FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT 1970 As amended by the Patents (Amendment) Act, 2002
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (See Section 10; Rule 13)
TITLE
A process for the preparation of a
herbicide formulation of
glyphosate (N-phosphonomethylglycine)
APPLICANTS
Excel Crop Care Limited,
184-87, Swami Vivekanand Road, Jogeshwari, Mumbai 400 102, Maharashtra, India, an Indian Company
INVENTORS
Shroff Dipesh Kantisen, Jain Ashok Kundanmal,
Dr Chaudhari Rajendra Pralhad and Dr Dhuri Arun Vishnu,
all Indian Nationals and all of Excel Crop Care Limited,
184-87, Swami Vivekanand Road, Jogeshwari,
Mumbai 400 102, Maharashtra, India
Granted
The following specification particularly describes the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed :

, 1 0 MAR 2005

FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a process for the preparation of a herbicide formulation of glyphosate (N-phosphonomethylglycine).
PRIOR ART
Formulation of glyphosate (N-phosphono-methylglycine) is a broad spectrum non-selective systemic herbicide used for control of annual and perennial plants including grasses, sedges, broad-leaved weeds or woody plants. A typical formulation of glyphosate comprises ammonium glyphosate 73.45% by weight with ammonium sulphate 14.70 % by weight and ethoxylated fatty amines (Noigen of Diaicchi Kakaria) 11.85%. The ingredients are mixed under stirring and granulated to form the formulation. The pesticidal granules are off white and on dissolution in water for application on weeds, the aqueous solution obtained is colorless. The colourless nature of the pesticidal solution may be disadvantageous and confusing at times in that it will be difficult visually to distinguish between an aqueous solution of the herbicide and plain water if kept next to each other accidentally or unknowingly. It may prompt one to add more of the

formulation into the solution thereof or to throw away the solution of the formulation both under the wrong impression that it is plain water thereby wasting the valuable formulation. Besides because of the colourless nature of the aqueous solution of the formulation, it is difficult to identify and distinguish the formulation of one manufacturer from those of others. This may lead to formulation of one manufacturer which may be of, for instance, inferior quality, being passed off or misrepresented as the formulation of another manufacturer and thus taking advantage of the reputation and goodwill of the latter in terms of quality or such .other characteristics.
OBJECTS OF INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a herbicide formulation of glyphosate which is colourless but on dissolution in water turns into a light blue solution indicating the presence of the formulation and avoiding visual confusion between plain water and aqueous solution of the formulation and resultant disadvantages.

Another object of the invention is to provide a herbicide formulation of glyphosate which is cost effective.
Another object of the invention is to provide a herbicide formulation of glyphosate, which is environmentally safe.
Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and easy to carry out process for the preparation of a herbicide formulation of glyphosate which is colourless but on dissolution in water turns into a light blue solution indicating the presence of the formulation and avoiding visual confusion between plain water and aqueous solution of the formulation and resultant disadvantages.
Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and easy to carry out process for the preparation of a herbicide formulation of glyphosate which is cost effective.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and easy to carry out process for the preparation of a herbicide formulation of glyphosate, which is environmentally safe.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided a herbicide
formulation of glyphosate (N-phosphonomethylglycine) comprising
ammonium glyphosate 73.45% by weight, ammonium sulphate 14.70%
by weight, ethoxylated fatty amines 11.80% by weight and Malachite
geen (triphenylmethane) 0.05% by weight.
According to the invention there is also provided a process for the preparation of herbicide formulation of glyphosate (N-phosphonomethylglycine) comprising mixing ammonium glyphosate 73.45% by weight, ammonium sulphate 14.70% by weight, ethoxylated fatty amines 11.80% by weight and Malachite green (triphenylmethane) 0.05%) by weight under stirring followed by granulating the resulting mixture.

