturated fatty acid having 12 to 22 carbon atoms.

[0013] (a) The fatty acid ester is hydrolyzed to produce a polyol with a valence of 4 or more. Examples of such polyols include polyglycerin, sugars, and sugar alcohols. Examples of such fatty acid esters include polyglycerin fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, sorbit fatty acid esters, and sucrose fatty acid esters. As the (a) fatty acid ester, polyglycerol fatty acid esters and sucrose fatty acid esters having an alcohol valence of 5 or more are more preferred. Polyglycerol fatty acid esters composed of polyglycerols having a degree of polymerization of 3 to 10 are even more preferred, and examples thereof include triglycerol fatty acid esters, tetraglycerol fatty acid esters, hexaglycerol fatty acid esters, and decaglycerol fatty acid esters, with decaglycerol fatty acid esters being particularly preferred.

[0014] (a) Fatty acid esters have an HLB of 5 or less. HLB (Hydrophile-Lipophile Balance) is an index that indicates the degree of hydrophilicity and lipophilicity of a surfactant and is expressed as a number between 0 and 20. A low HLB indicates a highly lipophilic surfactant, while a high HLB indicates a highly hydrophilic surfactant. Therefore, surfactants with a low HLB tend to be more compatible with hydrophobic systems, while surfactants with a high HLB tend to be more compatible with hydrophilic systems. In other words, it can be said that this is an index that indicates which system a surfactant is more likely to dissolve in, compared to a water / oil system. The HLB value of fatty acid esters is calculated using the following Griffin empirical formula. The saponification value and acid value below are values ​​analyzed in accordance with the general test methods of the standards for food additives and quasi-drug ingredients. HLB value = 20 (1-S / A) S: Saponification value of surfactant ester, A: Acid value of fatty acid that constitutes surfactant

[0015] (a) Fatty acid ester is solid at 20°C and normal pressure, which means that it has a melting point of 20°C or higher. (a) Fatty acid ester has a melting point of more preferably 40 to 100°C, and even more preferably 50 to 90°C.

[0016] Examples of (a) fatty acid esters include, but are not limited to, the following: tetraglycerin tristearate, tetraglycerin pentastearate, hexaglycerin heptabehenate, decaglycerin dodecabehenate, sorbitan tristearate, sucrose laurate, sucrose myristate, sucrose palmitate, sucrose stearate, and the like. Among these, decaglycerin decastearate is particularly preferred. Examples of commonly available products include polyglycerin fatty acid esters such as SY Glystar (trade name, manufactured by Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd.), sorbitan fatty acid esters such as Emazol (trade name, manufactured by Kao Corporation), and sucrose fatty acid esters such as Ryoto Sugar Ester (trade name, manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Foods Corporation). The (a) fatty acid ester may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0017] The type and amount of (a) fatty acid ester contained in the agricultural composition of the present invention are not particularly limited, and one or more types can be used in any combination. However, when used in pesticide spraying, it is usually preferable to use an amount that takes into account the cost-effectiveness of the application, taking into account the use as a pesticide spray solution with a content of (a) fatty acid ester of 5 to 5,000 ppm. Considering that pesticides are usually diluted 500 to 20,000 times with water when used, the content of (a) fatty acid ester in the agricultural composition of the present invention is preferably 0.1 to 99% by mass, more preferably 1 to 75% by mass, and particularly preferably 3 to 50% by mass. In the agricultural composition of the present invention, it is preferable that (a) fatty acid ester be the component with the highest content other than water.

[0018] The (b) unsaturated fatty acid or its salt is used to stably emulsify and disperse the oily component in the agricultural composition containing the (a) fatty acid ester in water, or to improve adhesion and rain resistance to the target crops and stabilize the pest control effect due to the physicochemical properties obtained by combining with the fatty acid ester. The (b) unsaturated fatty acid or its salt is an unsaturated fatty acid having 12 to 24 carbon atoms and a carbon-carbon double bond or a salt thereof, such as oleic acid, metal oleate, ammonium oleate, amine oleate, linoleic acid, metal linoleate, erucic acid, or metal erucate. The (b) unsaturated fatty acid or its salt is preferably oleic acid or an oleate salt, more preferably a metal oleate, and particularly preferably sodium oleate or potassium oleate.

[0019] The type and amount of (b) unsaturated fatty acid or salt thereof contained in the agricultural composition of the present invention are not particularly limited, and one or more types can be used in any amount in combination.

[0020] The agricultural composition of the present invention contains (a) fatty acid ester and (b) unsaturated fatty acid or salt thereof in any ratio. However, if the (b) unsaturated fatty acid or salt thereof is too high, there is a risk of reduced rain resistance and adverse effects on plants. Therefore, the content of (b) unsaturated fatty acid or salt thereof is preferably less than that of (a) fatty acid ester. Furthermore, if the proportion of (a) fatty acid ester is too high, emulsification or dispersibility in water is poor, separation or aggregation occurs, and long-term storage becomes difficult. Therefore, the weight ratio of (a) / (b) in the agricultural composition is more preferably 1 to 50, even more preferably 2 to 30, and particularly preferably 3 to 15.

