Pest control agent

Abstract

The present invention provides a pest control agent having excellent storage stability at low temperatures and good emulsion stability of a diluent when diluted with water. This pest control agent contains 0.5-60 mass% of a glycerin fatty acid ester (A) as an active component, a solvent (B) having a log Kow value of 5.6 or less, and a non-ionic surfactant (C) having an HLB of 5.3 or more, and is used for at least one type of pest among insect pests and plant pathogens.

Description

pest control agents

[0001] The present invention relates to a pest control agent for controlling pests such as agricultural pests and horticultural pests.

[0002] Among the pest control agents used on horticultural crops, etc., there are concentrated types that the user dilutes with water immediately before use. Products that are diluted with water in this way are in high demand among consumers because they are compact, environmentally friendly in packaging and transportation, and economical.

[0003] Conventionally, various synthetic insecticides and fungicides, such as pyrethroid insecticides and organophosphate insecticides, have been used as active ingredients to control pests. Some of these synthetic insecticides are not sufficiently safe for humans or plants, and some are problematic in that pests develop resistance to them. Various means for solving these problems have been investigated. For example, glycerin fatty acid esters have been used as one of the active ingredients in pest control agents. Among these, glycerin mono-fatty acid esters with fatty acids having 8 to 17 carbon atoms are known as active ingredients for insecticides, miticides, and plant antibacterial agents that are highly safe for humans and have good sprayability (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-316509

[0005] Glycerin mono-fatty acid esters with fatty acids having 8 to 17 carbon atoms have excellent pest control effects, but because they are non-liquid at room temperature, formulations tend to solidify when incorporated at high concentrations. This property is more pronounced at low temperatures, creating storage stability issues, particularly at low temperatures. Furthermore, when diluting a formulation containing a high concentration of glycerin mono-fatty acid esters with fatty acids having 8 to 17 carbon atoms with water for use, emulsification stability after dilution with water is also extremely important, since glycerin mono-fatty acid esters with fatty acids having 8 to 17 carbon atoms are insoluble in water.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a pest control agent that can be used safely, has excellent storage stability at low temperatures, and further has good emulsification stability when diluted with water.

[0007] As a result of extensive research, the present inventors have found that when a solvent having a log Kow value of 5.6 or less and a nonionic surfactant having an HLB of 5.3 or more are used together with a glycerin fatty acid ester, which is an active ingredient of a pest control agent, storage stability at low temperatures can be maintained even when the glycerin fatty acid ester is contained in a high concentration in the formulation, and further, a stable emulsified state can be formed even when diluted with water, thereby completing the present invention.

[0008] That is, the present invention is achieved by the following (1) to (4). (1) A pest control agent containing, as active ingredients, 0.5 to 60 mass% of a glycerin fatty acid ester (A), a solvent (B) having a log Kow value of 5.6 or less, and a nonionic surfactant (C) having an HLB of 5.3 or more, and used against at least one of pests, such as insect pests and plant pathogens. (2) The pest control agent according to (1), which contains 0.001 to 2.5 mass% of the nonionic surfactant (C) relative to 1 mass% of the solvent (B). (3) The pest control agent according to (1) or (2), wherein the glycerin fatty acid ester (A) is a glycerin mono-fatty acid ester having a fatty acid having 8 to 17 carbon atoms. (4) A method for improving the storage stability of a pesticide at low temperatures, comprising adding a solvent (B) having a log Kow value of 5.6 or less and a nonionic surfactant (C) having an HLB of 5.3 or more to a pesticide containing 0.5 to 60% by mass of a glycerin fatty acid ester (A) as an active ingredient.

[0009] According to the present invention, a pesticide containing a glycerin fatty acid ester as an active ingredient at a high concentration and having excellent storage stability even when stored at low temperatures can be provided. Furthermore, the pesticide of the present invention has good emulsion stability when diluted with water, and maintains a uniform appearance.

