Pesticidal compositions

Abstract

A pesticidal composition comprising (A) chlorantraniliprole, (B) fipronil, (C) metalaxyl or metalaxyl-M, (D) fludioxonil, and (D) difenoconazole, and use of the compositions in agriculture, especially for treatment of plant propagation material.

Description

[0001] PESTICIDAL COMPOSITIONS

[0002] The present invention relates to novel pesticidal compositions, to their use in agriculture, especially in treatment of propagation material, such as seeds, for controlling pest damage by insects and fungi, to plant propagation material, such as seeds, coated or adhered thereto with a combination of certain active ingredients, and to methods of improving the growth characteristics of a plant, for example, by controlling the damage caused by pests, such as insects and / or fungi.

[0003] Certain active ingredients and combinations of active ingredients for controlling pest attack are described in the literature.

[0004] There is a continuing need to provide pesticidal compositions, which provide improved, for example, biological properties, for example, synergistic properties, especially for controlling pests, such as insect and fungi. The benefits may also be an increased safety profile, improved physico-chemical properties, or increased biodegradability.

[0005] It has been found that a particular combination of active ingredients provide unexpected control or prevention of pest infestation of plants and plant propagation material thereof, when the particular combination is applied on the propagation material. More specifically, it has now been found that a particular combination is highly effective at controlling or preventing the infestation of plants by various insect pests and fungi.

[0006] In a first aspect, there is provided a pesticidal composition comprising (A) chlorantraniliprole, (B) fipronil, (C) metalaxyl or metalaxyl-M, (D) fludioxonil, and (E) difenoconazole.

[0007] In a second aspect, there is provided a method for improving the growth characteristics of a plant by treating the propagation material thereof with a combination comprising (A) chlorantraniliprole, (B) fipronil, (C) metalaxyl or metalaxyl-M, (D) fludioxonil, and (E) difenoconazole.

[0008] In a third aspect, there is provided a method for controlling pest damage on a plant by treating the propagation material thereof with a combination comprising (A) chlorantraniliprole, (B) fipronil, (C) metalaxyl or metalaxyl-M, (D) fludioxonil, and (E) difenoconazole.

[0009] In a fourth aspect, there is provided a plant propogation material comprising or adhered thereo a combination comprising (A) chlorantraniliprole, (B) fipronil, (C) metalaxyl or metalaxyl-M, (D) fludioxonil, and (E) difenoconazole.

[0010] In an embodiment, independent of the aspects, the weight ratio of (A): (B): (C): (D): (E) is 10 to 25 of (A): 15 to 30 of (B): 0.5 to 22 of (C): 0.5 to 3.0 of (D): 4 to 15 of (E). Preferably, the weight ratio is 12 to 22 of (A): 17 to 27 of (B): 0.7 to 20 of (C): 0.7 to 2.7 of (D): 4.5 to 12.5 of (E). Especially the weight ratio is 15 of (A): 25 of (B): 1 of (C): 2.5 of (D): 5 of (E).

[0011] In an embodiment, the invention is useful in controlling one or more of pests selected from Elasmopalpus lignosellus, Spodoptera spp, Spodoptera frugiperda, Agrotis spp., Agrotis ipsilon, Diabrotica speciosa, Frankliniella schultzei, Megascelis calcarifera, Sternechus subsignatus, Myochrous armatus (torraozinho), Phyllophaga cuyabana, Scutigerella immaculata, Julus hesperus, Atta sexdens rubropilosa, Anticarsia gemmatalis, Chrysodeixis includens, Helicoverpa armigera, Porcellio laevis, Aracanthus mourei, Lyogenis suturalis, Bemisia tabaci, Aspergillus spp, Aspergillus flavus, Cercospora spp, Cercospora kikuchii, Colletotrichum spp, Colletotrichum truncatum, Colletotrichum gossypii, Cladosporium spp, Colletotrichum lindemuthianum, Fusarium spp, Fusarium pallidoroseum, Fusarium graminearum, Phomopsis spp, Phomopsis sojae, Pencillum sp., Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Rhizoctonia spp; Rhizoctonia solani, Pythium spp, and Pythium aphanidermatum.

[0012] In an embodiment, invention is useful in controlling one or more of pests selected from Fusarium spp, Rhizoctonia spp; and Pythium spp.

[0013] Particular examples of the Aspergillus genus are Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus nidulans, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus terrus.

