Fungicidal compositions

Abstract

A fungicidal composition comprising a mixture of components (A), (B), and (C) as active ingredients, wherein component (A) is pydiflumetofen, component (B) is mefentrifluconazole, and component (C) is azoxystrobin, or agrochemically acceptable salts, N-oxides, diastereoisomers, enantiomers or tautomers thereof, and use of the compositions in agriculture or horticulture for controlling or preventing infestation of plants by phytopathogenic microorganisms, preferably fungi.

Description

[0001] FUNGICIDAL COMPOSITIONS

[0002] The present invention relates to novel fungicidal compositions for the treatment of phyto- pathogenic diseases of useful plants, especially phytopathogenic fungi, and to a method of controlling such diseases, and / or fungi, on useful plants.

[0003] Whilst many fungicidal compounds and compositions, belonging to various different chemical classes, have been / are being developed for use as fungicides in crops of useful plants, crop tolerance and activity against particular phytopathogenic fungi do not always satisfy the needs of agricultural practice in many respects. Therefore, there is a continuing need to find new compounds and compositions having superior biological properties for use in controlling or preventing infestation of plants by phytopathogenic fungi. For example, compounds possessing a greater biological activity, an advantageous spectrum of activity, an increased safety profile, improved physico-chemical properties, increased biodegradability. Or else, compositions possessing a broader spectrum of activity, improved crop tolerance, synergistic interactions or potentiating properties, or compositions which display a more rapid onset of action or which have longer lasting residual activity or which enable a reduction in the number of applications and / or a reduction in the application rate of the compounds and compositions required for effective control of a phytopathogen, thereby enabling beneficial resistancemanagement practices, reduced environmental impact and reduced operator exposure.

[0004] The use of compositions comprising mixtures of different fungicidal compounds possessing different modes of action can address some of these needs (eg, by combining fungicides with differing spectrums of activity).

[0005] According to the present invention, there is provided a fungicidal composition comprising a mixture of components (A), (B), and (C) as active ingredients, wherein component (A) is pydiflumetofen, component (B) is mefentrifluconazole, and component (C) is azoxystrobin, or agrochemically acceptable salts, N-oxides, diastereoisomers, enantiomers or tautomers thereof.

[0006] Pydiflumetofen, also known as 3-(difluoromethyl)-N-methoxy-1-methyl-N-[1-methyl-2-(2,4,6- trichlorophenyl)ethyl]pyrazole-4-carboxamide), is known from and may be prepared as described for example in WO 2010 / 067300. Certain binary mixtures of pydiflumetofen are known from WO 2012 / 041874, WO 2015 / 049178, and WO 2022 / 157122, and certain ternary mixtures of pydiflumetofen are known from WO 2014 / 016279.

[0007] Mefentrifluconazole, also known as 2-[4-(4-chlorophenoxy)-2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-1-(1 ,2,4- triazol-1-yl)propan-2-ol, is known from and may be prepared as described for example in WO 2013 / 007767. Certain binary and ternary mixtures of mefentrifluconazole are known from WO 2014 / 095994 and WO 2015 / 124543.

[0008] Azoxystrobin, is known from and may be prepared as described for example in EP242081 . Further according to the invention, there is provided a method of controlling diseases on useful plants or on propagation material thereof caused by phytopathogens, which comprises applying to the useful plants, the locus thereof or propagation material thereof, a composition as defined according to the invention.

[0009] Further according to the invention, there is provided the use of a composition comprising component (A), component (B), and component (C) as a fungicide.

[0010] Further according to the invention, there is provided a method of protecting natural substances of plant and / or animal origin, which have been taken from the natural life cycle, and / or their processed forms, which comprises applying to said natural substances of plant and / or animal origin or their processed forms a combination of components (A), (B) and (C) as defined according to the invention.

[0011] It has been found that the use of mefentrifluconazole in combination with pydiflumetofen and azoxystrobin surprisingly and substantially may enhance the effectiveness of the latter against fungi, and vice versa. Additionally, the use of the compositions of the invention may be effective against a wider spectrum of such fungi than can be combated with the individual active ingredients when used alone.

[0012] The benefits provided by certain fungicidal mixture compositions according to the invention may also include, inter alia, advantageous levels of biological activity for protecting plants against diseases that are caused by fungi or superior properties for use as agrochemical active ingredients (for example, greater biological activity, an advantageous spectrum of activity, an increased safety profile, improved physico-chemical properties, or increased biodegradability).

[0013] In each case, pydiflumetofen, mefentrifluconazole, and azoxystrobin are present in free form, in oxidized form as a N-oxide or in salt form, e.g. an agronomically usable salt form. N-oxides are oxidized forms of tertiary amines or oxidized forms of nitrogen containing heteroaromatic compounds. They are described for instance in the book “Heterocyclic N-oxides” by A. Albini and S. Pietra, CRC Press, Boca Raton 1991.

[0014] As used herein, the term ‘component (A)’ is understood to be pydiflumetofen, or agrochemically acceptable salts, N-oxides, diastereoisomers, enantiomers or tautomers thereof.

[0015] As used herein, the term ‘component (B)’ is understood to be mefentrifluconazole, or agrochemically acceptable salts, N-oxides, diastereoisomers, enantiomers or tautomers thereof.

[0016] As used herein, the term ‘component (C)’ is understood to be azoxystrobin, or agrochemically acceptable salts, N-oxides, diastereoisomers, enantiomers or tautomers thereof.

[0017] In general, the weight ratio of component (A) to component (B) to component (C) in the compositions of the invention is from 0.5:0.5:1 .0 to 1 .5:1 .5:2.0. Preferably, the weight ratio of component (A) to component (B) to component (C) in the compositions of the invention may be as follows (as disclosed in Table 1):

[0018] Table 1 :

[0019] 5 In a particularly preferable embodiment, the weight ratio of component (A) to component (B) to component (C) in the compositions of the invention is 1 :1 :1.

