Clethodim Acidifier Tank Mix for Acetochlor Antagonism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Clethodim herbicides experience antagonism when tank-mixed with acetochlor, leading to reduced effectiveness, and increasing clethodim concentrations while decreasing acetochlor concentrations results in undesirable weed control.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a crop oil concentrate and an acidifier into clethodim compositions to create a tank mix with acetochlor, maintaining a pH of 5.3 or less, which enhances compatibility and efficacy without reducing clethodim's effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If clethodim is tank mixed with acetochlor, then broadleaf weed control is achieved, but clethodim effectiveness on grassy weeds is reduced due to antagonism
Solution Approach 1:
An acidifier is introduced as an intermediary substance to modify the chemical environment of the tank mix. The acidifier lowers the pH of the mixture, which prevents acetochlor from deactivating clethodim, thereby maintaining clethodim's herbicidal activity while still allowing both herbicides to work together for broadleaf and grassy weed control
Solution Approach 2:
The pH parameter of the tank mix is changed by adding an acidifier. This parameter change creates a chemical environment where acetochlor cannot antagonize clethodim, thus preserving clethodim's effectiveness on grassy weeds while maintaining the ability to control broadleaf weeds through acetochlor
2Reliability
If clethodim concentration is increased and acetochlor concentration is decreased to counteract antagonism, then clethodim effectiveness is maintained, but weed control becomes undesirable
Solution Approach 1:
The acidifier serves as a mediator that allows both herbicides to be present at optimal concentrations without antagonism. This eliminates the need to increase clethodim or decrease acetochlor, maintaining both the reliability of clethodim and the quality of overall weed control
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the pH parameter through acidifier addition, the system enables optimal concentrations of both clethodim and acetochlor to coexist without antagonistic interactions, thereby achieving both maintained effectiveness and desirable weed control quality
3Reliability
If crop oil concentrate is added to counteract antagonism, then some improvement is achieved, but antagonism is not fully eliminated with every herbicide
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the pH parameter of the tank mix by adding an acidifier, which provides a more universal solution than crop oil concentrate. This parameter change effectively counteracts antagonism across different herbicide combinations, including but not limited to acetochlor-clethodim mixes, thereby improving both reliability and adaptability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The addition of an acidifier to clethodim and crop oil concentrate compositions allows for effective tank mixing with acetochlor, providing enhanced weed control without antagonism, as demonstrated by increased control of volunteer corn and barnyard grass.
Implementation Method 1
maintaining a pH of 5.3 or less
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to clethodim compositions comprising crop oil concentrates and an acidifier. The present invention is further directed to methods of controlling weeds comprising mixing clethodim compositions comprising crop oil concentrates and an acidifier with acetochlor to create a tank mix and applying the tank mix to the weeds or an area in need of weed control.