[0014] Particular examples of the Cercospora genus are Cercospora sojina, Cercospora kikuchii, Cercospora arachidicola, and Cercosporidium personatum (or Mycosphaerella berkeleyi).

[0015] Particular examples of the Colletotrichum genus is Colletotrichum truncatum, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, and Colletotrichum musae.

[0016] Particular examples of the Fusarium genus are Fusarium virguliforme, Fusarium solani, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium acuminatum, Fusarium chlamydosporum, Fusarium compactum, Fusarium culmorum, Fusarium equiseti, Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium merismoides, Fusarium proliferatum, Fusarium pseudograminearum, Fusarium semitectum, Fusarium langsethiae, Fusarium moniliforme, Fusarium pallidoroseum, Fusarium subglutinans and Fusarium verticilliodes. In a preferred embodiment, the invention controls damage caused by or infestation by Fusarium pallidoroseum.

[0017] Particular examples of the Rhizoctonia genus; more particularly Rhizoctonia solani, Rhizoctonia amygdalispora, Rhizoctonia anceps, Rhizoctonia bicornis, Rhizoctonia butinii, Rhizoctonia fusispora, Rhizoctonia globispora, Rhizoctonia noxia, Rhizoctonia obscura, Rhizoctonia ochracea, Rhizoctonia oryzae-sativae, Rhizoctonia pseudocornigera, Rhizoctonia sphaerospora, Rhizoctonia sterigmatica, Rhizoctonia stridii, Rhizoctonia terrigena, and Rhizoctonia theobromae. In a preferred embodiment, the invention controls damage caused by or infestation by Rhizoctonia solani. Particular examples of the Phythium genus are Pythium afertile, Pythium aphanidermatum, Pythium aquatile, Pythium debaryanum, Pythium elongatum, Pythium gracile, Pythium imperfectum, Pythium inflatum, Pythium marinum, Pythium maritimum, Pythium middletoni, Pythium monospermum, Pythium ostracodes, Pythium pulchrum, Pythium salinum, Pythium thallassium, and Pythium ultimum. In a preferred embodiment, the invention controls damage caused by or infestation by Pythium aphanidermatum.

[0018] In an embodiment, the combination of the invention are suitable for controlling the following fungal diseases on soybeans and genetically modified soybeans, for example Bt soybeans: Alternaria spp. (Alternaria leaf spot); Cercospora spp. (Cercospora leaf spots), e.g., C. sojina or C. kikuchii);

[0019] Colletotrichum (teleomorph: Glomerella) spp. (anthracnose), e.g., C. truncatum or C. gloeosporioides); Corynespora cassiicola (leaf spots); Diaporthe spp., e.g., D. phaseolorum (damping off); Fusarium (teleomorph: Gibberella) spp. (wilt, root or stem rot), e.g. F. tucumaniae and F. brasiliense each causing sudden death syndrome on soybeans; Macrophomina phaseolina (syn. phaseoli) (root and stem rot); Peronospora spp. (downy mildew), e.g., P. manshurica ; Phakopsora pachyrhizi and P. meibomiae (soybean rust); Phomopsis spp., e.g., stem rot: P. phaseoli (teleomorph: Diaporthe phaseolorum); Phytophthora spp. (wilt, root, leaf, fruit and stem root), e.g., P. megasperma, syn. P. sojae); Rhizoctonia spp., e.g., R. solani (root and stem rot); Septoria spp., e.g., S. glycines (brown spot).

[0020] The term "plant propagation material" is understood to denote all the generative parts of the plant, such as seeds, which can be used for the multiplication of the latter and vegetative plant material such as cuttings and tubers (for example, potatoes). There may be mentioned, e.g., the seeds (in the strict sense), roots, fruits, tubers, bulbs, rhizomes, 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. In a preferred embodiment, plant propagation material is a seed.

[0021] The improvement in the growing (or growth) characteristics of a plant can manifest in a number of different ways, but ultimately it results in a better product of the plant. It can, for example, manifest in improving the yield and / or vigour of the plant or quality of the harvested product from the plant.

[0022] As used herein the phrase "improving the yield" of a plant relates to an increase in the yield of a product of the plant by a measurable amount over the yield of the same product of the plant produced under the same conditions, but without the application of the subject method. It is preferred that the yield be increased by at least about 0.5%, more preferred that the increase be at least about 1%, even more preferred is about 2%, and yet more preferred is about 4%, or more. Yield can be expressed in terms of an amount by weight or volume of a product of the plant on some basis. The basis can be expressed in terms of time, growing area, weight of plants produced, amount of a raw material used, or the like.