[0020] The fungicidal compositions of pydiflumetofen, mefentrifluconazole, and azoxystrobin according to the invention may, in particular, be used to control disease caused by certain phytopathogens, for example, those disclosed in Table 1 : 0 Table 1 :

[0021]

[0022]

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the following methods of use (“Method”) are specifically disclosed in Table 3 below, wherein the genus to be controlled (and crop to be treated) (“Genus”) is known from Table 2, and wherein the specific mixture (“Mixture”) is known from Table 1 :

[0024] 5 Table 3:

[0025] In a more preferred embodiment, the following methods of use (“Method”) are specifically disclosed in Table 4 below, wherein the species to be controlled (and crop to be treated) (“Species”) is known from Table 2, and wherein the specific mixture (“Mixture”) is known from Table 1 : Table 4:

[0026] In one embodiment, the useful plant is selected from ornamentals, turf, vegetables, field crops, cereal crops, and fruit crops.

[0027] In another embodiment, the useful plant is selected from corn, soybean, cereals, canola, pulses, cotton, and vegetables.

[0028] In another embodiment, the useful plant is corn, and the phytopathogen is selected from Aureobasidium spp., Cercospora spp., Cochliobolus spp., Colletotrichum spp., Curvularia spp., Diplodia spp., Fusarium spp., Phyllachora spp., Phyllosticta spp., Physoderma spp., Puccina spp., and Setosphaeria spp..

[0029] In another embodiment, the useful plant is soybean, and the phytopathogen is selected from Altemaria spp., Cercospora spp., Colletotrichum spp., Corynespora spp., Diaporthe spp., Fusarium spp., Microsphaera spp., Phakopsora spp., Rhizoctonia spp., Sclerotinia spp., and Septoria spp..

[0030] It has been found, surprisingly, that certain weight ratios of component (A) to component (B) to component (C) are able to give rise to synergistic activity. Therefore, a further aspect of the invention are compositions, wherein component (A), component (B) and component (C) are present in the composition in amounts producing a synergistic effect. This synergistic activity is apparent from the fact that the fungicidal activity of the composition comprising component (A), component (B), and component (C) is greater than the sum of the fungicidal activities of component (A), component (B), and component (C). This synergistic activity extends the range of action of component component (A), component (B), and component (C) in two ways. Firstly, the rates of application of component component (A), component (B), and component (C) are lowered whilst the action remains equally good, meaning that the active ingredient mixture still achieves a high degree of phytopathogen control even where the two individual components have become totally ineffective in such a low application rate range. Secondly, there is a substantial broadening of the spectrum of phytopathogens that can be controlled.

[0031] A synergistic effect exists whenever the action of an active ingredient combination is greater than the sum of the actions of the individual components. The action to be expected E for a given active ingredient combination obeys the so-called COLBY formula and can be calculated as follows (COLBY, S.R. "Calculating synergistic and antagonistic responses of herbicide combination", Weeds, Vol. 15, pages 20-22; 1967): ppm = milligrams of active ingredient (= a.i.) per liter of spray mixture

[0032] X = % action by active ingredient (A) using p ppm of active ingredient

[0033] Y = % action by active ingredient (B) using q ppm of active ingredient.

[0034] According to COLBY, the expected (additive) action of active ingredients (A)+(B) using p+q ppm

[0035] E = X + Y -X Yof active ingredient is 00

[0036] If the action actually observed (O) is greater than the expected action (E), then the action of the combination is super-additive, i.e. there is a synergistic effect. In mathematical terms, synergism corresponds to a positive value for the difference of (O-E). In the case of purely complementary addition of activities (expected activity), said difference (O-E) is zero. A negative value of said difference (O-E) signals a loss of activity compared to the expected activity.

[0037] However, besides the actual synergistic action with respect to fungicidal activity, the compositions according to the invention can also have further surprising advantageous properties. Examples of such advantageous properties that may be mentioned are: more advantageuos degradability; improved toxicological and / or ecotoxicological behaviour; or improved characteristics of the useful plants including: emergence, crop yields, more developed root system, tillering increase, increase in plant height, bigger leaf blade, less dead basal leaves, stronger tillers, greener leaf colour, less fertilizers needed, less seeds needed, more productive tillers, earlier flowering, early grain maturity, less plant verse (lodging), increased shoot growth, improved plant vigor, and early germination.

[0038] Some compositions according to the invention have a systemic action and can be used as foliar, soil (drench), chemigation, and seed treatment fungicides.

[0039] With the compositions according to the invention it is possible to inhibit or destroy the phytopathogenic microorganisms which occur in plants or in parts of plants (fruit, blossoms, leaves, stems, tubers, roots) in different useful plants, while at the same time the parts of plants which grow later are also protected from attack by phytopathogenic microorganisms.

[0040] The compositions according to the invention can be applied to the phytopathogenic microorganisms, the useful plants, the locus thereof, the propagation material thereof, storage goods or technical materials threatened by microorganism attack.

[0041] The compositions according to the invention may be applied before or after infection of the useful plants, the propagation material thereof, storage goods or technical materials by the microorganisms.

[0042] A further aspect of the present invention is a method of controlling diseases on useful plants or on propagation material thereof caused by phytopathogens, which comprises applying to the useful plants, the locus thereof or propagation material thereof a composition according to the invention. Preferred is a method, which comprises applying to the useful plants or to the locus thereof a composition according to the invention, more preferably to the useful plants. Further preferred is a method, which comprises applying to the propagation material of the useful plants a composition according to the invention.

[0043] Throughout this document the expression “composition” means the various mixtures or combinations of components (A), (B), and (C), for example in a single “ready-mix” form, in a combined spray mixture composed from separate formulations of the single active ingredient components, such as a “tank-mix”, and in a combined use of the single active ingredients when applied in a sequential manner, i.e. one after the other with a reasonably short period, such as a few hours or days. The order of applying the components (A), (B), and (C) is not essential for working the present invention.

[0044] The active ingredient combinations are effective against harmful microorganisms, such as microorganisms, that cause phytopathogenic diseases, in particular against phytopathogenic fungi and bacteria.

