Binding composition, spraying solution or suspension and use thereof as well as to method for spraying one or more agrichemical compounds onto soil

Abstract

The present invention relates to a binding composition of a natural thickening agent in an oily solvent, comprising a dispersion of at least 2 wt.%, preferably at most 10 wt.%, of said natural thickening agent in said oily solvent, based on the weight of the binding composition, wherein the natural thickening agent is selected from the group consisting of one or more starches, one or more gums, and a combination of two or more thereof, wherein the oily solvent is selected from the group consisting of polyols, organic acids or esters thereof, and a combination of two or more thereof. In addition, the invention relates to spraying solutions, the use thereof and a method for for spraying one or more agrichemical compounds onto soil.

Description

TITLE Binding composition, spraying solution or suspension and use thereof as well as to method for spraying one or more agrichemical compounds onto soil FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a binding composition, a spraying solution or suspension and a use thereof as well as to method for spraying one or more agrichemical compounds onto soil. Background

[0002] The background description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.

[0003] Many pesticides such as Dimethenamid-P, Atrazine, Atachlor, Triflluralin, lmidacloprid, and Diuron are widely used active ingredients in various applications, become a significant concern due to their high leaching potential. When applied to agricultural fields, these compound often fails to bind sufficiently to the soil, leading to its displacement through rainfall or irrigation into surface and groundwater systems. This leaching behaviour is particularly problematic because it contributes to the contamination of aquatic ecosystems, exceeding established regulatory limits and triggering environmental and economic challenges.

[0004] Many chemical fertilizers are also sensitive for leaching. Like Nitrogen and to a lesser amount Potassium. Since they easily dissolve into water, they wash out with rainy weather. A loss for the crop, since they cannot take up these valuable nutrients.

[0005] The environmental impact is substantial: aquatic species are highly sensitive to pesticide residues, and even low concentrations of such compounds can disrupt ecosystems, reduce biodiversity, and cause long-term damage to water quality. From an economic perspective, farmers face growing challenges in maintaining crop productivity due to regulatory responses aimed at mitigating environmental harm. Stricter regulations and limits on pesticide usage could force farmers to explore less effective or more costly alternatives, threatening the efficiency and sustainability of agricultural practices.

[0006] The development of a binding composition that can adhere active agrichemical compounds, like fertilizers and herbicides, pesticides to the soil, thereby reducing their mobility and preventing leaching, addresses both environmental and economic concerns. Such a solution would help ensure regulatory compliance, safeguard water quality, and provide farmers with reliable crop protection options without exacerbating pollution risks. This invention focuses on overcoming these challenges by introducing a binding composition designed to improve soil binding properties, minimizing the leaching of pesticides and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. Objects

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a binding composition that reduces or eliminates leaching of agrichemical compounds, such as pesticides, in particular herbicides, and fertilizers, in particular chemical fertilizers, more specifically dimethenamid-P or nitrogen thus minimize the risk of contamination in surface waters.

[0008] It is a further object of the present invention to providing a binding composition that achieves the binding of these agrichemical compounds to the soil particles to prevent leaching. STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0009] In a first aspect, the invention relates to binding composition of a natural thickening agent in an oily solvent, comprising a dispersion, of at least 2 wt.% of said natural thickening agent in said oily solvent, preferably at most 10 wt.%, based on the weight of the binding composition, wherein the natural thickening agent is selected from the group consisting of one or more starches, one or more gums, and a combination of two or more thereof, wherein the oily solvent is selected from the group consisting of polyols, organic acids or esters thereof, and a combination of two or more thereof.

[0010] In a second aspect, the invention relates a spraying solution or suspension comprising the binding composition according to the first aspect, one or more agrichemical compounds, and water, said spraying solution or suspension having a concentration of between 0.2 wt.% and 1.5% wt.% of said natural thickening agent based on the weight of the spraying solution or suspension.