[0021] The agricultural composition of the present invention is an emulsion or dispersion of oily droplets in which an oily component containing (a) a fatty acid ester is dissolved with (b) an unsaturated fatty acid or its salt, and other properties are not particularly limited. However, if the dispersed oily droplet particles are extremely large, separation or aggregation occurs, making long-term storage difficult. Here, the oily droplet particles refer to particles dispersed in water containing (a) a fatty acid ester as the main component, and their size is referred to as the "particle size." In this specification, "particle size" refers to the median value when the volume median diameter of all particles contained in the composition is expressed as a distribution. The particle size is measured, for example, by a method using a laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer. Commercially available measuring instruments include SALD (product series, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation). The particle size of the agricultural composition of the present invention is preferably 50 μm or less, more preferably 0.1 to 50 μm, particularly preferably 0.1 to 10 μm, and particularly more preferably 0.1 to 5 μm.

[0022] The method for preparing the agricultural composition of the present invention is not particularly limited. However, to efficiently form a stable emulsion or dispersion, a preferred method involves heating (a) a fatty acid ester and (b) an unsaturated fatty acid or its salt in water to 60°C or higher and mechanically stirring or shearing the mixture at high temperature. Examples of equipment used for mechanical stirring or shearing include a Hiscotron, a homomixer, a desolver, a colloid mill, a homogenizer, and an ultrasonic mixer.

[0023] The pesticide composition of the present invention may contain any additive component, and the type and amount of the additive component are not limited. However, in order to improve the storage stability and convenience of the present invention, it is preferable to add (c) a nonionic surfactant. (c) Examples of nonionic surfactants include POE-POP block polymers, polyoxyalkylene fatty acid esters, polyoxyalkylene alkylbenzene fatty acid esters, alcohol ethoxylates, polyoxyalkylene alkylaryl ethers, polyoxyalkylenated organosiloxanes, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylenated glycerin fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylenated castor oil, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, polyoxyalkylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, and sucrose fatty acid esters. In consideration of the purpose of improving the emulsification or dispersion stability of the oily component containing (a) fatty acid ester, the HLB of the (c) nonionic surfactant is preferably 4 or more, more preferably 6 to 18, even more preferably 8 to 17, and particularly preferably 10 to 16. The (c) nonionic surfactant is preferably a fatty acid ester, more preferably a (polyoxyethylene) sorbitan fatty acid ester or a (poly)glycerin fatty acid ester, and particularly preferably a polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester. Furthermore, the fatty acid constituting the surfactant is particularly preferably oleic acid.

[0024] Other additives that may be used in the agricultural composition of the present invention include, for example, dispersants, thickeners, antifreeze agents, preservatives, and antifoaming agents. Examples of dispersants include polyvinyl alcohol and montmorillonite. Examples of thickeners include xanthan gum, welan gum, guar gum, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxymethylpropyl cellulose, cellulose nanofiber, aluminum silicate, and magnesium silicate. Examples of antifreeze agents include ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, glycerin, methanol, and ethanol. Examples of preservatives include benzisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, triazine, thiabendazole, and vitamin B. Examples of antifoaming agents include fatty acids, fatty acid esters, higher alcohols, silicones, and modified silicones. These additives may be used alone or in combination, in any amount.

[0025] The agricultural composition of the present invention contains (a) a fatty acid ester as a main component, (b) an unsaturated fatty acid or a salt thereof, and optionally (c) a nonionic surfactant and other optional additives, as well as water. It is preferred that the (a) fatty acid ester be the largest component present in the agricultural composition excluding water. That is, a preferred embodiment is one in which the content of (a) fatty acid ester is greater than that of (b) an unsaturated fatty acid or a salt thereof and the optional (c) nonionic surfactant. Preferably, the ratio (a) / [(b)+(c)] is 1 to 20, and more preferably 2 to 10.

[0026] The agricultural composition of the present invention can be used as a rain-resistant agricultural spreader, containing (a) a fatty acid ester as the main ingredient and not containing other active ingredients of chemical pesticides such as fungicides, insecticides, miticides, herbicides, and plant growth regulators. In this case, by mixing the agricultural composition of the present invention with the active pesticide ingredients such as fungicides, insecticides, miticides, herbicides, and plant growth regulators when preparing a diluted solution and then spraying the mixture, rain resistance can be imparted to the sprayed pesticide.

[0027] The agricultural composition of the present invention can be a pesticide composition containing the active ingredients of chemical pesticides such as fungicides, insecticides, miticides, herbicides, and plant growth regulators. This pesticide composition has excellent spreadability on target plants and resistance to rainfall, and can provide a stable pest control effect. For example, insecticides include acrinathrin, acequinocyl, acetamiprid, acephate, amitraz, alanycarb, allethrin, isoxathion, imidacloprid, indoxacarb MP, esfenvalerate, ethiofencarb, ethiprole, ethylthiometon, etoxazole, etofenprox, emamectin benzoate, levamisole hydrochloride, oxamyl, cadusafos, and cartap salt. oxalate, carbosulfan, clothianidin, clofentezine, chromafenozide, chlorpyrifos, chlorfenapyr, chlorfluazuron, cycloprothrin, dinotefuran, cyfluthrin, dimethoate, spinosad, diazinon, thiacloprid, thiamethoxam, thiodicarb, thiocyclam oxalate, tebufenozide, tebufenpyrad, tefluthrin, teflubenzuron, tralomethrin , tolfenpyrad, novaluron, halfenprox, bifenazate, bifenthrin, pymetrozine, pyraclofos, pyridaphenthion, pyridaben, pyridalyl, pyriproxyfen, pyrimidifen, pirimiphos-methyl, pyrethrins, fipronil, phenisobromoate, fenothiocarb, fluacrypyrim, flucythrinate, fluvalinate, flufenoxuron, propafos, profenofos, hexythiazox, permethrin, bensultap, benzoepine, benfuracarb, Beauveria bassiana, Beauveria brongniartii, phosalone, machine oil, malathion, mesulfenphos, methomyl, methoxyfenozide, lufenuron, BPMC, BT (Bacillus thuringiensis), methidathion, fenitrothion, isoprocarb, fenthion, NAC, etc.