[0010] The present invention will be described in further detail below. In this specification, "low temperature" specifically refers to a range of -10 to 10°C. "Storage stability at low temperatures" refers to the stability of a pesticide when stored at the low temperature. A "formulation containing a high concentration of glycerin fatty acid ester" means that the formulation is diluted 10 times or more before use. For example, it refers to a formulation containing 0.5% by mass or more of glycerin fatty acid ester based on an active ingredient amount of 0.05% by mass at the time of use. In this specification, the term "to" indicating a numerical range means that the numerical values ​​before and after the range are included as the lower and upper limits, and "mass" is synonymous with "weight."

[0011] A pest control agent according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as this embodiment) contains, as active ingredients, 0.5 to 60 mass % of a glycerin fatty acid ester (A), a solvent (B) having a log Kow value of 5.6 or less, and a nonionic surfactant (C) having an HLB of 5.3 or more, and is used against at least one of pests, such as insect pests and plant pathogens.

[0012] <Glycerin fatty acid ester (A)> Glycerin fatty acid ester (A) is an active ingredient that exerts a control effect against pests and plant pathogenic fungi. It is thought that the glycerin fatty acid ester (A) kills pests by covering and blocking the spiracles of the pests. It is also thought that the glycerin fatty acid ester (A) kills plant pathogenic fungi by penetrating the cell membrane and causing bacteriolysis or the outflow of protoplasm.

[0013] Examples of the glycerin fatty acid ester (A) include glycerin mono-fatty acid esters having a fatty acid of 8 to 17 carbon atoms, such as monoglyceryl caprylate, monoglyceryl caprate, monoglyceryl laurate, and monoglyceryl myristate. The glycerin fatty acid ester (A) can be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among these, from the viewpoint of efficacy against pests, the glycerin fatty acid ester (A) is more preferably monoglyceryl caprate, monoglyceryl caprylate, or monoglyceryl laurate, with monoglyceryl caprate being even more preferred.

[0014] The content of the glycerin fatty acid ester (A) in the pesticide is 0.5 to 60% by mass. When the content of the glycerin fatty acid ester (A) is 0.5% by mass or more, for example, when the amount of active ingredient after dilution with water is set to 0.05% by mass, the formulation can be diluted 10 times during use, providing a highly concentrated formulation that is compact and environmentally friendly in packaging and transportation. Furthermore, when the content of the glycerin fatty acid ester (A) is 60% by mass or less, it can be maintained in a stable liquid form even at room temperature by appropriate mixing with a solvent and surfactant. The content of the glycerin fatty acid ester (A) can be appropriately set within the above range depending on the desired concentration, with the lower limit being preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 2% by mass or more, even more preferably 5% by mass or more, particularly preferably 10% by mass or more, and most preferably 20% by mass or more. The upper limit of the content of the glycerin fatty acid ester (A) is preferably 55% by mass or less, more preferably 50% by mass or less, even more preferably 40% by mass or less, particularly preferably 35% by mass or less, and most preferably 30% by mass or less. The content of the glycerin fatty acid ester (A) is, for example, more preferably in the range of 5 to 55% by mass, more preferably 10 to 50% by mass, and particularly preferably 20 to 40% by mass.

[0015] <Solvent (B)> The pesticide of this embodiment contains a solvent (B) having a log Kow (octanol / water partition coefficient at 25°C) value of 5.6 or less. By containing a solvent (B) having a log Kow value of 5.6 or less, the glycerin fatty acid ester (A) can be dissolved in the pesticide.

[0016] Examples of the solvent (B) having a log Kow value of 5.6 or less include glycol solvents, alcohol solvents, glycol ether solvents, aromatic hydrocarbons, and sulfur compounds. Specific compounds include, for example, polyethylene glycol-300 (log Kow: -2.30), polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether (log Kow: -2.00), glycerin (log Kow: -1.65), dimethyl sulfoxide (log Kow: -1.22), diethylene glycol monomethyl ether (log Kow: -1.18), propylene glycol (log Kow: -0.92), dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether (log Kow: -0.35), 1,3 butylene glycol (log Kow: -0.29), ethanol (log Kow: -0.14), α-hydro-ω-phenoxypoly(oxyethylene) (log Kow: 0.00), triethylene glycol monobutyl ether (log Kow: 0.02), Examples of the solvent (B) include polyethylene glycol monobutyl ether (log Kow: 0.57), isobutanol (log Kow: 0.77), propylene glycol monobutyl ether (log Kow: 0.98), diethylene glycol monohexyl ether (log Kow: 1.27), 3-methoxy-3-methylbutyl acetate (log Kow: 1.46), o-xylene (log Kow: 3.16), and diisobutyl adipate (log Kow: 4.19). One type of solvent (B) may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in combination.