[0011] In a third aspect, the invention relates a method for spraying one or more agrichemical compounds onto soil, preferably agricultural soil, said method comprising the steps of: l-a) providing a spraying solution or suspension according to the second aspect or l-b) providing the binding composition according to the first aspect, diluting it with water and mixing it with one or more agrichemical compounds to provide a spraying solution or suspension having a concentration of between 0.2 wt.% and 1.5 wt.% of said natural thickening agent based on the weight of the spraying solution or suspension; and ||) spraying the spraying solution or suspension onto the soil.

[0012] In a fourth aspect, the invention relates a use of the binding composition or the spraying solution or suspension for binding one or more agrichemical compounds to soil particles, in particular to sand particles.

[0013] In a fifth aspect, the invention relates a use of the binding composition or the spraying solution or suspension for reducing or eliminating leaching of one or more agrichemical compounds from soil on which these compounds have been appHed.

[0014] Corresponding embodiments are also applicable for the other aspects according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] The present invention is elucidated below with a detailed description. List of definitions

[0016] The following definitions are used in the present description and claims to define the stated subject matter. Other terms not cited below are meant to have the generally accepted meaning in the field. binding composition as used in the present descriptions means the composition according to the invention that provides specific chemical or molecular structure that gives it its thickening properties in the soil. dispersion as used in the present descriptions means a mixture of one substance dispersed in another medium. suspension as used in the present description means: a mixture in which particles are dispersed throughout the bulk of a liquid. colloidal suspension as used in the present description means: a mixture of fine particles as a fine suspension in a liquid. spraying as used in the present descriptions means: application in agricultural use where agrichemical compounds are used. spraying solution as used in the present descriptions means a liquid solution with agrichemical compounds that is applied to crops or soil for various purposes. natural thickening agent as used in the present descriptions means substances derived from natural sources that can increase the viscosity of a liquid, making it thicker. They are often used in food, cosmetics, and industrial applications. agrichemical compounds as used in the present descriptions means both fertilizers and pesticides. Chemicals or naturally derived materials used in agriculture to control pests, weeds, and diseases. They are also used to improve crop yields and quality. pesticides or pesticidal compounds as used in the present description means: any substance used to kill or control pests, which can be insects, rodents, fungi, or weeds. So, herbicides are a subset of pesticides, alongside insecticides (targeting insects), fungicides (targeting fungi), and others. herbicidal compounds as used in the present descriptions means Herbicidal compounds are chemical substances designed to control or kill plants, particularly weeds. They can be classified based on their mode of action, target plants, and chemical structure. soil as used in the present descriptions means a naturally occurring material composed of minerals, organic matter, water, and air. It is formed over time through the weathering of rocks and the decomposition of organic matter. Soil is essential for plant growth and supports a wide range of ecosystems. agricultural soil as used in the present descriptions means a type of soil that is suitable for growing plants and crops. It is characterized by its physical, chemical, and biological properties, which determine its fertility and productivity, agricultural land, or cultivation layer. soil particles as used in the present descriptions means Soil particles are the fundamental components that make up soil. They vary in size and composition, which significantly influences the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil. sand particles as used in the present descriptions means granular material composed of small, loose particles of rock or mineral. It is typically classified by its size, ranging from 0.05 to 2 millimetres in diameter.

[0017] In an embodiment, the binding composition is a suspension, preferably a colloidal suspension.

[0018] In an embodiment, the one or more starches are selected from the group consisting of potato starch, cornstarch, arrowroot starch, tapioca starch, rice starch, pea starch or hydrolytic modified starches. In an embodiment, the one or more gums are selected from the group consisting of guar gum, carrageenan gum, xanthan gum, gum Arabic, agar-agar. In an embodiment, the polyol is glycerine. In an embodiment, the organic acid or esters there are selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, citric acid or esters thereof, such as acetic acid or the citrate ester being triethyl citrate (e.g. marketed as Citrofol®). The present inventor has observed that the use of these oily solvents and combinations thereof ensure sufficient dispersion of the natural thickening agent in the final spraying solution, allowing a homogenous solution / suspension to be formed without sagging.