[0028] Fungicides include acibenzolane-S-methyl, azoxystrobin, ambam, sulfur, isoprothiolane, ipconazole, iprodione, iminoctadine albesilate, iminoctadine acetate, imibenconazole, eclonazole, oxadixyl, oxytetracycline, oxpoconazole fumarate, oxolinic acid, kasugamycin, carpropamid, quinomethionate, captan, kresoxim-methyl, chloroneb, cyazofamid, diethofencarb, and diclosimetane. Diclomedine, dithianon, zineb, difenoconazole, cyflufenamid, diflumetrim, cyproconazole, cyprodinil, simeconazole, dimethomorph, cymoxanil, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas CAB-02, ziram, sulfur hydrate, streptomycin, potassium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate, thiadiazine, tiadinil, thiabendazole, thiuram, thiophanate methyl, thifluzamide, tecloftalam, tetraconazole, tebuconazole ru, copper, triadimefon, triazine, Trichoderma atroviride, tricyclazole, triflumizole, trifloxystrobin, triforine, tolcurfos-methyl, Bacillus subtilis, validamycin, bitertanol, hydroxyisoxazole, pyrazophos, pyrifenox, pyrimethanil, pyroquilon, famoxadone, fenarimol, fenoxanil, ferimzone, fenbuconazole, fenhexamid, fthalide, furametpyr, fluazinam, fluorimide , fludioxonil, flusulfamide, flutolanil, procymidone, propamocarb hydrochloride, propiconazole, propineb, probenazole, hexaconazole, benomyl, pefurazoate, pencycuron, boscalid, fosetyl, polyoxin, polycarbamate, mancozeb, maneb, myclobutanil, mildiomycin, metasulfocarb, metominostrobin, mepanipyrim, organic copper, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, edifenphos, iprobenfos, chlorothalonil, and the like.

[0029] Herbicides include ioxynil, azimsulfuron, asulam, atrazine, anilofos, alachlor, isouron, isoxaben, imazaquin, imazapyr, imazosulfuron, indanofan, esprocarb, ethoxysulfone, etobenzanide, chlorate, oxadiazon, oxadiargyl, oxaziclomefone, orthobencarb, oryzalin, cafenstrole, carfentrazone ethyl, carbutilate, quizalofop-methyl, cumyluron, glyphosate ammonium salt, glyphosate isopropylamine salt, and glyphosate. Potassium salt, glyphosate trimesium salt, glufosinate, clethodim, clomeprop, chlorphthalim, cyanazine, cyanate, cyclosulfamuron, diquat, dithiopyr, siduron, cinosulfuron, cyhalofop-butyl, diflufenican, dimethametrin, dinatenamid, simetryn, symmetryn, sethoxydim, dymron, dazomet, thifensulfuron-methyl, desmedipham, tetrapion, thenylchlor, tepraloxydim, triaziflam, triclopyr, trifluralin, trifloxysulfuron-methyl sodium salt, napropamide, nicosulfuron, paraquat, halosulfuron methyl, bialaphos, bispyribac sodium salt, bifenox, pyrazoxyfen, pyrazosulfuron methyl, pyrazoate, pyraflufenzion, pyriftalid, pyributicarb, pyriminobac methyl, fenothiol, fentrazamide, phenmedipham, butachlor, butamiphos, flazasulfuron, fluazifop, fluthiacet methyl, flumioxazin, pretilachlor, prodiamine, propisamide, bromacil, prometryn, bromobutyric acid Do, florasulam, beslodin, bensulfuron methyl, benzofenap, benzobicyclon, bentazone sodium salt, benthiocarb, pendimethalin, pentoxazone, benfuresate, metamitron, metsulfuron methyl, metolachlor, metribuzin, mefenacet, molinate, linuron, rimsulfuron, lenacil, ACN, simazine, dichlobenil, chlorthiamid, diuron, propanil, MCP, MCP isopropylamine salt, MCPB, MCPP, MDBA, MDBA isopropylamine salt, PAC, SAP, 2,Examples include 4-PA.

[0030] The method of using the pesticide composition of the present invention is not limited to the range of typical pesticide application methods. However, considering the excellent rain resistance of the composition of the present invention and effective pesticide application, it is preferable to dilute the agricultural composition of the present invention together with the pesticide active ingredient or pesticide formulation in water to obtain a spray solution, and then spray the resulting solution on target plants or pests. The pesticide spray solution preferably has a concentration of (a) fatty acid ester of 5 to 5,000 ppm, more preferably 10 to 500 ppm, and particularly preferably 20 to 250 ppm.

[0031] The agricultural composition of the present invention can also be used as a plant protection agent. When sprayed on a target plant, the agricultural composition of the present invention forms a film on the plant surface, reducing exposure to pathogens transmitted by rain, wind, etc., and thereby protecting the plant. Furthermore, the formation of a film on the plant surface reduces stress that the sprayed plant experiences from the natural environment, such as rain and wind, and thus protects the plant. When used as a plant protection agent in the present invention, the spray solution preferably has a concentration of (a) fatty acid ester of 5 to 5,000 ppm. [Example]

[0032] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the examples are merely illustrative and do not limit the present invention.