[0045] The active ingredient combinations may be effective especially against phytopathogenic fungi belonging to the following classes: Ascomycetes (e.g. Venturia, Podosphaera, Erysiphe, Monilinia, Mycosphaerella, Uncinula); Basidiomycetes (e.g. the genus Hemileia, Rhizoctonia, Phakopsora, Puccinia, Ustilago, Tilletia); Fungi imperfecti (also known as Deuteromycetes; e.g. Botrytis, Helminthosporium, Rhynchosporium, Fusarium, Septoria, Cercospora, Alternaria, Pyricularia and Pseudocercosporella); Oomycetes (e.g. Phytophthora, Peronospora, Pseudoperonospora, Albugo, Bremia, Pythium, Pseudosclerospora, Plasmopara). Preferably, the compositions of the present invention may be effective and used against phytopathogenic fungi belonging to the following genera: Septoria, Mycosphaerella, Pyricularia, Pyrenophora, Colletotrichum, Uncinula, Venturia, Ramularia, Erysiphe, Puccinia or Phakopsora. In particular, from these genera, the phytopathogenic fungi Septoria tritici, Mycosphaerella arachidis, Pyricularia oryzae, Pyrenophora teres, Colletotrichum lagenarium, Venturia inaequalis or Ramularia collo-cygni.

[0046] According to the invention “useful plants” typically comprise the following species of plants: grape vines; cereals, such as wheat, barley, rye or oats; rice; beet, such as sugar beet or fodder beet; fruits, such as pomes, stone fruits or soft fruits, for example apples, pears, plums, peaches, almonds, cherries, strawberries, raspberries or blackberries; leguminous plants, such as beans, lentils, peas or soybeans; oil plants, such as rape, mustard, poppy, olives, sunflowers, coconut, castor oil plants, cocoa beans or groundnuts; cucumber plants, such as marrows, cucumbers or melons; fibre plants, such as cotton, flax, hemp or jute; citrus fruit, such as oranges, lemons, grapefruit or mandarins; vegetables, such as spinach, lettuce, asparagus, cabbages, carrots, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, cucurbits or paprika; lauraceae, such as avocados, cinnamon or camphor; maize; tobacco; nuts (including peanuts); coffee; sugar cane; tea; vines; hops; durian; bananas; natural rubber plants; turf or ornamentals, such as flowers (including roses), shrubs, broad-leaved trees or evergreens, for example conifers. This list does not represent any limitation, however, preferably, the useful plant may be selected from wheat, barley, rice, soybean, apples, grapes, cucumber, peanuts or bananas. More preferably, the useful plant is soybean. The term "useful plants" is to be understood as including also useful plants that have been rendered tolerant to herbicides like bromoxynil or classes of herbicides (such as, for example, HPPD inhibitors, ALS inhibitors, for example primisulfuron, prosulfuron and trifloxysulfuron, EPSPS (5-enol- pyrovyl-shikimate-3-phosphate-synthase) inhibitors, GS (glutamine synthetase) inhibitors) as a result of conventional methods of breeding or genetic engineering. An example of a crop that has been rendered tolerant to imidazolinones, e.g. imazamox, by conventional methods of breeding (mutagenesis) is Clearfield® summer rape (Canola). Examples of crops that have been rendered tolerant to herbicides or classes of herbicides by genetic engineering methods include glyphosate- and glufosinate-resistant maize varieties commercially available under the trade names RoundupReady® , Herculex I® and LibertyLink®.

[0047] The term "useful plants" is to be understood as including also useful plants which have been so transformed by the use of recombinant DNA techniques that they are capable of synthesising one or more selectively acting toxins, such as are known, for example, from toxin-producing bacteria, especially those of the genus Bacillus.

[0048] Toxins that can be expressed by such transgenic plants include, for example, insecticidal proteins, for example insecticidal proteins from Bacillus cereus or Bacillus popliae; or insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis, such as 8-endotoxins, e.g. CrylA(b), CrylA(c), CrylF, CrylF(a2), CryllA(b), CrylllA, CrylllB(bl) or Cry9c, or vegetative insecticidal proteins (VIP), e.g. VIP1 , VIP2, VIP3 or VIP3A; or insecticidal proteins of bacteria colonising nematodes, for example Photorhabdus spp. or Xenorhabdus spp., such as Photorhabdus luminescens, Xenorhabdus nematophilus; toxins produced by animals, such as scorpion toxins, arachnid toxins, wasp toxins and other insect-specific neurotoxins; toxins produced by fungi, such as Streptomycetes toxins, plant lectins, such as pea lectins, barley lectins or snowdrop lectins; agglutinins; proteinase inhibitors, such as trypsine inhibitors, serine protease inhibitors, patatin, cystatin, papain inhibitors; ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIP), such as ricin, maize-RIP, abrin, luffin, saporin or bryodin; steroid metabolism enzymes, such as 3-hydroxysteroidoxidase, ecdysteroid-UDP-glycosyl-transferase, cholesterol oxidases, ecdysone inhibitors, HMG-COA-reductase, ion channel blockers, such as blockers of sodium or calcium channels, juvenile hormone esterase, diuretic hormone receptors, stilbene synthase, bibenzyl synthase, chitinases and glucanases.

[0049] In the context of the present invention there are to be understood by 8-endotoxins, for example CrylA(b), CrylA(c), CrylF, CrylF(a2), CryllA(b), CrylllA, CrylllB(bl) or Cry9c, or vegetative insecticidal proteins (VIP), for example VIP1 , VIP2, VIP3 or VIP3A, expressly also hybrid toxins, truncated toxins and modified toxins. Hybrid toxins are produced recombinantly by a new combination of different domains of those proteins (see, for example, WO 02 / 15701). An example for a truncated toxin is a truncated CrylA(b), which is expressed in the Bt11 maize from Syngenta Seed SAS, as described below. In the case of modified toxins, one or more amino acids of the naturally occurring toxin are replaced. In such amino acid replacements, preferably non-naturally present protease recognition sequences are inserted into the toxin, such as, for example, in the case of Cryl IIA055, a cathepsin-D- recognition sequence is inserted into a CrylllA toxin (see WO 03 / 018810) Examples of such toxins or transgenic plants capable of synthesising such toxins are disclosed, for example, in EP-A-0 374 753, WO 93 / 07278, WO 95 / 34656, EP-A-0 427 529, EP-A-451 878 and WO 03 / 052073.