[0019] In an embodiment, xanthan gum is present as natural thickening agent, and glycerine or a mixture of glycerine and acetic acid or a mixture of glycerine and triethyl citrate are present as oily solvent. These are the preferred compositions of the binding composition.

[0020] This present binding composition may be provided to an agricultural location, such as a farm, for diluting and mixing with one or more agrichemical compounds to obtain the spraying solution or suspension and spraying onto a crop or field.

[0021] The present invention also relates to spraying solution or suspension comprising the binding composition according to the first aspect, one or more agrichemical compounds, and water, said spraying solution or suspension having a concentration of between 0.2 wt.% and 1.5 wt.% of said natural thickening agent based on the weight of the spraying solution or suspension.

[0022] In addition, the invention relates a method for spraying one or more agrichemical compounds onto soil, preferably agricultural soil, said method comprising the steps of: l-a) providing a spraying solution or suspension according to the second aspect or l-b) providing the binding composition according to the first aspect, diluting it with water and mixing it with one or more agrichemical compounds to provide a spraying solution or suspension having a concentration of between 0.2 wt.% and 1.5 wt.% of said natural thickening agent based on the weight of the spraying solution or suspension; and ||) spraying the spraying solution or suspension onto the soil.

[0023] The invention also comprises a method for spraying of the spraying solution or suspension according to the second aspect onto a crop or soil, preferably agricultural soil.

[0024] In an embodiment, the agrichemical compound is selected from pesticidal compounds preferably selected from Dimethenamid-P, Atrazine, Atachlor, lmidacloprid, Triflluralin, and Diuron, - fertilizer compounds preferably as nitrogen and potassium -, and a combination thereof. This embodiment is applicable to the spraying solution or suspension as well as to the method.

[0025] In the spraying solution or suspension, the agrichemical compound is preferably present in an amount of between 0.2 wt.% 4.0 wt.% , more preferably in an amount of between 0.5 wt.% to 2.0 wt.%, based on the weight of the spraying solutions or suspension. The agrichemical compound is used according to the labelling instructions, provided by the manufacturing of the agrichemical compound.

[0026] The invention also relates to the use of the binding composition according to the first aspect or the spraying solution or suspension according to the second aspect for binding one or more agrichemical compounds to soil particles, in particular to sand particles.

[0027] The invention also relates to the use of the binding composition according to the first aspect or the spraying solution or suspension according to the second aspect for reducing or eliminating leaching of one or more agrichemical compounds from soil on which these compounds have been applied. Effects of the invention

[0028] The present invention provides a binding composition that is a promising solution to the leaching issues associated with some pesticides and fertilizers such as Dimethenamid-P, Atrazine, Atachlor, lmidacloprid, Triflluralin, Diuron, Nitrogen and Potassium. This inventive binding composition was demonstrated to show a significant reduction in the leaching of the active substance, as discussed below in the Examples section.

[0029] The effect of the present composition is that a strong bond is created between the agrichemical compound and soil particles, thereby significantly reducing the mobility of the agrichemical compound in the soil. This results in less leaching into groundwater and surface water.

[0030] The decreased leaching risk also provides a protective effect for tubers, bulbs, and roots of crops, minimizing damage from the active substance.

[0031] In essence, this natural thickener-based adjuvant offers several advantages: I) reduced leaching: the strong binding of the active ingredient to soil particles minimizes the risk of contamination of water sources; ll) improved crop protection: by reducing the mobility of the active substance, the risk of damage to sensitive crop parts is decreased; Ill) environmental sustainability: natural thickeners are derived from renewable sources, making this approach more environmentally friendly; IV) enhanced efficacy: the improved adhesion of the active ingredient to soil particles can enhance its effectiveness in controlling target pests or weeds.

[0032] This innovative approach not only addresses the environmental concerns associated with pesticides and fertilizers, but also offers benefits or farmers by improving crop protection and reducing the risk of regulatory restrictions.

[0033] The binding composition was found to form a bridge between the agrochemical compounds and soil particles, forming a network that can help to retain the agrochemical compounds in the soil.