[0017] The solvent (B) may be appropriately selected depending on the content of the glycerin fatty acid ester (A) and the nonionic surfactant (C) used, but preferably has a log Kow value of 5.0 or less, more preferably 4.5 or less, even more preferably 4.2 or less, particularly preferably 4.0 or less, and most preferably 3.5 or less. If the log Kow value is too small, the solvent may become highly water-soluble and may become unable to dissolve the glycerin fatty acid ester (A). Therefore, the solvent (B) preferably has a log Kow value of -3.5 or more, more preferably -3.0 or more, even more preferably -2.5 or more, and particularly preferably -2.0 or more. That is, it is preferable to use a solvent having a log Kow value in the range of -3.5 to 5.6.

[0018] Log Kow is a measure of the distribution of a substance between the aqueous phase and the organic phase (octanol phase), and is defined by the following formula (1): log Kow = log ([Mo] / [Mw]) (1) (In formula (1), [Mo] is the number of moles of the substance in the octanol phase, and [Mw] is the number of moles of the substance in the aqueous phase.)

[0019] In the present invention, the log Kow is measured and calculated as an estimated value using "EPI Suite v4.11" published by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

[0020] In the pesticide, the content of the solvent (B) is preferably 20 to 99.4% by mass. When the content of the solvent (B) is 20% by mass or more, the glycerin fatty acid ester (A) can be dissolved. The content of the solvent (B) is preferably 20% by mass or more, more preferably 30% by mass or more, and even more preferably 40% by mass or more. Also, it is preferably 99.4% by mass or less, more preferably 94% by mass or less, even more preferably 80% by mass or less, preferably 70% by mass, and preferably 50% by mass. Furthermore, the content of the solvent (B) is, for example, more preferably in the range of 20 to 70% by mass, and even more preferably 30 to 50% by mass.

[0021] The content ratio of the solvent (B) is preferably in the range of 0.3 to 200 parts by mass per 1 part of the glycerin fatty acid ester (A). Within this range, the effects of the present invention are easily achieved. The content ratio of the solvent (B) is more preferably in the range of 0.3 to 100 parts by mass per 1 part of the glycerin fatty acid ester (A), even more preferably 0.5 to 20 parts by mass, and particularly preferably 1 to 10 parts by mass.

[0022] <Nonionic surfactant (C)> The pesticide of the present embodiment contains a nonionic surfactant (C) having an HLB of 5.3 or more. By containing the nonionic surfactant (C) having an HLB of 5.3 or more, the nonionic surfactant can be solubilized in the pesticide and can form a stable emulsified state when diluted with water when using the pesticide.

[0023] Examples of the nonionic surfactant (C) having an HLB of 5.3 or more include diglyceryl monooleate (HLB 5.5), tetraglyceryl monooleate (HLB 6.0), sorbitan laurate (HLB 8.6), polyether-modified organopolysiloxane (HLB 10.0), polyoxyethylene (hereinafter abbreviated as POE) hydrogenated castor oil (25 E.O.) (HLB 10.7), POE castor oil (25 E.O.) (HLB 10.9), polyethylene glycol fatty acid ester (HLB 11.6), polyoxyalkylene alkyl (C12-14) ether (HLB 12.1), POE hydrogenated castor oil (40 E.O.) (HLB 11.6), and the like. PO.) (HLB 12.5), POE styryl phenyl ether (HLB 12.8), POE styryl phenyl ether (HLB 13.2), POE alkyl (sec-C11-15) ether (9 EO) (HLB 13.3), POE octyl phenyl ether (10 EO) (HLB 13.6), polyether-modified organopolysiloxane (HLB 14.0), hexaglyceryl laurate (HLB 14.5), POE styryl phenyl ether (HLB 14.5), decaglyceryl laurate (HLB 15.5), POE sorbitan monolaurate (20 EO) (HLB 16.7), etc. The nonionic surfactant (C) may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0024] The HLB of the nonionic surfactant (C) can be appropriately set depending on the content of the glycerin fatty acid ester (A), the type of the solvent (B), etc., and is preferably 5.5 or more, more preferably 6.0 or more, and particularly preferably 8.0 or more. The higher the HLB, the more improved the emulsion stability when diluted with water, so the upper limit is not particularly limited.