[0033] The instruments, devices and analytical conditions used in the preparation of the Examples and Comparative Examples are as follows. Dispersion vessel: Separable glass flask Disperser: Hiscotron (Microtec Nichion Co., Ltd.) Particle size distribution meter: Laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer SALD-2200 (Shimadzu Corporation) Measurement method: Laser diffraction and laser scattering method Measurement range: 0.03 to 1000 μm Light source: Semiconductor laser (wavelength 680nm, output 3mW) Cell: Flow cell system Cell material: Quartz glass Software: WingSALD-2200 Analysis sample: The prepared composition was dispersed by adding water to the prepared composition so that the concentration of the fatty acid ester (a) was 0.1 to 5% by weight.

[0034] The raw materials used in the examples and comparative examples are shown in Tables 1 to 3 below. Group A: Raw materials containing (a) fatty acid ester according to the present invention Group B: Raw materials containing (b) unsaturated fatty acid (salt) according to the present invention Group C: Raw materials containing the nonionic surfactant (c) according to the present invention Group A': (a) raw materials containing fatty acid esters used in Comparative Examples 3 to 8 Group B': Raw materials containing (b) unsaturated fatty acids (salts) used in Comparative Examples 9 to 16 Group C': Raw materials containing (c) nonionic surfactant used in Comparative Examples 21 to 25 [Table 1]

[0035] [Table 2]

[0036] [Table 3]

[0037] Example 1 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 5 parts by mass of sodium oleate (NOF Corporation; product name Nonsal ON-A), and 65 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed using a disperser at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes to obtain an agricultural composition of the present invention having a particle size of 3 μm.

[0038] Example 2 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 25 parts by mass of potassium oleate aqueous solution (NOF Corporation; product name Nonsal OK-1, potassium oleate aqueous solution with 20% purity by weight), and 45 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser to obtain an agricultural composition of the present invention with a particle size of 3 μm.

[0039] Example 3 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; trade name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 5 parts by mass of sodium oleate (NOF Corporation; trade name Nonsal ON-A), 2 parts by mass of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; trade name Newkalgen D-945, HLB 15), and 63 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed using a disperser at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes to obtain an agricultural composition of the present invention having a particle size of 2 μm.

[0040] Example 4 30 parts by mass of hexaglycerol pentastearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; trade name SY Glystar PS-5S, HLB 4.5), 5 parts by mass of sodium oleate (NOF Corporation; trade name Nonsal ON-A), 2 parts by mass of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; trade name Newkalgen D-945, HLB 15), and 63 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed using a disperser at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes to obtain an agricultural composition of the present invention having a particle size of 4 μm.

[0041] Example 5 A mixture of 30 parts by mass of tetraglycerin pentastearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; trade name SY Glystar PS-3S, HLB 2.6), 5 parts by mass of sodium oleate (NOF Corporation; trade name Nonsal ON-A), 2 parts by mass of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; trade name Newkalgen D-945, HLB 15), and 63 parts by mass of water was heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed using a disperser at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes to obtain an agricultural composition of the present invention having a particle size of 2 μm.

[0042] Example 6 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin dodecabehenate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; trade name SY Glystar DBB-750, HLB 2.5), 5 parts by mass of sodium oleate (NOF Corporation; trade name Nonsal ON-A), 2 parts by mass of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; trade name Newkalgen D-945, HLB 15), and 63 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed using a disperser at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes to obtain an agricultural composition of the present invention having a particle size of 3 μm.

[0043] Example 7 30 parts by mass of sucrose stearate (Mitsubishi Chemical Foods Corporation; trade name: Ryoto Sugar Ester S-070, HLB approximately 1), 5 parts by mass of sodium oleate (NOF Corporation; trade name: Nonsal ON-A), 2 parts by mass of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; trade name: Newkalgen D-945, HLB 15), and 63 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed using a disperser at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes to obtain an agricultural composition of the present invention having a particle size of 4 μm.

[0044] Example 8 30 parts by mass of sucrose palmitate (Mitsubishi Chemical Foods Corporation; trade name: Ryoto Sugar Ester P-170, HLB approximately 1), 5 parts by mass of sodium oleate (NOF Corporation; trade name: Nonsal ON-A), 2 parts by mass of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; trade name: Newkalgen D-945, HLB 15), and 63 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed using a disperser at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes to obtain an agricultural composition of the present invention having a particle size of 3 μm.

[0045] Example 9 30 parts by mass of sucrose laurate (Mitsubishi Chemical Foods Corporation; trade name: Ryoto Sugar Ester L-195, HLB approximately 1), 5 parts by mass of sodium oleate (NOF Corporation; trade name: Nonsal ON-A), 2 parts by mass of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; trade name: Newkalgen D-945, HLB 15), and 63 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed using a disperser at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes to obtain an agricultural composition of the present invention having a particle size of 3 μm.

[0046] Example 10 A mixture of 30 parts by mass of sorbitan tristearate (Kao Corporation; trade name Rheodor SP-S30V, HLB 2.1), 5 parts by mass of sodium oleate (NOF Corporation; trade name Nonsal ON-A), 2 parts by mass of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; trade name Newkalgen D-945, HLB 15), and 63 parts by mass of water was heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed using a disperser at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes to obtain an agricultural composition of the present invention having a particle size of 3 μm.