[0050] The processes for the preparation of such transgenic plants are generally known to the person skilled in the art and are described, for example, in the publications mentioned above. Cryl-type deoxyribonucleic acids and their preparation are known, for example, from WO 95 / 34656, EP-A-0 367 474, EP-A-0 401 979 and WO 90 / 13651.

[0051] The toxin contained in the transgenic plants imparts to the plants tolerance to harmful insects. Such insects can occur in any taxonomic group of insects, but are especially commonly found in the beetles (Coleoptera), two-winged insects (Diptera) and butterflies (Lepidoptera).

[0052] Transgenic plants containing one or more genes that code for an insecticidal resistance and express one or more toxins are known and some of them are commercially available. Examples of such plants are: YieldGard® (maize variety that expresses a CrylA(b) toxin); YieldGard Rootworm® (maize variety that expresses a CrylllB(bl) toxin); YieldGard Plus® (maize variety that expresses a CrylA(b) and a Cryl IIB(b1 ) toxin); Starlink® (maize variety that expresses a Cry9(c) toxin); Herculex I ® (maize variety that expresses a CrylF(a2) toxin and the enzyme phosphinothricine N- acetyltransferase (PAT) to achieve tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate ammonium); NuCOTN 33B® (cotton variety that expresses a CrylA(c) toxin); Bollgard I® (cotton variety that expresses a CrylA(c) toxin); Bollgard II® (cotton variety that expresses a CrylA(c) and a CryllA(b) toxin); VIPCOT® (cotton variety that expresses a VIP toxin); NewLeaf® (potato variety that expresses a Cry II IA toxin); Nature- Gard® and Protecta®.

[0053] Further examples of such transgenic crops are:

[0054] 1. Bt11 Maize from Syngenta Seeds SAS, Chemin de I'Hobit 27, F-31 790 St. Sauveur, France, registration number C / FR / 96 / 05 / 10. Genetically modified Zea mays which has been rendered resistant to attack by the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis and Sesamia nonagrioides) by transgenic expression of a truncated CrylA(b) toxin. Bt11 maize also transgenically expresses the enzyme PAT to achieve tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate ammonium.

[0055] 2. Bt176 Maize from Syngenta Seeds SAS, Chemin de I'Hobit 27, F-31 790 St. Sauveur, France, registration number C / FR / 96 / 05 / 10. Genetically modified Zea mays which has been rendered resistant to attack by the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis and Sesamia nonagrioides) by transgenic expression of a CrylA(b) toxin. Bt176 maize also transgenically expresses the enzyme PAT to achieve tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate ammonium.

[0056] 3. MIR604 Maize from Syngenta Seeds SAS, Chemin de I'Hobit 27, F-31 790 St. Sauveur, France, registration number C / FR / 96 / 05 / 10. Maize which has been rendered insect-resistant by transgenic expression of a modified CrylllA toxin. This toxin is Cry3A055 modified by insertion of a cathepsin-D-protease recognition sequence. The preparation of such transgenic maize plants is described in WO 03 / 018810. 4. MON 863 Maize from Monsanto Europe S.A. 270-272 Avenue de Tervuren, B-1150 Brussels, Belgium, registration number C / DE / 02 / 9. MON 863 expresses a CrylllB(bl) toxin and has resistance to certain Coleoptera insects.

[0057] 5. IPC 531 Cotton from Monsanto Europe S.A. 270-272 Avenue de Tervuren, B-1150 Brussels, Belgium, registration number C / ES / 96 / 02.

[0058] 6. 1507 Maize from Pioneer Overseas Corporation, Avenue Tedesco, 7 B-1160 Brussels, Belgium, registration number C / NL / 00 / 10. Genetically modified maize for the expression of the protein Cry1 F for achieving resistance to certain Lepidoptera insects and of the PAT protein for achieving tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate ammonium.

[0059] 7. NK603 x MON 810 Maize from Monsanto Europe S.A. 270-272 Avenue de Tervuren, B-1150 Brussels, Belgium, registration number C / GB / 02 / M3 / 03. Consists of conventionally bred hybrid maize varieties by crossing the genetically modified varieties NK603 and MON 810. NK603 x MON 810 Maize transgenically expresses the protein CP4 EPSPS, obtained from Agrobacterium sp. strain CP4, which imparts tolerance to the herbicide Roundup® (contains glyphosate), and also a CrylA(b) toxin obtained from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki which brings about tolerance to certain Lepidoptera, include the European corn borer.

[0060] Transgenic crops of insect-resistant plants are also described in BATS (Zentrum fur Biosicherheit und Nachhaltigkeit, Zentrum BATS, Clarastrasse 13, 4058 Basel, Switzerland) Report 2003, (http: / / bats.ch).

[0061] The term "useful plants" is to be understood as including also useful plants which have been so transformed by the use of recombinant DNA techniques that they are capable of synthesising antipathogenic substances having a selective action, such as, for example, the so-called "pathogenesis-related proteins" (PRPs, see e.g. EP-A-0 392 225). Examples of such antipathogenic substances and transgenic plants capable of synthesising such antipathogenic substances are known, for example, from EP-A-0 392 225, WO 95 / 33818, and EP-A-0 353 191. The methods of producing such transgenic plants are generally known to the person skilled in the art and are described, for example, in the publications mentioned above.

[0062] Antipathogenic substances which can be expressed by such transgenic plants include, for example, ion channel blockers, such as blockers for sodium and calcium channels, for example the viral KP1 , KP4 or KP6 toxins; stilbene synthases; bibenzyl synthases; chitinases; glucanases; the so- called "pathogenesis-related proteins" (PRPs; see e.g. EP-A-0 392 225); antipathogenic substances produced by microorganisms, for example peptide antibiotics or heterocyclic antibiotics (see e.g. WO 95 / 33818) or protein or polypeptide factors involved in plant pathogen defence (so-called "plant disease resistance genes", as described in WO 03 / 000906).

