Herbicidal Composition Synergy for Burndown Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for glyphosate alternatives that offer similar or improved burndown performance without the health safety concerns associated with existing herbicides, particularly for controlling undesirable vegetation that is tolerant or resistant to multiple herbicides.
Innovation Solution
An herbicidal composition combining a glutamine synthetase inhibitor, such as glufosinate, with a fatty acid or carboxylic acid compound like pelargonic acid, and optionally an acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor like imazethapyr, which can be formulated in various forms for effective weed control, including ready-to-use and emulsifiable concentrate formulations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If glyphosate is used for burndown treatment, then non-selective foliar application with no soil residual is achieved, but health safety concerns arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the herbicidal composition into multiple active ingredients with different modes of action (glutamine synthetase inhibitor, fatty acid compound, and optionally ALS inhibitor) to achieve glyphosate-like burndown performance while eliminating reliance on the single problematic chemical glyphosate
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple herbicidal compounds in a composite formulation (glutamine synthetase inhibitor + fatty acid compound + optional ALS inhibitor) to create a synergistic effect that matches or exceeds glyphosate's effectiveness while addressing health safety concerns through alternative chemistry
2Reliability
If higher application rates of herbicides are used to control resistant weeds, then burndown effectiveness improves, but crop damage and environmental impact increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the herbicidal composition by using alternative active ingredients (glutamine synthetase inhibitors and fatty acid compounds) with different modes of action that are effective against resistant weeds at lower application rates, thereby reducing crop damage and environmental impact
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of glyphosate's burndown effectiveness through alternative chemical mechanisms (multiple herbicidal compounds working synergistically) that achieve the same functional result without requiring high application rates that cause harm
Data Source
AI summary
A herbicidal composition is provided that includes at least one glutamine synthetase inhibitor and at least one herbicidal fatty acid or carboxylic acid compound. Methods of burndown treatment of undesirable vegetation are also provided.