[0047] Example 11 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 25 parts by mass of potassium oleate aqueous solution (NOF Corporation; product name Nonsal OK-1, 20 wt% pure potassium oleate aqueous solution), 2 parts by mass of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; product name Newkalgen D-945, HLB 15), and 43 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed using a disperser at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes to obtain an agricultural composition of the present invention having a particle size of 2 μm.

[0048] Example 12 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 5 parts by mass of sodium oleate (NOF Corporation; product name Nonsal ON-A), 2 parts by mass of sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; product name Newcalgen D-935, HLB 4.3), and 63 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed using a disperser at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes to obtain an agricultural composition of the present invention having a particle size of 2 μm.

[0049] Example 13 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; trade name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 5 parts by mass of sodium oleate (NOF Corporation; trade name Nonsal ON-A), 2 parts by mass of tetraglycerin monooleate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; trade name SY Glystar MO-3S, HLB 8.8), and 63 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed using a disperser at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes to obtain an agricultural composition of the present invention having a particle size of 3 μm.

[0050] Example 14 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; trade name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 5 parts by mass of sodium oleate (NOF Corporation; trade name Nonsal ON-A), 2 parts by mass of decaglycerin monooleate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; trade name SY Glystar MO-7S, HLB 12.9), and 63 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed using a disperser at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes to obtain an agricultural composition of the present invention having a particle size of 3 μm.

[0051] Example 15 Five parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; trade name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), one part by mass of sodium oleate (NOF Corporation; trade name Nonsal ON-A), 0.5 parts by mass of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; trade name Newkalgen D-945, HLB 15), and 93.5 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser to obtain an agricultural composition of the present invention having a particle size of 2 μm.

[0052] Example 16 45 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; trade name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 7.5 parts by mass of sodium oleate (NOF Corporation; trade name Nonsal ON-A), 3 parts by mass of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; trade name Newkalgen D-945, HLB 15), and 44.5 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed using a disperser at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes to obtain an agricultural composition of the present invention having a particle size of 3 μm.

[0053] Example 17 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; trade name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 10 parts by mass of sodium oleate (NOF Corporation; trade name Nonsal ON-A), 2 parts by mass of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; trade name Newkalgen D-945, HLB 15), and 58 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed using a disperser at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes to obtain an agricultural composition of the present invention having a particle size of 1 μm.

[0054] Example 18 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; trade name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 2 parts by mass of sodium oleate (NOF Corporation; trade name Nonsal ON-A), 10 parts by mass of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; trade name Newkalgen D-945, HLB 15), and 58 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed using a disperser at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes to obtain an agricultural composition of the present invention having a particle size of 5 μm.

[0055] Comparative Example 1 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8) and 70 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser. However, the mixture quickly separated and coagulated, and a stable comparative agricultural composition could not be obtained.

[0056] Comparative Example 2 A comparative agricultural composition was obtained by heating and stirring 5 parts by mass of sodium oleate (NOF Corporation; trade name: Nonsal ON-A), 2 parts by mass of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; trade name: Newkalgen D-945, HLB15), and 93 parts by mass of water in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersing using a disperser at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes.

[0057] Comparative Example 3 30 parts by mass of hexaglycerol monostearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar MS-5S, HLB 11.6), 5 parts by mass of sodium oleate (NOF Corporation; product name Nonsal ON-A), 2 parts by mass of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; product name Newkalgen D-945, HLB 15), and 63 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser; however, the mixture quickly separated and coagulated, and a stable comparative agricultural composition could not be obtained.

[0058] Comparative Example 4 A mixture of 30 parts by mass of tetraglycerin monostearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar MS-3S, HLB 8.4), 5 parts by mass of sodium oleate (NOF Corporation; product name Nonsal ON-A), 2 parts by mass of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; product name Newkalgen D-945, HLB 15), and 63 parts by mass of water was heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser; however, the mixture quickly separated and coagulated, and a stable comparative agricultural composition could not be obtained.

[0059] Comparative Example 5 A comparative agricultural composition with a particle size of 1 μm was obtained by heating and stirring 30 parts by weight of olive oil (Nissin Oillio Co., Ltd.; HLB approximately 1), 5 parts by weight of sodium oleate (NOF Corporation; trade name Nonsal ON-A), 2 parts by weight of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; trade name Newcalgen D-945, HLB 15), and 63 parts by weight of water in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersing the mixture at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser.

[0060] Comparative Example 6 A comparative agricultural composition having a particle size of 2 μm was obtained by heating and stirring a mixture of 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin decaoleate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name: SY Glystar DAO-7S, HLB 3.3), 5 parts by mass of sodium oleate (NOF Corporation; product name: Nonsal ON-A), 2 parts by mass of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; product name: Newkalgen D-945, HLB 15) in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser.

[0061] Comparative Example 7 A comparative agricultural composition having a particle size of 2 μm was obtained by heating and stirring 30 parts by mass of sucrose oleate (Mitsubishi Chemical Foods Corporation; trade name: Ryoto Sugar Ester O-180, HLB approximately 1), 5 parts by mass of sodium oleate (NOF Corporation; trade name: Nonsal ON-A), 2 parts by mass of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; trade name: Newkalgen D-945, HLB 15), and 63 parts by mass of water in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersing the mixture at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser.