[0025] When diluting a pesticide with water, depending on the application scenario, large-scale spraying may be performed, sometimes on the scale of several hundred liters. Considering user operability, for example, the shorter the time required for emulsification and the smaller the force required for stirring, the better. Therefore, a formulation with easier emulsification properties is desired. Since glycerin fatty acid ester (A) is basically insoluble in water, the hydrophilicity of the nonionic surfactant (C) blended simultaneously is an important factor for easy emulsification. To ensure emulsification properties, it is preferable to contain a nonionic surfactant (C) with an HLB of 5.5 or higher. The higher the HLB, the easier it is to emulsify into the aqueous phase, so the upper limit of the HLB is not particularly limited.

[0026] The content of the nonionic surfactant (C) in the pest control agent is preferably 0.1 to 70% by mass. When the content of the nonionic surfactant (C) is 0.1% by mass or more, an emulsified state can be formed when the pest control agent is diluted with water, and when the content is 70% by mass or less, phytotoxicity is less likely to occur when sprayed on plants. The content of the nonionic surfactant (C) is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.5% by mass or more, even more preferably 1% by mass or more, particularly preferably 2.5% by mass or more, most preferably 5% by mass, and preferably 70% by mass or less, more preferably 65% ​​by mass or less, more preferably 60% by mass or less, even more preferably 50% by mass or less, particularly preferably 40% by mass or less, even more preferably 30% by mass or less, and most preferably 20% by mass or less. The content of the nonionic surfactant (C) is, for example, more preferably in the range of 0.1 to 65 mass%, even more preferably 0.5 to 50 mass%, particularly preferably 1 to 30 mass%, and most preferably 5 to 20 mass%.

[0027] The content ratio of the nonionic surfactant (C) is preferably in the range of 0.001 to 100 parts by mass per 1 part of the glycerin fatty acid ester (A). Within this range, the effects of the present invention are easily achieved. The content ratio of the nonionic surfactant (C) is more preferably in the range of 0.01 to 40 parts by mass per 1 part of the glycerin fatty acid ester (A), and even more preferably in the range of 0.08 to 3 parts by mass.

[0028] The mass ratio of the nonionic surfactant (C) to the solvent (B) is preferably in the range of 0.001 to 2.5 relative to 1 unit of the solvent (B). When the content ratio of the solvent (B) to the nonionic surfactant (C) is within the above range, the pesticide is easily maintained in a liquid state. The mass ratio of the nonionic surfactant (C) to the solvent (B) is more preferably 0.001 to 2 relative to 1 unit of the solvent (B), even more preferably 0.005 to 1.35, and particularly preferably 0.025 to 0.75.

[0029] <Other Components> The pest control agent of the present embodiment may contain other components within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention. Examples of other components include solvents other than the solvent (B) having a log Kow value of 5.6 or less, nonionic surfactants other than the nonionic surfactant (C) having an HLB of 5.3 or more, efficacy enhancers, antioxidants, insecticides, bactericides, antifungal agents, fragrances, colorants, etc.

[0030] Examples of solvents other than solvent (B) include isopropyl myristate (log Kow: 7.17), isopropyl palmitate (log Kow: 8.16), ditridecyl phthalate (log Kow: 13.45), isobutyl oleate (log Kow: 9.42), diisodecyl adipate (log Kow: 10.08), diisononyl phthalate (log Kow: 9.37), didecyl phthalate (log Kow: 10.05), dialkyl phthalate (log Kow: 10.39), and (C13,14) isoparaffin (log Kow: 6.23).