[0063] The term “locus” of a useful plant as used herein is intended to embrace the place on which the useful plants are growing, where the plant propagation materials of the useful plants are sown or where the plant propagation materials of the useful plants will be placed into the soil. An example for such a locus is a field, on which crop plants are growing.

[0064] As used herein, the term ‘beans’ refers to dried shelled beans (except soybean) and succulent shelled beans. Examples of ‘beans’ include but are not limited to: beans of the Lupinus spp., such as, grain lupin, sweet lupin, white lupin, and white sweet lupin; beans of the Phaseolus spp., such as, kidney bean, lime bean (dry), navy bean, pinto bean, runner bean, snap bean, tepary bean and wax bean; beans of the Vigna spp., such as, Adzuki bean, blackeyed pea, catjang, Chinese longbean, cowpea, crowder pea, moth bean, mung bean, rice bean, southern pea, urd bean, broad bean (dry), yardlong bean, and chickpea (garbanzo bean).

[0065] As used herein, the term ‘berries’ refers to crops listed in crop subgroup 13-07 (berry and small fruit crop group), and includes, but is not limited to at least the following crops: aronia berry, blueberry (highbush), blueberry (lowbush), buffalo currant, Chilean guava, cranberry (highbush), currant (black), currant (red), elderberry, European barberry, gooseberry, honeysuckle (edible), huckleberry, jostaberry, juneberry (Saskatoon berry), lingonberry, Native currant, Salal, sea buckthorn, strawberry, Bearberry, Bilberry, cloudberry, muntries, and partridge berry.

[0066] As used herein, the term ‘brassica’ refers to crops listed in crop subgroup 5-17, and includes, but is not limited to at least the following crops: broccoli, cabbage (Chinese, napa), brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower.

[0067] As used herein, the term ‘bulb vegetables’ refers to crops listed in crop group 3-07 (bulb and green onion crop group), and includes, but is not limited to at least the following crops: chive (fresh leaves), chive (Chinese, fresh leaves), daylily (bulb), elegans hosta, fritillaria (bulb), fritillaria (leaves), garlic (bulb), garlic (great-headed, bulb), garlic (serpent, bulb), kurrat, lady's leek, leek, leek (wild), lily (bulb), onion (Beltsville bunching), onion (bulb), onion (Chinese, bulb), onion, fresh, onion (green), onion (macrostem), onion (pearl), onion (potato, bulb), onion (tree, tops), onion, (Welsh, tops), shallot (bulb), and shallot (fresh leaves).

[0068] As used herein, the term ‘caneberries’ refers to crops listed in crop subgroup 13-07A, and includes at least the following crops: blackberry, loganberry, raspberry (red and black), and wild raspberry.

[0069] As used herein, the term ‘cereals’ refers to at least the following crops: barley, oats, rye, triticale, and wheat.

[0070] As used herein, the term ‘corn’ includes field corn (including for seed production) and popcorn (including for seed production).

[0071] As used herein, the term ‘citrus fruits’ refers to crops listed in crop group 10-10, an includes at least the following crops: calamondin, citron, citrus hybrids, grapefruit, mandarin, kumquat, lemon, lime, orange (sour and sweet), pummelo, satsuma, and tangerine.

[0072] As used herein, the term ‘cucurbits’ refers to crops listed in crop group 9, and includes at least the following crops: chayote (fruit), Chinese waxgourd (Chinese preserving melon), citron melon, cucumber, and gherkin; Gourd (Edible), such as, hyotan, cucuzza, hechima, and Chinese okra; momordica spp., such as balsam apple, balsam pear, bitter melon, and Chinese cucumber; Muskmelon, such as true cantaloupe, cantaloupe, casaba, crenshaw melon, golden pershaw melon, honeydew melon, honey balls, mango melon, Persian melon, pineapple melon, santa claus melon, snake melon, and pumpkin; Squash (Summer), such as crookneck squash, scallop squash, straightneck squash, vegetable marrow, and zucchini; Squash (Winter), such as butternut squash, calabaza, hubbard squash, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, and watermelon.

[0073] As used herein, the term ‘fruiting vegetables’ refers to crops listed in crop group 8-10, and includes at least the following crops: African eggplant, bush tomato, bell pepper, cocona, currant tomato, eggplant, garden huckleberry, goji berry, groundcherry, martynia, naranjilla, okra, pea eggplant, pepino, nonbell pepper, roselle, scarlet eggplant, sunberry, tomatillo, tomato, and tree tomato.

[0074] As used herein, the term ‘leaf vegetables’ refers to crops listed in crop subgroup 22B, and includes at least the following crops: cardoon, celery, celery (Chinese), fuki, rhubarb, udo, and zuiki.

[0075] As used herein, the term ‘legumes’ refers to crops listed in crop group 6, and includes at least the crops referred to above as ‘beans’ as well as peas of the species Pisum spp., such as, dwarf pea, edible-podded pea, English pea, field pea, garden pea, green pea, snowpea, and sugar snap pea; as well as the following crops: broad bean (fava bean), guar, jackbean, lablab bean (hyacinth bean), lentil, pigeon pea, soy (immature seed), and sword bean.

[0076] As used herein, the term ‘root vegetables’ refers to at least the following crops: beet, carrot, and radish.

[0077] As used herein, the term ‘stone fruits’ refers to crops listed in crop group 12-12, and includes, but is not limited to at least the following crops: apricot, apricot (Japanese), capulin, cherry (black), cherry (Nanking), cherry (sweet), cherry (tart), jujube (Chinese), nectarine, peach, plum, plum (American), plum (beach), plum (Canada), plum (cherry), plum (Chickasaw), plum (Damson), plum (Japanese), plum (Klamath), plum (prune), plumcot, and sloe.

[0078] As used herein, the term ‘pome fruits’ refers to crops listed in crop group 11-10, and includes, but is not limited to at least the following crops: apple, azarole, crabapple, loquat, mayhaw, medlar, pear, pear (Asian), quince, quince (Chinese), quince (Japanese), and tejocote.