[0062] Comparative Example 8 30 parts by mass of polyoxyethylene sorbitan stearate (Kao Corporation; trade name Rheodor TW-S120V, HLB 14.9), 5 parts by mass of sodium oleate (NOF Corporation; trade name Nonsal ON-A), 2 parts by mass of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; trade name Newkalgen D-945, HLB 15), and 63 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser; however, the mixture quickly separated and coagulated, and a stable comparative agricultural composition could not be obtained.

[0063] Comparative Example 9 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 5 parts by mass of semi-hardened potassium tallow fatty acid (Kao Corporation; product name KS Soap), and 65 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser. A composition with a particle size of 3 μm was temporarily obtained, but the mixture quickly solidified, making it impossible to obtain a stable comparative agricultural composition.

[0064] Comparative Example 10 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 5 parts by mass of sodium dodecyl sulfate (Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), and 65 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser; however, the mixture quickly coagulated, and a stable comparative agricultural composition could not be obtained.

[0065] Comparative Example 11 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 7.1 parts by mass of a methanol solution of sodium alkylbenzenesulfonate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; product name Newkalgen A-41-B, sodium alkylbenzenesulfonate purity 70% by weight), and 62.9 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser; however, the mixture quickly coagulated, and a stable comparative agricultural composition could not be obtained.

[0066] Comparative Example 12 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 7.1 parts by mass of dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate solution (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; product name Newcalgen EP-70G, dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate purity 70% by weight), and 62.9 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser; however, coagulation occurred quickly, and a stable comparative agricultural composition could not be obtained.

[0067] Comparative Example 13 30 parts by weight of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 5 parts by weight of semi-hardened beef tallow fatty acid potassium (Kao Corporation; product name KS Soap), 2 parts by weight of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; product name New Kalgen D-945, HLB 15), and 63 parts by weight of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser. A composition with a particle size of 4 μm was temporarily obtained, but some of the particles quickly solidified, making it impossible to obtain a stable comparative agricultural composition.

[0068] Comparative Example 14 A mixture of 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 5 parts by mass of sodium dodecyl sulfate (Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), 2 parts by mass of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; product name Newkalgen D-945, HLB 15), and 63 parts by mass of water was heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser. A composition with a particle size of 5 μm was temporarily obtained, but some of the particles quickly solidified, making it impossible to obtain a stable comparative agricultural composition.

[0069] Comparative Example 15 30 parts by weight of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 7.1 parts by weight of a methanol solution of sodium alkylbenzene sulfonate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; product name Newkalgen A-41-B, sodium alkylbenzene sulfonate with a purity of 70% by weight), 2 parts by weight of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; product name Newkalgen D-945, HLB 15), and 60.9 parts by weight of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser. A composition with a particle size of 5 μm was temporarily obtained, but some of the particles quickly solidified, making it impossible to obtain a stable comparative agricultural composition.

[0070] Comparative Example 16 30 parts by weight of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 7.1 parts by weight of dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate solution (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; product name Newkalgen EP-70G, dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate, purity 70% by weight), 2 parts by weight of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; product name Newkalgen D-945, HLB 15), and 60.9 parts by weight of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser. A composition with a particle size of 5 μm was temporarily obtained, but some of the particles quickly solidified, making it impossible to obtain a stable comparative agricultural composition.

[0071] Comparative Example 17 A comparative agricultural composition having a particle size of 4 μm was obtained by heating and stirring 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 5 parts by mass of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; product name Newcalgen D-945, HLB 15), and 65 parts by mass of water in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersing the mixture at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser.

[0072] Comparative Example 18 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 5 parts by mass of sorbitan oleate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; product name Newcalgen D-935, HLB 4.3), and 65 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed using a disperser at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes to obtain a comparative agricultural composition with a particle size of 3 μm.

[0073] Comparative Example 19 A comparative agricultural composition with a particle size of 3 μm was obtained by heating and stirring 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 5 parts by mass of tetraglycerin monooleate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar MO-3S, HLB 8.8), and 65 parts by mass of water in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersing the mixture at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser.

[0074] Comparative Example 20 A comparative agricultural composition having a particle size of 5 μm was obtained by heating and stirring 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 5 parts by mass of decaglycerin monooleate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar MO-7S, HLB 12.9), and 65 parts by mass of water in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersing the mixture at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser.

[0075] Comparative Example 21 A comparative agricultural composition having a particle size of 5 μm was obtained by heating and stirring 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 5 parts by mass of polyoxyethylated castor oil (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; product name Newcalgen D-220, HLB 10.0) in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersing the mixture at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser.

[0076] Comparative Example 22 A comparative agricultural composition having a particle size of 5 μm was obtained by heating and stirring 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 5 parts by mass of polyoxyethylated hydrogenated castor oil (Kao Corporation; product name Emanon CH-60(K), HLB 14), and 65 parts by mass of water in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersing the mixture at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser.

[0077] Comparative Example 23 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 5 parts by mass of sorbitan laurate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; product name Newcalgen D-931, HLB 8.6), and 65 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed using a disperser at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes to obtain a comparative agricultural composition with a particle size of 3 μm.

[0078] Comparative Example 24 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 5 parts by mass of polyoxyethylene sorbitan laurate (Takemoto Oil & Fat Co., Ltd.; product name Newcalgen D-941, HLB 16.7), and 65 parts by mass of water were heated and stirred in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersed at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser to obtain a comparative agricultural composition with a particle size of 2 μm.