[0023] As used herein the phrase "improving the vigour" of a plant relates to an increase or improvement of the vigour rating, or the stand (the number of plants per unit of area), or the plant height, or the plant canopy, or the visual appearance (such as greener leaf colour), or the root rating, or emergence, or protein content, or increased tillering, or bigger leaf blade, or less dead basal leaves, or stronger tillers, or less fertilizer needed, or less seeds needed, or more productive tillers, or earlier flowering, or early grain maturity, or less plant verse (lodging), or increased shoot growth, or earlier germination, or any combination of these factors, or any other advantages familiar to a person skilled in the art, by a measurable or noticeable amount over the same factor of the plant produced under the same conditions, but without the application of the subject method.

[0024] When it is said that the present method is capable of "improving the yield and / or vigour" of a plant, the present method results in an increase in either the yield, as described above, orthe vigor of the plant, as described above, or both the yield and the vigor of the plant.

[0025] As used herein the phrase "improving the yield" of a plant relates to an increase in the yield of a product of the plant by a measurable amount over the yield of the same product of the plant produced under the same conditions, but without the application of the subject method. It is preferred that the yield be increased by at least about 0.5%, more preferred that the increase be at least about 1%, even more preferred is about 2%, and yet more preferred is about 4%, or more. Yield can be expressed in terms of an amount by weight or volume of a product of the plant on some basis. The basis can be expressed in terms of time, growing area, weight of plants produced, amount of a raw material used, or the like.

[0026] The present invention is especially suitable for agromically important plants, which refers to a plant that is harvested or cultivated on a commercial scale.

[0027] Examples of such agronomic plants (or crops) include, without limitation, soya, cotton, corn, cereals (including wheat, barley, rye, and rice), vegetables (including fruiting vegetable, such as tomatoes, bulb vegetables, leafy vegetables, brassicas and vegetable roots), clovers, legumes (including beans, soybeans, peas and alfalfa), sugar cane, sugar beets, tobacco, rapeseed (canola), sunflower, safflower, and sorghum.

[0028] Crops are to be understood as being those which are naturally occurring, obtained by conventional methods of breeding, or obtained by genetic engineering. They include crops which contain so-called output traits (e.g. improved storage stability, higher nutritional value and improved flavour). Crops are to be understood as also including those crops which have been rendered tolerant to herbicides like bromoxynil or classes of herbicides such as ALS-, EPSPS-, GS-, HPPD- and PPO- inhibitors. An example of a crop that has been rendered tolerant to imidazolinones, e.g. imazamox, by conventional methods of breeding is Clearfield® summer canola. Examples of crops that have been rendered tolerant to herbicides by genetic engineering methods include e.g. glyphosate- and glufosinate-resistant maize varieties commercially available under the trade names RoundupReady®, Herculex I® and LibertyLink®.

[0029] Crops are also to be understood as being those which naturally are or have been rendered resistant to harmful insects. This includes plants transformed by the use of recombinant DNA techniques, for example, to be capable of synthesising one or more selectively acting toxins, such as are known, for example, from toxin-producing bacteria.. Examples of toxins which can be expressed include 6- endotoxins (such as toxins of the genus Bacillus), vegetative insecticidal proteins (Vip), insecticidal proteins of bacteria colonising nematodes, and toxins produced by scorpions, arachnids, wasps and fungi.

[0030] Toxins that can be expressed by such transgenic plants include, for example, insecticidal proteins, for example insecticidal proteins from Bacillus cereus or Bacillus popilliae; or insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis, such as 6-endotoxins, e.g. CrylAb, CrylAc, Cry1 F, Cry1 Fa2, Cry2Ab, Cry3A, Cry3Bb1 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 trypsin 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.

[0031] In the context of the present invention there are to be understood by 6-endotoxins, for example CrylAb, CrylAc, Cry1 F, Cry1 Fa2, Cry2Ab, Cry3A, Cry3Bb1 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). Truncated toxins, for example a truncated CrylAb, are known. 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 Cry3A055, a cathepsin-G-recognition sequence is inserted into a Cry3A 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] 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 moths (Lepidoptera).