[0079] As used herein, the term ‘tree nuts’ refers to crops listed in crop subgroup 14-12, and includes, but is not limited to at least the following crops: African nut-tree, beechnut, Brazil nut, Brazilian pine, bunya, bur oak, butternut, cajou nut, candlenut, cashew, chestnut, chinquapin, coconut, coquito nut, dika nut, ginkgo, Guiana chestnut, hazelnut (filbert), heartnuth, hickory nut, Japanese horse-chestnut, macadamia nut, mongongo nut, monkey-pot, monkey puzzle nut, okari nut, pachira nut, peach palm nut, pecan, pequi, pili nut, pine nut, sapucaia nut, tropical almond, walnut (black), walnut (English), and yellowhorn.

[0080] The term “plant propagation material” is understood to denote generative parts of a plant, such as seeds, which can be used for the multiplication of the latter, and vegetative material, such as cuttings or tubers, for example potatoes. There may be mentioned for example seeds (in the strict sense), roots, fruits, tubers, bulbs, rhizomes and parts of plants. Germinated plants and young plants which are to be transplanted after germination or after emergence from the soil, may also be mentioned. These young plants may be protected before transplantation by a total or partial treatment by immersion. Preferably “plant propagation material” is understood to denote seeds. A further aspect of the instant invention is a method of protecting natural substances of plant and / or animal origin, which have been taken from the natural life cycle, and / or their processed forms against attack of fungi, which comprises applying to said natural substances of plant and / or animal origin or their processed forms a combination of components (A), (B), and (C).

[0081] According to the instant invention, the term “natural substances of plant origin, which have been taken from the natural life cycle” denotes plants or parts thereof which have been harvested from the natural life cycle and which are in the freshly harvested form. Examples of such natural substances of plant origin are stalks, leaves, tubers, seeds, fruits or grains. According to the instant invention, the term “processed form of a natural substance of plant origin” is understood to denote a form of a natural substance of plant origin that is the result of a modification process. Such modification processes can be used to transform the natural substance of plant origin in a more storable form of such a substance (a storage good). Examples of such modification processes are pre-drying, moistening, crushing, comminuting, grounding, compressing or roasting. Also falling under the definition of a processed form of a natural substance of plant origin is timber, whether in the form of crude timber, such as construction timber, electricity pylons and barriers, or in the form of finished articles, such as furniture or objects made from wood.

[0082] According to the instant invention, the term “natural substances of animal origin, which have been taken from the natural life cycle and / or their processed forms” is understood to denote material of animal origin such as skin, hides, leather, furs, hairs and the like, and does not refer to that material when it is present on a live animal. Thus the invention does not extend to a method of treatment of a live animal.

[0083] The combinations according the present invention can prevent disadvantageous effects such as decay, discoloration or mold.

[0084] A preferred embodiment is a method of protecting natural substances of plant origin, which have been taken from the natural life cycle, and / or their processed forms against attack of fungi, which comprises applying to said natural substances of plant and / or animal origin or their processed forms a combination of components (A), (B), and (C) in a synergistically effective amount.

[0085] A further preferred embodiment is a method of protecting fruits, preferably pomes, stone fruits, soft fruits and citrus fruits, which have been taken from the natural life cycle, and / or their processed forms, which comprises applying to said fruits and / or their processed forms a combination of components (A), (B), and (C) in a synergistically effective amount.

[0086] The combinations of the present invention may also be used in the field of protecting industrial material against attack of fungi. According to the instant invention, the term “industrial material” denotes non-live material which have been prepared for use in industry. For example, industrial materials which are intended to be protected against attack of fungi can be glues, sizes, paper, board, textiles, carpets, leather, wood, constructions, paints, plastic articles, cooling lubricants, aqueous hydraulic fluids and other materials which can be infested with, or decomposed by, microorganisms. Cooling and heating systems, ventilation and air conditioning systems and parts of production plants, for example cooling-water circuits, which may be impaired by multiplication of microorganisms may also be mentioned from amongst the materials to be protected. The combinations according the present invention can prevent disadvantageous effects such as decay, discoloration or mold.

[0087] The combinations of the present invention may also be used in the field of protecting technical material against attack of fungi. According to the instant invention, the term “technical material” includes paper; carpets; constructions; cooling and heating systems; ventilation and air conditioning systems and the like. The combinations according the present invention can prevent disadvantageous effects such as decay, discoloration or mold.

[0088] The combinations according to the present invention are particularly effective against powdery mildews; rusts; leafspot species; early blights and molds; especially against Septoria, Puccinia, Erysiphe, Pyrenophora and Tapesia in cereals; Phakopsora in soybeans; Hemileia in coffee; Phragmidium in roses; Alternaria in potatoes, tomatoes and cucurbits; Sclerotinia in turf, vegetables, sunflower and oil seed rape; black rot, red fire, powdery mildew, grey mold and dead arm disease in vine; Botrytis cinerea in fruits; Monilinia spp. in fruits and Penicillium spp. in fruits.

[0089] The combinations according to the present invention are furthermore particularly effective against seedborne and soilborne diseases, such as Alternaria spp., Ascochyta spp., Botrytis cinerea, Cercospora spp., Claviceps purpurea, Cochliobolus sativus, Colletotrichum spp., Epicoccum spp., Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium moniliforme, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium proliferatum, Fusarium solani, Fusarium subglutinans, Gaumannomyces graminis , Helminthosporium spp., Microdochium nivale, Phoma spp., Pyrenophora graminea, Pyricularia oryzae, Rhizoctonia solani, Rhizoctonia cerealis, Sclerotinia spp., Septoria spp., Sphacelotheca reilliana, Tilletia spp., Typhula incarnata, Urocystis occulta, Ustilago spp. or Verticillium spp.; in particular against pathogens of cereals, such as wheat, barley, rye or oats; maize; rice; cotton; soybean; turf; sugarbeet; oil seed rape; potatoes; pulse crops, such as peas, lentils or chickpea; and sunflower.