[0079] Comparative Example 25 A comparative agricultural composition having a particle size of 4 μm was obtained by heating and stirring 30 parts by mass of decaglycerin deca stearate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar DAS-7S, HLB 3.8), 5 parts by mass of diglycerin monocaprylate (Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; product name SY Glystar MCA-150, HLB 8.7), and 65 parts by mass of water in an 80°C water bath for 10 minutes, and then dispersing the mixture at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes using a disperser.

[0080] In Comparative Example 26, distilled water was used.

[0081] In Comparative Example 27, Avion-E (product name, Avion Corporation) was used.

[0082] Test Example 1: Stability test The compositions obtained in the examples and comparative examples were placed in a plastic container and stored at 20°C for one week, after which the contents were passed through a 100 mesh (150 μm opening) sieve to check for solidification. The appearance of the compositions was also checked for any abnormalities such as separation or solidification. Evaluation criteria ◯: Appears to be uniformly dispersed, and no solid matter was observed. ×: Separation and solid matter were observed.

[0083] Test example 2: Rain resistance test Test solutions were prepared by adding the compositions of the Examples and Comparative Examples to a 2000-fold diluted solution of a 5% chromafenozide flowable formulation (product name: Matrix Flowable, Nippon Kayaku Co., Ltd.) so that the fatty acid ester concentration was 150 ppm or 75 ppm. Separately, one side of a 5 cm square piece of parafilm was attached to the center of a 9 cm glass Petri dish with double-sided tape. Using a volumetric pipette, exactly 1 mL of the test solution was placed on a piece of parafilm and allowed to dry at room temperature for 24 hours. The dish was then tilted at an angle of approximately 45 degrees, and 100 mL of tap water was sprayed onto the dish from a distance of approximately 30 cm vertically over one minute using a hand sprayer. The dish was then tilted at an angle of 90 degrees to remove any water droplets from the parafilm and the dish, and the dish was then allowed to dry naturally again at room temperature. The dried Parafilm was placed in a test tube, 5 mL of acetonitrile was added accurately using a whole pipette, the tube was capped, and the tube was vigorously shaken approximately 50 times by hand. The resulting solution was analyzed by HPLC, and the residual rate of the drug on the Parafilm before and after watering was calculated.

[0084] Test example 3: Rain resistance test Test solutions were prepared by adding the compositions of the Examples and Comparative Examples to a 500-fold diluted solution of a 5% chromafenozide flowable formulation (product name: Matrix Flowable, Nippon Kayaku Co., Ltd.) so that the fatty acid ester concentration was 150 ppm. Separately, one side of a 5 cm square piece of parafilm was attached to the center of a 9 cm glass Petri dish with double-sided tape. The dish was placed horizontally, and 10 mL of the test solution was sprayed onto it from approximately 30 cm above at a 45-degree angle using a hand sprayer. The dish was then placed in a thermostatic chamber set at 25°C and 70% humidity for 1 hour. The dish was then tilted at an angle of approximately 45°, and 50 mL of tap water was sprayed onto the dish from a distance of approximately 30 cm vertically using a hand sprayer over 30 seconds. The dish was then tilted at an angle of 90°, and water droplets from the Parafilm and inside the dish were removed, after which it was allowed to air dry again at room temperature. The dried Parafilm was placed in a test tube, 5 mL of acetonitrile was added accurately using a whole pipette, the tube was capped, and the tube was vigorously shaken approximately 50 times by hand. The resulting solution was analyzed by HPLC, and the residual rate of the drug on the Parafilm before and after watering was calculated.

[0085] The test compositions and the results of Test Examples 1 to 3 are summarized in Tables 4 and 5. [Table 4]

[0086] [Table 5]

[0087] From the results of Test Examples 1 to 3, all of Examples 1 to 18 had high stability and showed excellent rain resistance and rain-resistant immediate effect in terms of adhesion of the pesticide ingredients. On the other hand, all of Comparative Examples 1 to 27 had poorer rain resistance or poor stability compared to the agricultural composition of the present invention, making it difficult to carry out the test.

[0088] Test Example 4: Powdery mildew (Spaerotheca cucurbitae) prevention test Cucumber seedlings (variety: Tokiwa-seedling, 4-leaf stage) were sprayed with 20 mL of each of Examples 3 and 9 and Comparative Examples 26 and 27 diluted appropriately with water using an electric sprayer (Kirioh B-500, manufactured by Maruhachi Sangyo Co., Ltd.) at a constant temperature and humidity of 25°C. Two hours after treatment, a powdery mildew spore suspension was sprayed. Eleven days after treatment, the number of lesions occurring on the second to fourth true leaves was counted, and the control titer was calculated using the following formula. Control titer = (1 - (total number of lesions in treated area / total number of lesions in tap water treated area)) x 100 The results are summarized in Table 6.

[0089] [Table 6]

[0090] The results of Test Example 4 showed that the agricultural compositions of Examples 3 and 9 suppressed the occurrence of powdery mildew compared to Comparative Examples 26 and 27. Therefore, the agricultural composition of the present invention functions as a plant protection agent that protects agricultural plants from exposure to pathogens transmitted by rain, wind, etc.