[0034] The natural thickener is a versatile biopolymer with a strong ability to bind to various substances. Without wishing to be bound to a particular theory, the present inventor believes that when used in formulations to prevent leaching of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, it employs several mechanisms, that are discussed below.

[0035] 1. Physical Entrapment: Gel Formation: thickeners, such as xanthan gum, forms a gel-like structure when hydrated in water. This gel acts as a physical barrier, trapping pesticide and fertilizer molecules within its network. Viscosity Increase: The high viscosity of thickeners, such as xanthan gum, solutions can slow down the movement of water and solutes, reducing the rate at which pesticides and fertilizers can leach into the soil.

[0036] 2. Adsorption: Ionic Interactions: The charged groups on the thickeners, such as xanthan gum molecule can interact with the charged molecules of pesticides and fertilizers through electrostatic attraction. This adsorption process helps to retain these substances within the soil. Hydrophobic Interactions: thickeners, such as santhan gum can also interact with hydrophobic (water-repelling) components of pesticides and fertilizers through hydrophobic interactions. This binding mechanism further contributes to their retention.

[0037] 3. Soil Aggregation: Soil Structure Improvement: thickeners, such as xanthan gum can improve soil structure by promoting the formation of aggregates. These aggregates can provide a more stable environment for pesticide and fertilizer molecules, reducing their susceptibility to leaching.

[0038] 4. Soil Moisture Retention: Water-Holding Capacity: thickeners, such as xanthan gum can enhance the soil's water-holding capacity. By retaining moisture in the soil, it creates a more favourable environment for the slow release of pesticides and fertilizers, reducing the risk of leaching.

[0039] Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measured cannot be used to advantage. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims. One or more of the objects of the invention are achieved by the appended claims. EXAMPLES

[0040] The present invention is further elucidated based on the Examples below which are illustrative only and not considered limiting to the present invention.

[0041] Plastic tubes (grey PVC plastic, diameter 120 mm, length of 50 cm) with a 100 mesh filter at the bottom where loosely filled with sandy agricultural soil obtained from the bulb-growing region in the Netherlands. These are saturated with water.

[0042] Four spraying solutions were prepared, one spraying solution according to the invention (Example 1) and three comparative solutions, comparative 1 is a blank spraying solution which consists of 100 wt.% of water; comparative 2 is a spraying solution with water and the agrichemical compound, but without any binding composition; comparative 3 is a spraying solution with water, the agrichemical compound, and a comparative binding composition. Each of these will be explained below. These spraying solutions are applied by dripping (not spraying) to the top of the plastic tubes in an amount of standard dosage rates in this case calculated on 2 ml for the surface. Afterwards, 50 mm of water was added after every three days on each of the tubes and at the outlet thereof water was collected in a container until a total amount of one (1) liter of water was collected from the plastic tube. The collected water was then analyzed for dimethenamide-P levels by a laboratory (Normec Groen Agro Control, the Netherlands).

[0043] Example 1 according to the invention. An amount of 10 liter of a spraying solution was prepared comprising an amount of 30 ml of Wing-P® (commercially available from BASF, Germany) comprising a mixture of two active species pendimethalin and dimethenamide-P. The concentration of active ingredient in the final spraying solutions is 360 mg / ml. In addition, an amount of 1% of binding composition was added. The concentration of natural thickener in the final spraying solution is 10% and the amount of solvent in the final spraying solution is 1%.

[0044] Comparative example 1, not according to the invention. An amount of 10 liter of a spraying solution was prepared which is 100 wt.% of water.

[0045] Comparative example 2, no according to the invention. An amount of 10 liter of a spraying solution was prepared comprising an amount of 100 ml of Wing- P® (commercially available from BASF, Germany) comprising a mixture of two active species pendimethalin and dimethenamide-P. The concentration of active ingredient in the final spraying solutions is 1%.