[0090] The combinations according to the present invention are furthermore particularly effective against post-harvest diseasese such as Botrytis cinerea, Colletotrichum musae, Curvularia lunata, Fusarium semitecum, Geotrichum candidum, Monilinia fructicola, Monilinia fructigena, Monilinia laxa, Mucor piriformis, Penicilium italicum, Penicilium solitum, Penicillium digitatum or Penicillium expansum in particular against pathogens of fruits, such as pomefruits, for example apples and pears, stone fruits, for example peaches and plums, citrus, melons, papaya, kiwi, mango, berries, for example strawberries, avocados, pomegranates and bananas, and nuts.

[0091] The amount of a combination of the invention to be applied, will depend on various factors, such as the compounds employed; the subject of the treatment, such as, for example plants, soil or seeds; the type of treatment, such as, for example spraying, dusting or seed dressing; the purpose of the treatment, such as, for example prophylactic or therapeutic; the type of fungi to be controlled or the application time.

[0092] The compositions comprising component (A) in combination with components (B) and (C) can be applied, for example, in a single “ready-mix” form, in a combined spray mixture composed from separate formulations of the single active ingredient components, such as a “tank-mix”, and in a combined use of the single active ingredients when applied in a sequential manner, i.e. one after the other with a reasonably short period, such as a few hours or days. The order of applying the compound of component (A) and the active ingredients of component (B) and component (C) is not essential for working the present invention.

[0093] Some of said compositions according to the invention have a systemic action and can be used as foliar, soil (drench), chemigation, and seed treatment fungicides.

[0094] With the compositions according to the invention it is possible to inhibit or destroy the phytopathogenic microorganisms which occur in plants or in parts of plants (fruit, blossoms, leaves, stems, tubers, roots) in different useful plants, while at the same time the parts of plants which grow later are also protected from attack by phytopathogenic microorganisms.

[0095] The compositions of the present invention are of particular interest for controlling a large number of fungi in various useful plants or their seeds, especially in field crops such as potatoes, tobacco and sugarbeets, and wheat, rye, barley, oats, rice, maize, lawns, cotton, soybeans, oil seed rape, pulse crops, sunflower, coffee, sugarcane, fruit and ornamentals in horticulture and viticulture, in vegetables such as cucumbers, beans and cucurbits.

[0096] The compositions according to the invention are applied by treating the fungi, the useful plants, the locus thereof, the propagation material thereof, the natural substances of plant and / or animal origin, which have been taken from the natural life cycle, and / or their processed forms, or the industrial materials threatened by fungus attack with a combination of components (A), (B), and (C), preferably in a synergistically effective amount.

[0097] The compositions according to the invention may be applied before or after infection of the useful plants, the propagation material thereof, the natural substances of plant and / or animal origin, which have been taken from the natural life cycle, and / or their processed forms, or the industrial materials by the fungi.

[0098] The compositions according to the invention are preventively and / or curatively valuable active ingredients in the field of pest control, even at low rates of application.

[0099] When applied to the useful plants pydiflumetofen is applied at a rate of 5 to 2000 g a.i. / ha, particularly 10 to 1000 g a.i. / ha, e.g. 25, 50, 75, 100 or 200 g a.i. / ha, in association with 1 to 5000 g a.i. / ha, particularly 2 to 2000 g a.i. / ha, e.g. 25, 50, 75, 100, 250, 500, 800, 1000, 1500 g a.i. / ha of flufenoxadiazam.

[0100] In agricultural practice, the application rates of the composition according to the invention depend on the type of effect desired, and typically range from 20 to 4000 g of total combination per hectare.

[0101] When the compositions of the present invention are used for treating seed, rates of 0.001 to 50 g of pydiflumetofen per kg of seed, preferably from 0.01 to 10g per kg of seed, and 0.001 to 50 g of flufenoxadiazam, per kg of seed, preferably from 0.01 to 10g per kg of seed, are generally sufficient.

[0102] The invention also provides fungicidal compositions comprising a combination of pydiflumetofen and flufenoxadiazam as mentioned above in a synergistically effective amount, together with an agriculturally acceptable carrier, and optionally a surfactant. In said compositions, the weight ratio of pydiflumetofen to flufenoxadiazam is preferably between 1000 : 1 and 1 : 1000, more preferably as described hereinbefore. The compositions of the invention may be employed in any conventional form, for example in the form of a twin pack, a powder for dry seed treatment (DS), an emulsion for seed treatment (ES), a flowable concentrate for seed treatment (FS), a solution for seed treatment (LS), a water dispersible powder for seed treatment (WS), a capsule suspension for seed treatment (CF), a gel for seed treatment (GF), an emulsion concentrate (EC), a suspension concentrate (SC), a suspo-emulsion (SE), a capsule suspension (CS), a water dispersible granule (WG), an emulsifiable granule (EG), an emulsion, water in oil (EG), an emulsion, oil in water (EW), a micro-emulsion (ME), an oil dispersion (OD), an oil miscible flowable (OF), an oil miscible liquid (OL), a soluble concentrate (SL), an ultra-low volume suspension (SU), an ultra-low volume liquid (UL), a technical concentrate (TK), a dispersible concentrate (DC), a wettable powder (WP) or any technically feasible formulation in combination with agriculturally acceptable adjuvants.

[0103] Such compositions may be produced in conventional manner, e.g. by mixing the active ingredients with appropriate formulation inerts (diluents, solvents, fillers and optionally other formulating ingredients such as surfactants, biocides, anti-freeze, stickers, thickeners and compounds that provide adjuvancy effects). Also conventional slow release formulations may be employed where long lasting efficacy is intended. Particularly formulations to be applied in spraying forms, such as water dispersible concentrates (e.g. EC, SC, DC, OD, SE, EW, EO and the like), wettable powders and granules, may contain surfactants such as wetting and dispersing agents and other compounds that provide adjuvancy effects, e.g. the condensation product of formaldehyde with naphthalene sulphonate, an alkylarylsulphonate, a lignin sulphonate, a fatty alkyl sulphate, and ethoxylated alkylphenol and an ethoxylated fatty alcohol.