[0091] The agricultural composition of the present invention has excellent adhesion, rain resistance, and rain-resistant, rapid-acting properties, which can prevent pesticide peeling, detachment, and washout due to wind and rain, thereby stabilizing and sustaining the efficacy of the pesticide. In particular, this allows for pesticide spraying without worry, even under humid and rainy conditions such as the rainy season. Furthermore, the agricultural composition of the present invention uses ingredients that are guaranteed to be safe for humans and the environment, and is rain-resistant at low concentrations, thereby reducing the number of applications, application volume, application labor, and application costs while minimizing environmental impact. Furthermore, the agricultural composition can be used as a rain-resistant pesticide composition by combining it with other pesticide compositions when preparing a pesticide spray solution, thereby stabilizing the efficacy of the combined pesticide compositions. The agricultural composition can also be used as a plant protectant, forming a coating on the plant surface when sprayed, thereby reducing the adverse effects of natural environmental factors such as rainfall and wind on agricultural crops, supporting crop growth, and stabilizing food supply.

Claims

1. A rain-resistant agricultural spreading agent containing (a) a fatty acid ester, (b) oleic acid or a salt thereof, and water, (a) fatty acid esters (i) the fatty acid constituting the fatty acid ester contains at least one fatty acid selected from the group consisting of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 22 carbon atoms; (ii) the alcohol produced by hydrolysis of the fatty acid ester is a tetrahydric or higher polyol, (iii) an HLB of 5 or less; and (iv) is a solid at 20°C and atmospheric pressure; and A rain-resistant agricultural spreading agent in which (a) a fatty acid ester and (b) oleic acid or a salt thereof are emulsified or dispersed in water.

2. 2. The rain-resistant agricultural spreading agent according to claim 1, wherein the fatty acid constituting the (a) fatty acid ester includes at least one fatty acid selected from the group consisting of lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and behenic acid.

3. 2. The rain-resistant agricultural spreading agent according to claim 1, wherein the fatty acid ester (a) is a polyglycerol fatty acid ester.

4. 2. The rain-resistant agricultural spreading agent according to claim 1, wherein the fatty acid ester (a) is a polyglycerin fatty acid ester composed of polyglycerin having a degree of polymerization of 3 to 10.

5. 2. The rain-resistant agricultural wetting agent according to claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of (a) the fatty acid ester to (b) oleic acid or a salt thereof, (a) / (b), in the rain-resistant agricultural wetting agent is 1 to 50.

6. The rain-resistant agricultural spreading agent according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the oily droplets containing (a) the fatty acid ester and (b) oleic acid or a salt thereof have a particle size in water of 50 µm or less.

7. The rain-resistant agricultural spreading agent according to claim 1, further comprising (c) a nonionic surfactant.

8. 8. A rain-resistant agricultural spreading agent according to claim 7, wherein the nonionic surfactant (c) is a (polyoxyethylene) sorbitan fatty acid ester or a (poly)glycerin fatty acid ester having an HLB of 4 or more.

9. 8. A rain-resistant agricultural spreading agent according to claim 7, wherein the nonionic surfactant (c) is a fatty acid ester, and the fatty acid ester contains oleic acid as a constituent fatty acid.

10. 8. The rain-resistant agricultural spreading agent according to claim 1, wherein (a) the fatty acid ester and (b) oleic acid or a salt thereof are in an emulsified or dispersed state as melted and integrated oily droplets.

11. 8. The rain-resistant agricultural spreading agent according to claim 7, wherein the content of (a) the fatty acid ester is greater than the contents of (b) the oleic acid or a salt thereof, and (c) the nonionic surfactant.

12. 10. A pesticide composition comprising the rain-resistant agricultural spreading agent according to claim 1 or 7 and an active pesticide ingredient.

13. 13. The pesticide composition according to claim 12, comprising (a) a fatty acid ester at a concentration of 5 to 5000 ppm.

14. A plant protection agent comprising the rain-resistant agricultural spreading agent according to claim 1 or 7.

15. 15. The plant protection agent according to claim 14, comprising (a) a fatty acid ester in a concentration of 5 to 5000 ppm.

16. A plant protection agent for protecting plants from exposure to pathogens transmitted by rain and wind, comprising the rain-resistant agricultural wetting agent according to claim 1 or 7.

17. 17. The plant protection agent according to claim 16, comprising (a) a fatty acid ester in a concentration of 5 to 5000 ppm.

18. A plant protection agent for reducing stress from the natural environment of rain and wind, comprising the rain-resistant agricultural spreading agent according to claim 1 or 7.

19. 19. The plant protection agent according to claim 18, comprising (a) a fatty acid ester in a concentration of 5 to 5000 ppm.

20. A plant protection agent comprising: (a) a fatty acid ester; (b) oleic acid or a salt thereof; and water, (a) fatty acid esters (i) the fatty acid constituting the fatty acid ester contains at least one fatty acid selected from the group consisting of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 22 carbon atoms; (ii) the alcohol produced by hydrolysis of the fatty acid ester is a tetrahydric or higher polyol, (iii) an HLB of 5 or less; and (iv) is a solid at 20°C and atmospheric pressure; and A plant protection agent in which (a) a fatty acid ester and (b) oleic acid or a salt thereof are emulsified or dispersed in water.

21. 21. The plant protection agent according to claim 20, wherein the weight ratio of (a) the fatty acid ester to (b) oleic acid or a salt thereof, (a) / (b), in the plant protection agent is 1 to 50.

22. 21. The plant protection agent according to claim 20, further comprising (c) a nonionic surfactant.

23. 22. The plant protection agent according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the content of (a) fatty acid ester is greater than the content of (b) oleic acid or a salt thereof, and optional (c) nonionic surfactant.

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