[0046] Comparative example 3, not according to the invention. An amount of 10 liter of a spraying solution was prepared comprising an amount of 100 ml of Wing- P® (commercially available from BASF, Germany) comprising a mixture of two active species pendimethalin and dimethenamide-P. The concentration of active ingredient in the final spraying solutions is 1%. In addition, an amount of 100 ml of a comparative binding composition, Grounded from Agro Buren / Helena Chemicals was added (732 g / l refined paraffinic petroleum oil), comprising 1%. The concentration of 1% in the final spraying solution is 10ml and the amount of solvent in the final spraying solution is 1%.

[0047] The results are as shown in the below table. Table 1: results of experiments Example # agrichemical Binding Amount of Leaching Reduction compound composition dimethenamid- (%) in present? present? P (mg / liter) leaching (%) examole 1 Comparative Yes No 344 100 % n.a. example 2 examole 3 --r=:-_

[0048] The results show that in the control example to which no agrichemical compound was added, a very low amount (0.68 gm / ml) was present, being a residual amount from the soil that was obtained from agricultural land.

[0049] The results show that without any binding compound, the amount of agrichemical compound that leached out of the soil was 344 mg / l. This was reduced by an amount of 22 % by the comparative binding composition and 56 % by the inventive binding composition, clearly showing a significant effect of the present invention. Thus, the present invention as disclosed in the following claims achieves one or more of the objects of the invention.

[0050] The present inventor has also carried out preliminary tests of xanthan gum and water, without any oily solvent. However, there was insufficient dispersion in the water and hence no meaningful results have been obtained.

[0051] The present inventor has also carried out preliminary tests of propylene glycol in water. These were found not be active.

[0052] The present inventors have observed that in particular the combination of the oily vehicle (in particular propylene glycol) ensure that the natural thickening agent (in particular xanthan gum) is sufficiently dispersed and remain homogeneous in water without sagging.

Claims

1. A binding composition of a natural thickening agent in an oily solvent, comprising a dispersion or at least 2 wt.%, at preference at most 10 wt.% of said natural thickening agent in named oily solvent, based on the weight of the binding composition, in which the natural thickener is selected from the group consisting of one or more starches, one or more gums, and a combination of two or more of them, where the oily solvent is chosen from the group consisting of polyols, organic acids or esters thereof, and a combination of two or more of them.

2. The binding composition according to claim 1, where the binding the composition is a suspension, preferably a colloidal suspension.

3. The binding composition according to conclusion 1 or claim 2, where one or more starches are selected from the group consisting of potato starch, corn starch, arrowroot starch, tapioca starch, rice starch, pea starch or hydrolytically modified starches; and / or one or more erasers have been chosen from the group consisting of guar gum, carrageenan gum, xanthan gum, gum arabic, agar agar; and / or the polyol is glycerin; and / or the organic acids or esters thereof are acetic acid or a citrate ester, preferably triethyl citrate.

4. The binding composition according to one or more of the preceding conclusions, comprising xanthan gum as a natural thickening agent, and glycerin as oily solvent.

5. A spray solution or suspension comprising the binding composition according to one or more of claims 1-4, one or more agrochemical compounds, and water, said spray solution or suspension having a concentration of between 0.2 wt.% and 1.5 wt.% of said natural thickener based on the weight of the spray solution or suspension.

6. The spray solution or suspension referred to in claim 5, whereby the agrochemical compound is selected from pesticide compounds, fertilizer- connections, and a combination or one or more thereof, preferably where the agrochemical compound present is present in an amount of between 0.2 wt.% and 4.0 wt.%, more preferably in an amount between 0.5 wt.% to 2.0 wt.%, based on the weight of the spray solution or suspension.

7. The spray solution or suspension referred to in claim 5 or 6, whereby the Pesticide compounds were selected from Dimethenamide-P, Atrazine, Atachlor, Imidacloprid, Trifilluralin, and Diuron, and / or where the fertilizer compounds nitrogen or potassium is.

8. Method for spraying one or more agrochemicals connections on soil, preferably agricultural soil, mentioned method comprising the steps of: la) providing a spray solution or suspension according to one or more of claims 5-7 or lb) providing the binding composition in accordance with a or more of conclusions 1-4, diluting this with water and mixing this one or more agrochemical compounds for the provision of a spray solution or suspension having a concentration of between 0.2 wt.% and 1.5 wt.% of mentioned natural thickener based on the weight of the spray solution or suspension; and II) spraying the spray solution or suspension onto the soil.