[0104] A seed dressing formulation is applied in a manner known per se to the seeds employing the combination of the invention and a diluent in suitable seed dressing formulation form, e.g. as an aqueous suspension or in a dry powder form having good adherence to the seeds. Such seed dressing formulations are known in the art. Seed dressing formulations may contain the single active ingredients or the combination of active ingredients in encapsulated form, e.g. as slow release capsules or microcapsules.

[0105] In general, the formulations include from 0.01 to 90% by weight of active agent, from 0 to 20% agriculturally acceptable surfactant and 10 to 99.99% solid or liquid formulation inerts and adjuvant(s), the active agent consisting of at least the compound of formula I together with component (B) and (C), and optionally other active agents, particularly microbiocides or conservatives or the like. Concentrated forms of compositions generally contain in between about 2 and 80%, preferably between about 5 and 70% by weight of active agent. Application forms of formulation may for example contain from 0.01 to 20% by weight, preferably from 0.01 to 5% by weight of active agent. Whereas commercial products will preferably be formulated as concentrates, the end user will normally employ diluted formulations.

[0106] BIOLOGICAL EXAMPLES:

[0107] The compositions according to the invention are tested for their biological (fungicidal) activity as dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) solutions using one or more of the following protocols (e.g. Examples 3 and 4). A standard description of the liquid culture tests is provided in Example 1 . A standard description of the leaf discor leaf segment tests is provided in Example 2.

[0108] Example 1 : Liquid culture tests in well plates:

[0109] Mycelia fragments or conidia suspensions of a fungus, prepared either freshly from liquid cultures of the fungus or from cryogenic storage, are directly mixed into nutrient broth. DMSO solutions of the test compound (max. 10 mg / mL) is diluted with 0.025% Tween20 by factor 50 and 10 pL of this solution is pipetted into a microtiter plate (96-well format). The nutrient broth containing the fungal spores / mycelia fragments is then added to give an end concentration of the tested compound. The test plates are incubated in the dark at 24°C and 96% relative humidity (rh). The inhibition of fungal growth is determined photometrically and visually after 3 - 7 days, depending on the pathosystem, and percent antifungal activity relative to the untreated check is calculated.

[0110] Example 2: Leaf disk or leaf segment tests in well plates'.

[0111] Leaf disks or leaf segments of various plant species were cut from plants grown in the greenhouse. The cut leaf disks or segments were placed in multiwell plates (24-well format) onto water agar. The leaf disks were sprayed with a test solution before (preventative) or after (curative) inoculation. Compounds to be tested were prepared as DMSO solutions (max. 10 mg / ml) which were diluted to the appropriate concentration with 0.025% Tween20 just before spraying. The inoculated leaf disks or segments were incubated under defined conditions (temperature, relative humidity, light, etc.) according to the respective test system. A single evaluation of disease level was carried out 3-9 days after inoculation, depending on the pathosystem. Percent disease control relative to the untreated check leaf disks or segments was then calculated.

[0112] Example 3: Phakopsora pachyrhizi (Soybean rust):

[0113] Whole soybean plants are treated with the recited active ingredients 4 weeks after planting. 1 day after spraying leaf disks are cut from the first trifoliate leaf. Five repetitions at each rate are conducted. The leaf disks are inoculated with Phakopsora pachyrhizi (Asian soybean rust) one day after treatment. Evaluation of the leaf disks is conducted 11 to 14 days after inoculation and the activity is derived from the relation of the treated vs untreated, infested check.

[0114] Example 4: Erysiphe diffusa (Soybean powdery mildew):

[0115] Whole soybean plants are treated with the recited active ingredients 4 weeks after planting. 1 day after spraying leaf disks are cut from the first trifoliate leaf. Five repetitions at each rate are conducted. The leaf disks are inoculated with Erysiphe diffusa (soybean powdery mildew) one day after treatment. Evaluation of the leaf disks is conducted 11 to 14 days after inoculation and the activity is derived from the relation of the treated vs untreated, infested check.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A fungicidal composition comprising a mixture of components (A), (B), and (C) as active ingredients, wherein component (A) is pydiflumetofen, component (B) is mefentrifluconazole, and component (C) is azoxystrobin, or agrochemically acceptable salts, N-oxides, diastereoisomers, enantiomers or tautomers thereof.

2. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein components (A), (B), and (C) are present in a synergistically effective amount.

3. The composition according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the weight ratio of component (A) to component (B) to component (C) in the compositions of the invention is from 0.5:0.5:1.0 to 1.5:1.5:2.0.

4. The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the weight ratio of (A) to (B) to (C) is 1 :1 :1.

5. The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising an agriculturally acceptable carrier and / or formulation adjuvant, and optionally, a surfactant.

6. A method of controlling or suppressing diseases on useful plants or on propagation material thereof caused by phytopathogens, which comprises applying to the useful plants, the locus thereof or propagation material thereof, a composition as defined in any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the useful plant is corn, soybean, cereals, canola, pulses, cotton, or vegetables.

8. The method according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the useful plant is corn.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the phytopathogen is selected from Aureobasidium spp., Cercospora spp., Cochliobolus spp., Colletotrichum spp., Curvularia spp., Diplodia spp., Fusarium spp., Phyllachora spp., Phyllosticta spp., Physoderma spp., Puccina spp., and Setosphaeria spp..

10. The method according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the useful plant is soybean.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the phytopathogen is selected from Altemaria spp., Cercospora spp., Colletotrichum spp., Corynespora spp., Diaporthe spp., Fusarium spp., Microsphaera spp., Phakopsora spp., Rhizoctonia spp., Sclerotinia spp., and Septoria spp..

12. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 11 , wherein the components (A), (B), and (C) as defined in any one of claims 1 to 5 are applied in a sequential manner.

13. Use of a composition comprising component (A), component (B), and component (C) as defined in any one of claims 1 to 5 as a fungicide.

14. A method of protecting natural substances of plant and / or animal origin, which have been taken from the natural life cycle, and / or their processed forms, which comprises applying to said natural substances of plant and / or animal origin or their processed forms a combination of components (A), (B) and (C) as defined in any one of claims 1 to 5.

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