Pesticide formulation
Encyclopedia
The biological activity of a pesticide, be it chemical or biological in nature, is determined by its active ingredient
(AI - also called the active substance). Pesticide
products very rarely consist of pure technical material. The AI is usually formulated with other materials and this is the product as sold, but it may be further diluted in use. Formulation improves the properties of a chemical for handling, storage, application and may substantially influence effectiveness and safety.
Formulation terminology follows a 2-letter convention: (e.g. GR: granules) listed by CropLife International
(formerly GIFAP then GCPF) in the Catalogue of Pesticide Formulation Types (Monograph 2); see: download page. Some manufacturers do not follow these industry standards, which can cause confusion for users.
By far the most frequently used products are formulations for mixing with water then applying as sprays.
Water miscible, older formulations include:
Newer, non-powdery formulations with reduced or no use of hazardous solvents and improved stability include:
farmers in Japan
). Specialist formulations are available for ultra-low volume
spraying, fogging, fumigation, etc. Very occasionally, some pesticides (e.g. malathion) may be sold as technical material (TC - which is mostly AI, but also contains small quantities of, usually non-active, by-products of the manufacturing process).
A particularly efficient form of pesticide dose transfer is seed treatment
and specific formulations have been developed for this purpose. A number of pesticide bait
formulations are available for rodent
pest control, etc.
Active ingredient
An active ingredient is the substance of a pharmaceutical drug or a pharmaceutical ingredient and bulk active in medicine; in pesticide formulations active substance may be used. Some medications and pesticide products may contain more than one active ingredient...
(AI - also called the active substance). Pesticide
Pesticide
Pesticides are substances or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest.A pesticide may be a chemical unicycle, biological agent , antimicrobial, disinfectant or device used against any pest...
products very rarely consist of pure technical material. The AI is usually formulated with other materials and this is the product as sold, but it may be further diluted in use. Formulation improves the properties of a chemical for handling, storage, application and may substantially influence effectiveness and safety.
Formulation terminology follows a 2-letter convention: (e.g. GR: granules) listed by CropLife International
CropLife International
CropLife International is an international federation of agricultural biotechnology companies. It was previously known as Global Crop Protection Federation and International Group of National Associations of Manufacturers of Agrochemical Products....
(formerly GIFAP then GCPF) in the Catalogue of Pesticide Formulation Types (Monograph 2); see: download page. Some manufacturers do not follow these industry standards, which can cause confusion for users.
Water-miscible formulations
Water miscible, older formulations include:
- EC Emulsifiable concentrate
- WP Wettable powder
- SL Soluble (liquid) concentrate
- SP Soluble powder
Newer, non-powdery formulations with reduced or no use of hazardous solvents and improved stability include:
- SC Suspension concentrate
- CS Capsule suspensions
- WG Water dispersible granules
Other formulations
Other common formulations include granules (GR) and dusts (DP), although for improved safety the latter have been replaced by microgranules (MG e.g. for riceRice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
farmers in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
). Specialist formulations are available for ultra-low volume
Ultra-low volume
The term Ultra-Low Volume is used in the context of pesticide application.Ultra-low volume application of pesticides has been defined as spraying at a of les than 5 L/ha for field crops or les than 50 L/ha for tree/bush crops...
spraying, fogging, fumigation, etc. Very occasionally, some pesticides (e.g. malathion) may be sold as technical material (TC - which is mostly AI, but also contains small quantities of, usually non-active, by-products of the manufacturing process).
A particularly efficient form of pesticide dose transfer is seed treatment
Seed treatment
In agriculture, a seed treatment or seed dressing is a chemical, typically antimicrobial or fungidal, with which seeds are treated prior to planting...
and specific formulations have been developed for this purpose. A number of pesticide bait
Bait (luring substance)
Bait is any substance used to attract prey, e.g. in a mousetrap.-In Australia:Baiting in Australia refers to specific campaigns to control foxes, wild dogs and dingos by poisoning in areas where they are a problem...
formulations are available for rodent
Rodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
pest control, etc.
See also
- FormulationsFormulationsFormulation is a term used in various senses in various applications, both the material and the abstract or formal. Its fundamental meaning is the putting together of components in appropriate relationships or structures, according to a formula...
- Formulation scienceFormulation scienceFormulation science is an interdisciplinary subject where knowledge of material science, and physical chemistry, joins with the art of formulating a formulations that can have hyper activity towards a particular action...
- Pharmaceutical formulationPharmaceutical formulationPharmaceutical formulation, in pharmaceutics, is the process in which different chemical substances, including the active drug, are combined to produce a final medicinal product.-Stages and timeline:...
- Galenic formulationGalenic formulationGalenic formulation deals with the principles of preparing and compounding medicines in order to optimize their absorption. Galenic formulation is named after Claudius Galen, a 2nd Century AD Greek physician, who codified the preparation of drugs using multiple ingredients...
- Pesticide applicationPesticide applicationPesticide application refers to the practical way in which pesticides, are delivered to their biological targets...
- InsecticideInsecticideAn insecticide is a pesticide used against insects. They include ovicides and larvicides used against the eggs and larvae of insects respectively. Insecticides are used in agriculture, medicine, industry and the household. The use of insecticides is believed to be one of the major factors behind...
- HerbicideHerbicideHerbicides, also commonly known as weedkillers, are pesticides used to kill unwanted plants. Selective herbicides kill specific targets while leaving the desired crop relatively unharmed. Some of these act by interfering with the growth of the weed and are often synthetic "imitations" of plant...
- FungicideFungicideFungicides are chemical compounds or biological organisms used to kill or inhibit fungi or fungal spores. Fungi can cause serious damage in agriculture, resulting in critical losses of yield, quality and profit. Fungicides are used both in agriculture and to fight fungal infections in animals...
Further reading
- Burges, H.D. (ed.) (1998) Formulation of Microbial Biopesticides, beneficial microorganisms, nematodes and seed treatments. Kluwer Academic Press, 412 pp.