[0031] Examples of nonionic surfactants other than the nonionic surfactant (C) include sorbitan monostearate (HLB 4.7), sorbitan distearate (HLB 4.4), sorbitan monooleate (HLB 4.3), bis(2-hydroxyethyl)alkyl(oleyl)amine (HLB 5.0), bis(2-hydroxyethyl)alkyl(beef tallow)amine (HLB 5.0), and POE stearyl ether. (2 E.O.) (HLB 4.9), POE (2) oleyl ether (HLB 5.0), POE stearylamine (2 E.O.) (HLB 5.1), N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-cyclohexylamine (HLB 4.8), POE castor oil (4 E.O.) (HLB 3.2), POE castor oil (6 E.O.) (HLB 4.4), POE castor oil (3 E.O.) (HLB 2.8).

[0032] Examples of antioxidants include butylhydroxyanisole, dibutylhydroxytoluene, tocopherol, and γ-oryzanol.

[0033] Examples of insecticides include pyrethroid insecticides such as permethrin, etofenprox, and fenpropathrin; organophosphorus insecticides such as sumithion and DDVP; carbamate insecticides such as Bassa, methomyl, and cartap; neonicotinoid insecticides such as dinotefuran, imidacloprid, acetamiprid, and clothianidin; natural insecticides such as pyrethrins derived from pyrethrum, rotenone derived from the legume shrub derris, and nicotine; and microbial insecticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis and Beauveria bassiana.

[0034] Examples of bactericides and antifungal agents include N-(fluorodichloromethylthio)-phthalimide, N,N-dimethyl-N'-phenyl-N'-(fluorodichloromethylthio)sulfamide, 2,4,4'-trichloro-2'-hydroxydiphenyl ether, 0-phenylphenol, P-chloro-m-xylenol, 4-chlorophenyl-3'-iodopropargyl, formal, and silver-supported zeolite.

[0035] Flavoring agents include natural fragrances and synthetic fragrances. Natural fragrances include natural essential oils such as orange oil, lemon oil, lavender oil, lavandin oil, bergamot oil, patchouli oil, cedarwood oil, and peppermint oil. Synthetic fragrances include hydrocarbon terpenes such as α-pinene and γ-terpinene; aldehydes such as citronellal and citral; esters and lactones such as ethyl acetate and γ-undecalactone; ethers such as anethole and galaxolide; alcohols such as benzyl alcohol and geraniol; ketones such as menthone and 1-carvone; 1,8-cineole, allyl amyl glycolate allyl caproate, and the like.

[0036] Examples of coloring agents include caramel color, gardenia color, anthocyanin color, safflower color, flavonoid color, Red No. 2, Red No. 3, Yellow No. 4, Yellow No. 5, and the like.

[0037] <Water content> In this embodiment, the pesticide may contain water, but the inclusion of water may cause hydrolysis of the glycerin fatty acid ester (A), which may result in a decrease in emulsion stability when diluted with water during actual use. Therefore, the water content is preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 5% by mass or less, even more preferably 3% by mass or less, and particularly preferably substantially free of water. Here, "substantially free of water" means that water is not intentionally included when preparing the pesticide, and it is acceptable for the pesticide to contain a trace amount of water that is inevitably mixed in.

[0038] The pesticide of this embodiment is preferably prepared by dissolving the liquid glycerin fatty acid ester (A) in the solvent (B). The nonionic surfactant (C) can be mixed at any time.

[0039] By incorporating a solvent (B) having a log Kow value of 5.6 or less and a nonionic surfactant (C) having an HLB of 5.3 or more relative to 0.5 to 60 mass% of a glycerin fatty acid ester (A), the stability of the pesticide is improved, and the storage stability when stored at low temperatures (specifically, −10 to 10° C.) can be improved.

[0040] <Spreadability> The pesticide of this embodiment spreads more easily on plants by improving its spreadability on plants, improving the rate of adhesion to pests and enabling it to be effective in smaller amounts. This is a concept commonly seen in general pesticides, but since the glycerin fatty acid ester (A), the active ingredient of this embodiment, exerts its effect by blocking the spiracles of pests, it is important that the pesticide comes into contact with the insect body as a liquid. In other words, the pesticide needs to be effective within a short time after application before drying, and therefore, it is required to have better spreadability on plants than general pesticides. To improve spreadability on plants, it is preferable that the surface tension of the pesticide of this embodiment with respect to hydrophobic glass when diluted with water according to the dilution ratio at the time of use is 70° or less.