Malachite green content in the formulation of the invention is very low of the order of 0.05%. Besides, immediately on applying the aqueous solution of the formulation of the invention on weeds, the Malachite green in the formulation, which is very UV sensitive, is destroyed by UV instantly. Therefore, the formulation of the invention does not create any environmental problems. Malachite green is cheap and in very low quantities of the above order does not add to the cost of the formulation of the invention significantly. Therefore the formulation of the invention is cost effective. According to the invention the colourless nature of herbicide formulation of glyphosate is maintained but on dissolution of the formulation in water, the water turns into a light blue solution indicating the presence of the formulation visually. This helps to avoid visual confusion between plain water and aqueous solution of the formulation and resultant disadvantages. Due to the distinct light blue colour of the aqueous solution of the formulation of the invention it is possible to identify and distinguish the formulation of the invention from those of others. This helps to prevent passing off or misrepresentation of other manufacturers' glyphosate formulations which may be of, for instance, inferior quality as the formulation of the invention and also to prevent others from taking undue advantage of the

reputation and goodwill in the formulation of the invention in terms of its quality and other characteristics. The process of the invention involves simple mixing of the ingredients followed by granulation of the resulting mixture and is therefore simple and easy to carry out.
The following experimental examples are illustrative of the invention but are not limitative of the scope thereof.
Example 1
The following ingredients were mixed under stirring and granulated:
Ammonium glyphosate 73.45% by weight
Ammonium sulphate 14.70% by weight
Ethoxylated fatty amines 11.80% by weight
(Noigen of Daichhi Kakaria)
Rodamine Red colour 0.05 % by weight
The resulting granules were red in colour and on dissolution in water
the solution was red in colour.

Example 2
The following ingredients were mixed under stirring and granulated:
Ammonium glyphosate 73.45% by weight
Ammonium sulphate 14.70% by weight
Noigen 11.80%) by weight
Sunset Yellow colour 0.05 % by weight
The resulting granules were yellow in colour and on dissolution in water
the solution was yellow in colour.
Example 3
The following ingredients were mixed under stirring and granulated:
Ammonium glyphosate 73.45%) by weight
Ammonium sulphate 14.70% by weight
Noigen 11.80% by weight
Brilliant Blue colour 0.05 % by weight
The resulting granules were blue in colour and on dissolution in water
the solution was blue in colour.

Example 4
The following ingredients were mixed under stirring and granulated:
Ammonium glyphosate 73.45% by weight
Ammonium sulphate 14.70% by weight
Noigen 11.80% by weight
Sunset Blue colour 0.05 % by weight
The resulting granules were blue in colour and on dissolution in water
the solution was blue in colour.
Example 5
The following ingredients were mixed together under stirring and
granulated:
Ammonium glyphosate 73.45% by weight
Ammonium sulphate 14.70% by weight
Noigen 11.80% by weight
Malachite green 0.05% by weight
The resulting granules were colourless but on dissolution in water the
solution turned light blue.

The above experiment / procedure was found to give the same results on repetition.
Examples 1 to 5 clearly show that only Malachite green and no other colourants / dyes gave colourless granules of the formulation of the invention which on dissolution in water gave a light blue solution.

WE CLAIM:
1. Herbicide formulation of glyphosate (N-phosphonomethylglycine) comprising ammonium glyphosate 73.45% by weight, ammonium sulphate 14.70% by weight, ethoxylated fatty amines 11.80% by weight and Malachite green (triphenylmethane) 0.05% by weight.
2. Process for the preparation of herbicide formulation of glyphosate (N-phosphonomethylglycine) comprising mixing ammonium glyphosate 73.45% by weight, ammonium sulphate 14.70% by weight, ethoxylated fatty amines 11.80% by weight and Malachite green (triphenylmethane) 0.05% by weight under stirring followed by granulating the resulting mixture.
3. Process for the preparation of herbicide formulation of glyphosate (N-phosphonomethylglycine) substantially as herein described particularly with reference to Example 5.
Dated this 19th day of May 2004
(Jose M A)
of Khaitan & Co
Agent for the Applicants