9. The method according to claim 7, whereby the agrochemical The compound is selected from pesticide compounds, preferably selected from Dimethenamide-P, Atrazine, Atachlor, lmidacloprid, Triflluralin, and Diuron, fertilizer- compounds, preferably nitrogen or potassium, and a combination thereof, preferably where the agrochemical compound is present in an amount of between 0.2 wt.% and 4.0 wt.%, more preferably in an amount between 0.5 wt.% to 2.0 wt.%, based on the weight of the spray solution or suspension.

10. An application of the binding composition according to one or more of claim 1-4, or the spray solution or suspension according to one or more of conclusions 5-7, for the binding of one or more agrochemical compounds to soil particles, particularly sand particles.

11. An application of the binding composition according to one or more of claim 1-4, or the spray solution or suspension according to one or more of conclusions 5-7 for reducing or eliminating leaching of one or more agrochemical compounds from the soil on which these compounds are applied PORT CONCERNING RESEARCH INTO THE STATE OF THE ART Patent application 2038936 1 1 classification of the subject : Investigated areas of technology : N25 / 24 A01N PC files: Scope of the investigation: -PATENTS; AbS-NPL Fully um of the investigated conclusions: Uninvestigated conclusions: November 2024 - Relevant literature 2 Citation of literature with indication, where necessary, of relevance to gory conclusion(s) of text passages or figures of particular importance X CN 108135158 A (ATTUNE AGRICULTURE LLC) June 8, 2018 1-11 * paragraphs [0042], [0052], [0142], [0165], [0171], [0236], [0318]; tables 2a and 2b; conclusions 1-14, 17-20, 27 * – – – X CN 109452271 A (SICHUAN LESHAN HUALAILI TECH CO LTD) 1-11 March 12, 2019 * paragraph [0046]; conclusions 1, 2, 6 * – – – – – Date on which the investigation was completed: The competent official: June 2025 Dr. R. Boers Netherlands Patent Office part of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency See explanation on the next page. direction: welding areas of engineering: defined according to International Patent Classification (IPC). Generosity of the cited literature: p state of T being of particular importance in itself: literature on theory or not published in time the technical principle underlying the invention in conjunction with other cited literature E: patent literature published on or after the filing a state of the art of particular importance date of the present application and of which the submission date or the priority date is before the something of importance belonging to category X or Y submission date of the present application being state of the art D: mentioned in the application referring to an unrecorded state of affairs e technique L: literature mentioned for other reasons literature published between priority and &: member of the same patent family; corresponding literature submission date APPENDIX Accompanying the Report on the State of the Art Survey Patent application 2038936 The appendix contains a list of patent applications or patents published elsewhere (so-called and of the same patent family), which correspond to patent specifications mentioned in the report. The statement has been compiled based on data from the computer file of the European pest control agency as of June 25, 2025. The accuracy and completeness of this statement are neither guaranteed by the European Patent Office, nor guaranteed by the Netherlands Patent Office; the data are Provided for informational purposes. In the report mentioned Date of Corresponding Date of patent specification publication of patent specifications publication CN 108135158 A 08-06-2018 AU 2016323961 A1 12-04-2018 AU 2016323961 B2 15-10-2020 BR 112018005230 A2 02-10-2018 BR 112018005230 B1 19-07-2022 CA 2998866 A1 23-03-2017 CA 2998866 C 23-01-2024 CL 2018000712 A1 13-07-2018 CN 119423069 A 14-02-2025 EP 3349577 A1 25-07-2018 EP 3349577 A4 17-04-2019 MX 2018003204 A 06-07-2018 WO 2017049141 A1 23-03-2017 US 2018255772 A1 13-09-2018 US 11297833 B2 12-04-2022 CN 109452271 A 12-03-2019 (none) WRITTEN OPINION Patent application 2038936 Opening date: Priority date: October 2024 - 1 Applicant: classification of the subject : 1N25 / 24 MK Agronomy BV The written opinion contains an explanation of the following sections: Part I Basis of the written opinion Part II Priority