[0041] The surface tension of the pesticide of this embodiment on hydrophobic glass when diluted with water according to the dilution ratio at the time of use is measured by the liquid drop method on a silicone-coated slide glass (e.g., S6111 manufactured by Matsunami Glass Industry Co., Ltd.) The silicone-coated slide glass is used to reproduce conditions simulating those of a hydrophobic plant body.

[0042] In order to make the surface tension of the pesticide of this embodiment against hydrophobic glass 70° or less when diluted with water according to the dilution ratio at the time of use, for example, the content of the nonionic surfactant (C) having an HLB of 5.3 or more can be adjusted. Specifically, the content ratio of the nonionic surfactant (C) is preferably 0.1 or more, more preferably 0.5 or more, and even more preferably 1.0 or more, relative to 1 part of the glycerin fatty acid ester (A) by mass.

[0043] <Penetration> The pesticide of this embodiment preferably has a felt settling time of 100 seconds or less at the concentration used when treating pests. The felt settling time is an indicator of the pesticide's ability to block the trachea, and the smaller the felt settling time, the easier it is to penetrate the trachea and suffocate pests with large body sizes that cannot cover the surface. When the felt settling time is within this range, the permeability of the glycerin fatty acid ester (A) into the spiracles of pests is increased, making it more effective against larger pests. While general stigma-blocking agents are effective by blocking the surface of the spiracles of pests, a felt settling time of 100 seconds or less allows the glycerin fatty acid ester (A) to sufficiently penetrate into the trachea of ​​pests. The felt settling time is more preferably 75 seconds or less, and even more preferably 30 seconds or less.

[0044] The felt settling time is measured by a natural settling method using a felt. The felt is, for example, made of wool and has a basis weight of 763 g / m ２ A felt (for example, "N#PSJY2429" manufactured by Tsunekawa Felt Co., Ltd.) is used.

[0045] The felt settling time of the pesticide can be adjusted by the type and amount of surfactant.

[0046] The pest control agent of this embodiment exerts its effect by blocking the spiracles of pest insects with the active ingredient glycerin fatty acid ester (A), and therefore has little effect on insects after drying. Therefore, it may be used in combination with natural enemy preparations such as those for Phytoseiulus cucumeri, Orius strigiformes, and Coccinellidae.

[0047] Examples of pests to which the pest control agent of the present embodiment is applied include agricultural pests, sanitary pests, nuisance pests, stored grain pests, and other pests, as well as plant pathogens.

[0048] Examples of agricultural pests include Coleoptera such as weevils, leaf beetles, and 24-spotted ladybirds; Hemiptera such as aphids, whiteflies, stink bugs, planthoppers, leafhoppers, scale insects, and earwigs; Thrips such as thrips; Lepidoptera such as armyworms, green caterpillars, looper flies, cotton bollworms, tussock moths, tiger moths, pyralid moths, silverleaf butterflies, noctuid moths, looper moths, slug moths, leafrollers, hawk moths, diamondback moths, and caterpillars; Diptera such as leafminers, fruit flies, and seed flies; Acari such as spider mites, acarids, rust mites, and dust mites; Hymenoptera such as sawflies, and larvae thereof.

[0049] Examples of sanitary pests include mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches, fleas, bedbugs, lice, mites, and their larvae.

[0050] Examples of nuisance pests include stink bugs, midges, moth flies, ants, black ants, termites, spiders, pill bugs, bees, house centipedes, caterpillars, millipedes, silverfish, ant wasps, woodlouse beetles, silverfish, burrs, carp moths, dermestid beetles, midges, leafhoppers, and larvae thereof.

[0051] Examples of stored grain pests include Indian meal moth, red flour beetle, maize weevil, sugar beetle, cigarette beetle, and larvae of these insects.

[0052] Examples of plant pathogens include those causing powdery mildew, gray mold, black spot, bacterial wilt, downy mildew, and leaf spot.

[0053] The pesticide of this embodiment is diluted with water before use. The dilution ratio is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to dilute the diluted solution so that the concentration of the glycerin fatty acid ester (A) in the diluted solution is 0.001 to 5% by mass. The concentration of the glycerin fatty acid ester (A) in the diluted solution is more preferably in the range of 0.005 to 3% by mass, and even more preferably in the range of 0.01 to 1% by mass.