[0034] 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 Cry1 Ab toxin); YieldGard Rootworm® (maize variety that expresses a Cry3Bb1 toxin); YieldGard Plus® (maize variety that expresses a CrylAb and a Cry3Bb1 toxin); Starlink® (maize variety that expresses a Cry9C toxin); Herculex I® (maize variety that expresses a Cry1 Fa2 toxin and the enzyme phosphinothricine N-acetyltransferase (PAT) to achieve tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate ammonium); NuCOTN 33B® (cotton variety that expresses a CrylAc toxin); Bollgard I® (cotton variety that expresses a Cry1 Ac toxin); Bollgard II® (cotton variety that expresses a CrylAc and a Cry2Ab toxin); VipCot® (cotton variety that expresses a Vip3A and a CrylAb toxin); NewLeaf® (potato variety that expresses a Cry3A toxin); NatureGard®, Agrisure® GT Advantage (GA21 glyphosate-tolerant trait), Agrisure® CB Advantage (Bt11 corn borer (CB) trait) and Protecta®.

[0035] Further examples of such transgenic crops are:

[0036] 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 CrylAb toxin. Bt11 maize also transgenically expresses the enzyme PAT to achieve tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate ammonium.

[0037] 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 CrylAb toxin. Bt176 maize also transgenically expresses the enzyme PAT to achieve tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate ammonium. 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 Cry3A toxin. This toxin is Cry3A055 modified by insertion of a cathepsin-G- protease recognition sequence. The preparation of such transgenic maize plants is described in WO 03 / 018810.

[0038] 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 Cry3Bb1 toxin and has resistance to certain Coleoptera insects.

[0039] 5. IPC 531 Cotton from Monsanto Europe S.A. 270-272 Avenue de Tervuren, B-1150 Brussels, Belgium, registration number C / ES / 96 / 02.

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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 Cry1 Ab toxin obtained from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki which brings about tolerance to certain Lepidoptera, include the European corn borer.

[0042] 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). The term "crops" is to be understood as including also crop 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.

[0043] Crops may also be modified for enhanced resistance to fungal (for example Fusarium, Anthracnose, or Phytophthora), bacterial (for example Pseudomonas) or viral (for example potato leafroll virus, tomato spotted wilt virus, cucumber mosaic virus) pathogens.

[0044] Crops also include those that have enhanced resistance to nematodes, such as the soybean cyst nematode. Crops that are tolerant to abiotic stress include those that have enhanced tolerance to drought, high salt, high temperature, chill, frost, or light radiation, for example through expression of NF-YB or other proteins known in the art.

[0045] 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).

[0046] An example of a crop that has been modified to express the Bacillus thuringiensis toxin is the Bt maize KnockOut (Syngenta Seeds). An example of a crop comprising more than one gene that codes for insecticidal resistance and thus expresses more than one toxin is VipCot® (Syngenta Seeds). Crops or seed material thereof can also be resistant to multiple types of pests (so-called stacked transgenic events when created by genetic modification). For example, a plant can have the ability to express an insecticidal protein while at the same time being herbicide tolerant, for example Herculex I® (Dow AgroSciences, Pioneer Hi-Bred International).

[0047] In a preferred embodment of the invention, the plant is soybean, preferably a genetically modified soybean.

[0048] In particular, examples of genetically modified or transgenic soybean plants are, but not limited to, Intacta®, lntacta®2, Intacta® Roundup Ready™ 2 Pro (lntacta®RR2 PRO), lntacta®2 Xtend™, Cultivance, Conkesta Soybean, Conkesta Enlist E3™ Soybean, Enlist™ Soybean, Enlist E3™ Soybean, Roundup Ready™ Soybean, Roundup Ready™ 2 Xtend™, Genuity® Roundup Ready™ 2 Xtend™, Genuity® Roundup Ready 2 Yield™, Herbicide-tolerant Soybean line, Optimum GAT™, Liberty Link™ Soybean, Vistive Gold™, Verdeca HB4 Soybean, Treus™, Plenish™. More preferably the genetically modified plants are Bt soybean plants. Examples of “Bt plants” are for example soybean varieties which are sold under the trade names Intacta®, lntacta®2, Intacta® Roundup Ready™ 2 Pro (lntacta®RR2 PRO), Cultivance, Conkesta Soybean, Conkesta Enlist E3™ Soybean, Enlist™ Soybean, Enlist E3™ Soybean, Roundup Ready™ Soybean, Genuity® Roundup Ready™ 2 Xtend™, Genuity® Roundup Ready 2 Yield™, Herbicide-tolerant Soybean line, Optimum GAT™, Liberty Link™ Soybean, Vistive Gold™, Verdeca HB4 Soybean, Treus™, Plenish™; even more preferably, the Bt soybean plants are selected from Intacta RR2 PRO®, or Conkesta Enlist E3®.