Part III Determination of novelty, inventiveness and industrial applicability not possible Part IV The application relates to more than one invention Part V Reasoned statement regarding novelty, inventiveness and industrial applicability Part VI Other cited documents Part VII Other defects Other comments Part VIII The competent official: Dr. R. Boers Netherlands Patent Office part of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency Defined according to International Patent Classification (IPC). Written Opinion Patent application 2038936 Part I Basis of the written opinion The written opinion was prepared on the basis of the conclusions submitted on 28 November 2024. Part V Reasoned statement regarding novelty and inventiveness and industrial applicability Declaration Yourself Yes: conclusion(s) 6-11 No: conclusion(s) 1-5 ventivity Yes: conclusion(s) - No: conclusion(s) 6-11 Industrial applicability Yes: conclusion(s) 1-11 No: conclusion(s) - Literature and commentary the report concerning the state of the art study become the following publications names: 1: CN 108135158 A (ATTUNE AGRICULTURE LLC) June 8, 2018 2: CN 109452271 A (SICHUAN LESHAN HUALAILI TECH CO LTD) March 12, 2019 discloses a binding composition comprising at least 0.1-30 wt.% of one or more mmen as a natural thickening agent (see conclusions 1-14) and 0.6-50 wt.% of a polyol, such as cerol, as an oily solvent (see conclusions 17-20). In addition, the composition may also contain flour or a gum as an emulsifier (see conclusion 27). Such a composition will to form an automatic suspension (see also paragraph [0052] of the present application and aragraphs [0042] and [0318] of D1). In addition, D1 also contains an aqueous spray solution comprising the binding composition and n effective quantity of one or more agrochemical compounds (see conclusion 31) with a gum concentration of 0.14–0.5 wt.% (see tables 2a and 2b). The binding composition is usable for a very long list of agrochemical compounds (see paragraphs [0130]-[0308]), including trifluralin, atrazine, diuron and imidacloprid (see sections [0142], [0165] respectively) 171] and [0236]). binding compound according to claims 1-4 and the spray solution according to claim 5 are The familiar from D1 was not found to be new. because the expert knows from the instructions for use accompanying an Afrochemical compound that an effective amount of the agrochemical compound is for a given Written Opinion Patent application 2038936 oops solution, or whether this quantity can easily be determined, and because a choice for many used agrochemical compounds from the long list of D1 no inventive labor required, become Conclusions 6 and 7 were not found to be inventive. is aimed at spraying the leaves and not at spraying the soil. However, given long list of D1 agrochemical compounds, including compounds that normally if shavings are sprayed on the ground, it is not considered inventive to the composition known from D1, also suitable for use on the ground. In addition, the expert will realize because the compound known from D1 binds better to the leaves and is therefore more difficult to remove from the as it rinses off veins, it will also bind better to soil particles and therefore leach out less easily. since the procedure conclusions further only mention usual steps for spraying with regard to the provision of the spray solution, conclusions 8 and 9 are not found to be inventive. and the applications of claims 10 and 11 are thereby found to be inventive. reveals a rainwater-repellent composition (see conclusion 1) comprising 1-10 wt.% of n polysaccharide, such as xanthan gum and starch (see conclusion 2), and a solvent, such as glycerol e conclusion 6). The compound is therefore suitable as a binding compound. k a compound will automatically form a suspension (see paragraph [0046]). the application example (see paragraph [0046]) 1 wt.% of this composition is used in to form a spray solution together with a water-soluble herbicide. The binding composition according to claims 1-4 is not found to be new after what is known from D1. spray solution according to claim 5 is not found to be inventive because the expert can easily determine what a suitable amount of the natural thickener is or a specific spray solution. for similar reasons as in D1, conclusions 6-11 are not reached after what is known from D2 either. found to be sensitive.