[0054] The diluted solution can be applied by spraying, painting, etc. on pests, or to places where pests may live, such as agricultural crops, cultivated fields, orchards, ordinary homes, warehouses, kitchens, furniture, closets, entranceways, washrooms, etc.

[0055] The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0056] Test Example 1 The storage stability of a pesticide at low temperatures and its emulsification stability after dilution with water were determined based on the log Kow value of the solvent.

[0057] (Example 1-1) According to the formulation shown in Table 1, monoglyceryl caprate, polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether, propylene glycol, and decaglyceryl laurate were mixed to obtain a pesticide. Decaglyceryl laurate was used as "NIKKOL Decaglyn 1-LVEX" (HLB 15.5) manufactured by Nikko Chemicals Co., Ltd. Components with insufficient fluidity (monoglyceryl caprylate and decaglyceryl laurate in Example 1-1) were preheated at 60°C. Furthermore, monoglyceryl caprate was mixed with a solvent to ensure uniform dissolution of the active ingredient, monoglyceryl caprate, and the formulation was heated to approximately 60°C during mixing. The pesticide had a transparent appearance.

[0058] (Examples 1-2 to 1-12, Comparative Examples 1-1 to 1-2) Pesticides were obtained by mixing the components in the same manner as in Example 1-1 according to the formulations shown in Table 1. The appearance of each pesticide was transparent.

[0059] The storage stability at low temperatures and emulsification stability after dilution with water of the obtained pesticide were confirmed in the following manner. The results are also shown in Table 1.

[0060] (Storage stability at low temperatures) Approximately 20 mL of the pesticide was placed in a 30 mL transparent glass bottle, and the bottle was closed with a lid to prepare a sample. Each sample was placed in a B-flute cardboard box, which was then placed in a refrigerator set to -5°C and stored. After 3 days, the sample was removed from the refrigerator and the appearance was visually confirmed according to the following evaluation criteria. Samples rated "A", "B", and "C" were judged to be usable for practical use. [Evaluation criteria] A: Transparent (no change in properties from before the test). B: Became uniformly cloudy or slightly cloudy, and became transparent after standing for 24 hours at 25°C. C: Became uniformly cloudy or slightly cloudy, and remained cloudy or slightly cloudy with no change in properties even after standing for 24 hours at 25°C. D: Solidified, crystallized, or separated.

[0061] (Emulsion stability after dilution with water) In a 100 mL glass bottle, 0.25 mL of the pesticide was diluted 400 times with 100 mL of tap water and stirred to emulsify. After leaving to stand for 24 hours at 25°C, the solution was stirred again and the appearance was visually confirmed according to the following evaluation criteria. Evaluations of "A" and "B" were judged to be practically usable. [Evaluation criteria] A: Neither precipitation nor separation was observed. B: Thin film-like separation was observed on the liquid surface. C: Precipitation or separation occurred.

[0062]

[0063] <Test Example 2> The storage stability at low temperatures and the emulsification stability after dilution with water of pesticides were examined depending on the active ingredient and the log Kow value of the solvent.

[0064] (Examples 2-1 to 2-4, Comparative Examples 2-1 to 2-2) Pesticides were obtained by mixing the components in the same manner as in Example 1-1 according to the formulations shown in Table 2. Nikko Chemicals' "NIKKOL Hexaglyn 1-L" (HLB 14.5) was used as hexaglyceryl laurate. The appearance of each pesticide was transparent.

[0065] The storage stability at low temperatures and emulsification stability after dilution with water of the obtained pesticide were confirmed in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The results are also shown in Table 2.

[0066]

[0067] Test Example 3 The storage stability of the pesticide at low temperatures and the emulsification stability after dilution with water were confirmed depending on the HLB value of the surfactant.

[0068] (Examples 3-1 to 3-23, Comparative Examples 3-1 to 3-2) According to the formulations shown in Tables 3 and 4, the components were mixed in the same manner as in Example 1-1 to obtain pesticides. The surfactants shown in Tables 3 and 4 were those shown in Table 5. The appearances of all pesticides were transparent. The formulation of Example 3-2 was the same as that of Example 1-3.