[0049] Normally, in the management of a crop a grower would use one or more other agronomic chemicals or biologicals in addition to the composition of the present invention. The combination of active ingredients (A) to (E) are in the form of a a single composition and used simultaneously (i.e. the active ingredients are mixed together - often referred to as “a pre-mix”), or concentrate formulation, which can be brought together with other formulations in a container (often referred to as a "tank mixture") in water shortly before treatment of a plant propagation material.

[0050] The combination of active ingredients (A) to (E) are used in the form of a pre-mix composition (e.g. formulation) containing a carrier. The combination can be used in various forms such as aerosol dispenser, capsule suspension, cold fogging concentrate, dustable powder, emulsifiable concentrate, emulsion oil in water, emulsion water in oil, encapsulated granule, fine granule, suspension concentrate or flowable suspension concentrate for seed treatment, gas (under pressure), gas generating product, granule, hot fogging concentrate, macrogranule, microgranule, oil dispersible powder, oil miscible flowable concentrate, oil miscible liquid, paste, plant rodlet, powder for dry seed treatment, seed coated with a pesticide, soluble concentrate, soluble powder, solution for seed treatment, ultra low volume (ulv) liquid, ultra low volume (ulv) suspension, water dispersible granules or tablets, water dispersible powder for slurry treatment, water soluble granules or tablets, water soluble powder for seed treatment and wettable powder.

[0051] In an embodiment of each aspect the pesticidal composition or combination, as appropriate, is a formulated pesticidal composition comprising, preferably consisting essentially of, (A) chlorantraniliprole, (B) fipronil, (C) metalaxyl or metalaxyl-M, (D) fludioxonil, and (E) difenoconazole, and one or more formulation auxiliaries.

[0052] The present invention, in an embodiment, is particularly directed to water-based formulations. In particular, formulations where one or more solid active ingredients are suspended. Examples of such formulations include suspension concentrates (SC), or flowable concentrates for seed treatment (FS), which are commomly referred to be aqueous suspension compositions.

[0053] A formulation typically comprises a liquid carrier (such as water) and optionally one or more customary formulaton auxiliaries (selected from dispersant, stabiliser, emulsifier, antifoam, thickener, and preservative), which may be solid or liquid auxiliaries, for example unepoxidized or epoxidized vegetable oils (for example epoxidized coconut oil, rapeseed oil or soya oil), antifoams, for example silicone oil, preservatives, clays, inorganic compounds, viscosity regulators, surfactant, binders and / or tackifiers. The composition may further comprise a fertilizer, a micronutrient donor or other preparations which influence the growth of plants, as well as comprising one or more other biologically active agents, such as bactericides, fungicides, nematocides, plant activators, acaricides, and insecticides.

[0054] 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, and optionally, one or more other pesticidal formulation composition, e.g. as an aqueous suspension 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.

[0055] In general, the formulations include from 0.01 to 90% by weight of active ingredient(s), from 0 to 20% agriculturally acceptable surfactant and 10 to 99.99% solid or liquid formulation inerts and adjuvant(s). Concentrated forms of compositions generally contain in between about 2 and 80%, preferably between about 5 and 70% by weight of active ingredient(s). Tank mix compositions may for example contain from 0.01 to 20% by weight, preferably from 0.01 to 5% by weight of active ingredient(s). Whereas commercial products will preferably be formulated as concentrates, and the end user will normally employ diluted formulations.

[0056] Flowable concentrate for seed treatment

[0057] The finely ground combination is intimately mixed with the adjuvants, giving a suspension concentrate from which suspensions of any desired dilution can be obtained by dilution with water. Using such dilutions, living plants as well as plant propagation material can be treated and protected against infestation by microorganisms, by spraying, pouring or immersion.

[0058] The term seed embraces seeds and plant propagules of all kinds including but not limited to true seeds, seed pieces, suckers, corns, bulbs, fruit, tubers, grains, rhizomes, cuttings, cut shoots and the like, and means in a preferred embodiment true seeds.