[0069] The storage stability at low temperatures and emulsification stability after dilution with water of the obtained pesticide were confirmed in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Tables 3 and 4.

[0070]

[0071]

[0072]

[0073] Test Example 4 The storage stability at low temperatures and the emulsification stability after dilution with water of pesticides with different contents of glycerin fatty acid ester (A) were examined.

[0074] (Examples 4-1 to 4-22) According to the formulations shown in Tables 6 and 7, the components were mixed in the same manner as in Example 1-1 to obtain pesticides. The surfactants shown in Tables 6 and 7 were those shown in Table 5. The appearance of each pesticide was transparent. The formulation of Example 4-11 was the same as that of Example 2-2.

[0075] The storage stability at low temperatures and emulsification stability after dilution with water of the obtained pesticide were confirmed in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The results are shown in Tables 6 and 7.

[0076]

[0077]

[0078] From Test Examples 1 to 4, Examples 1-1 to 1-12, Examples 2-1 to 2-4, Examples 3-1 to 3-23, and Examples 4-1 to 4-22 containing glycerin fatty acid ester (A), a solvent (B) having a log Kow value of 5.6 or less, and a nonionic surfactant (C) having an HLB of 5.3 or more, were excellent in storage stability at low temperatures, and the emulsified state of the diluted solution when diluted with water was also stable. In contrast, Comparative Examples 1-1 to 1-2, which used a solvent having a log Kow value of more than 5.6, and Comparative Examples 3-1 to 3-2, which used a nonionic surfactant having an HLB of less than 5.3, solidified, crystallized, or separated when stored at low temperatures, and their storage stability decreased, and their properties did not return to normal even when returned to room temperature. Comparative Examples 2-1 to 2-2, which used active ingredients other than glycerin fatty acid ester (A), were stable when stored at low temperatures, but precipitation occurred when diluted with water, and stable emulsification was not possible.

[0079] <Test Example 5> The felt settling time was measured using the pest control agents of Examples 2-1 to 2-3 prepared in Test Example 2, Examples 3-1 to 3-5, 3-5 to 3-8, and 3-12 prepared in Test Example 3, and Comparative Example 3-2. (Method for measuring felt settling time) The felt settling time was measured by the natural settling method using a felt. ２ A felt ("N#PSJY2429" manufactured by Tsunekawa Felt Co., Ltd.) was prepared. The pesticide was diluted 400 times with tap water to emulsify, and 100 mL was dispensed into a 200 mL beaker. The felt was then gently floated on the surface of the diluted solution of the pesticide, and the time until the entire felt was covered with the sample was measured. Each test was performed twice, and the average value was calculated.

[0080] The results are shown in Table 8.

[0081]

[0082] The felt settling time of Examples 2-1 to 2-3, 3-1 to 3-5, 3-5 to 3-8 and 3-12 was shorter than that of Comparative Example 3-2. From this, it was found that the pest control agents of Examples 2-1 to 2-3, 3-1 to 3-5, 3-5 to 3-8 and 3-12 have high penetrability to the spiracles of pests.

[0083] Although the present invention has been described in detail and with reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. This application is based on a Japanese patent application (Patent Application No. 2024-072644) filed on April 26, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A pest control agent containing, as active ingredients, 0.5 to 60 mass% of a glycerin fatty acid ester (A), a solvent (B) having a log Kow value of 5.6 or less, and a nonionic surfactant (C) having an HLB of 5.3 or more, and used against at least one of pests, including insect pests and plant pathogens.

2. The pesticide according to claim 1, wherein the nonionic surfactant (C) is contained in a mass ratio of 0.001 to 2.5 per 1 of the solvent (B).

3. A pesticide according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the glycerin fatty acid ester (A) is a glycerin mono-fatty acid ester having a fatty acid carbon number of 8 to 17.

4. A method for improving the storage stability of a pest control agent at low temperatures, which comprises adding a solvent (B) having a log Kow value of 5.6 or less and a nonionic surfactant (C) having an HLB of 5.3 or more to a pest control agent containing 0.5 to 60 mass% of a glycerin fatty acid ester (A) as an active ingredient.

Images