[0059] The present invention also comprises seeds coated or treated with or containing the combination of the present invention. The term "coated or treated with and / or containing" generally signifies that the active ingredients are for the most part on the surface of the seed at the time of application, although a greater or lesser part of the ingredient may penetrate into the seed material, depending on the method of application. When the said seed product is (re)planted, it may absorb the active ingredient. In an embodiment, the present invention makes available a plant propagation material adhered thereto with the combination of the invention. Further, it is hereby made available, a composition comprising a plant propagation material coated with, or adhered thereto, the combination or composition of the invention. Seed treatment comprises all suitable seed treatment techniques known in the art, such as seed dressing, seed coating, seed dusting, seed soaking and seed pelleting. The seed treatment application of the combination can be carried out by any known methods, such as spraying or by dusting the seeds before sowing or during the sowing / planting of the seeds.

[0060] In each aspect and embodiment of the invention, "consisting essentially" and inflections thereof are a preferred embodiment of "comprising" and its inflections, and "consisting of and inflections thereof are a preferred embodiment of "consisting essentially of and its inflections.

[0061] In an embodiment, the combination of (A) to (E) are present on seed in an amount of 15 to 30 grams of (A) per 100 kg of seeds; 25 to 50 grams of (B) per 100 kg of seeds; 1 to 2 grams of (C) per 100 kg of seeds; 2.5 to 5 grams of (D) per 100 kg of seeds; and 5 to 10 grams of (E) per 100 kg of seeds.

[0062] In an embodiment, the coated seeds of the invention are applied at a rate of 40 to 80 kg of seeds per ha.

[0063] It has been found, surprisingly, that certain ratios and of (A) to (E) provide unexpected effects, such as improved biological efficacy, lower application rate and improved spectrum.

[0064] An unexpected 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

[0065] X = % action by sample composition A using p ppm of active ingredient

[0066] Y = % action by sample composition B using q ppm of active ingredient.

[0067] According to COLBY, the expected (additive) action of A)+B) using p+q ppm of the samples is

[0068] X Y

[0069] E = X + Y -

[0070] 100

[0071] 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.

[0072] Example Prepare the culture medium in Duran bottles. Add distilled water and commercial PDA (Potato Dextrose Agar Media) powder at 3.9 %. Autoclave. Mix the agar and compound solution and add into the 90 mm Petri dishes. Placed at the center of the agar plate a mycelial plug of Fusarium semitectum. Incubate the plates under the required conditions for fusarium growth (at 25°C). The percentage of mycelial- growth inhibition is done after 6 days.

[0073] *CTPR - chlorantraniliprole; FIP - fipronil; MFX - metalaxyl-M; FDL - fludioxonil; DFZ - difenoconazole

Claims

CLAIMS:1 . A pesticidal composition comprising (A) chlorantraniliprole, (B) fipronil, (C) metalaxyl or metalaxyl- M, (D) fludioxonil, and (E) difenoconazole.

2. The composition according to claim 1 wherein the pesticidal composition is an aqueous suspension pesticidal composition.

3. The composition according to either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the pesticidal composition further comprises one or more dispersant, one or more stabiliser, one or more emulsifier, one or more antifoam, one or more thickener, and one or more preservative.

4. The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the weight ratio of (A): (B): (C): (D): (E) is 10 to 25 of (A): 15 to 30 of (B): 0.5 to 22 of (C): 0.5 to 3.0 of (D): 4 to 15 of (E).

5. A method for improving the growth characteristics of a plant by treating the propagation material thereof with a combination comprising (A) chlorantraniliprole, (B) fipronil, (C) metalaxyl or metalaxyl-M, (D) fludioxonil, and (E) difenoconazole.6 A method for controlling pest damage on a plant by treating the propagation material thereof with a combination of (A) chlorantraniliprole, (B) fipronil, (C) metalaxyl or metalaxyl-M, (D) fludioxonil, and (E) difenoconazole.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the pest is selected from Fusarium spp, Rhizoctonia and Phythium spp.

8. A plant propogation material comprising or adhered thereo a combination comprising (A) chlorantraniliprole, (B) fipronil, (C) metalaxyl or metalaxyl-M, (D) fludioxonil, and (E) difenoconazole.

9. The material according to claim 8, or the method according to claims 5 to 7, wherein the weight ratio of (A): (B): (C): (D): (E) is 10 to 25 of (A): 15 to 30 of (B): 0.5 to 22 of (C): 0.5 to 3.0 of (D): 4 to 15 of (E).

10. The material according to either claim 8 or 9, or the method according to claims 5 to 7 and 9, wherein the plant is soybean, preferably a genetically modified soybean.

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