Pesticidal Suspo-emulsion compositions
The present invention relates to aqueous suspo-emulsions (SE) formulations contain-
ing at least three fungicidally active compounds and to their use as seed treatment
formulation as well as their use for plant protection, including seed and crop protection.
Pesticide compounds are often applied in the form of a dilute aqueous composition in
order to achieve a good interaction with the target organism, such as plants, fungi and
insects. However, most active compounds that are used as pesticides, in particular
fungicidally active compounds, are only sparingly or even insoluble in water, i.e. they
usually have a water-solubility of not more than 50 g/l.
Therefore, formulators are often confronted with difficulties in formulating pesticide
compounds in stable formulations that can be easily stored for a long time and which
still have a high stability and effective activity until end use. This problem especially
occurs if more than two actives compounds are present in the composition.
WO 03/075657 relates to the use of lactic ester as crystallization inhibitors during ap-
plication. The lactic acid esters are used in order to inhibite the presence of solid parti-
cles in pesticidal composition during application, assuring thus a better fluidity by
spraying a liquid composition onto the plant.
WO 07/028538 relates to the use of different lactic ester in different agricultural pesti-
cidal formulation for improving the action of agricultural pesticides on the level of
plants.
WO 2005/074685 relates to the use of plant protection compositions comprising among
other 2-ethylhexyl lactate for the control of harmful organism in paddy rice crops.
The above patents focus on the function of lactates to improve the applicability of for-
mulations.
In many multi-component recipes, especially when high-melting active ingredients need
to be combined with low-melting actives, a suspo-emulsion is the only feasible formula-
tion type. Such a suspo-emulsion may comprise two fungicides A and B soluted in a
selected organic solvent and a third pesticidally active compound C simultaneously
present in form of solid particle, all components coexisting in a stable form. One critical
aspect of the suspo-emulsion is the choice of solvent, as this solvent faces several
requirements. On the one hand it should dissolve the low-melting actives, on the other
hand it may not cause Ostwald-ripening of the high-melting actives.
We now found surprisingly that lactates are very well suited to this formulation type,
especially if more than one low-melting active needs to be formulated.

The present invention relates to pesticidal suspo-emulsion composition comprising
(i) two pesticidal compounds A and B dissolved in a lactic acid ester
and wherein
a) both A and B have melting points below 90oC
b) both A and B are selected from the following list: pyraclos-
trobin, metalaxyl, mefenoxam, trifloxystrobin, imazalil, pro-
chloraz and ipconazole with the proviso that A is different from
B,
(ii) at least one pesticidal compound C present in solid particles, and
having a melting point of 90°C and above,
(iii) water,
(iv) and optionally formulation auxiliaries.
The compositions of the present invention have been surpisingly found to provide sus-
po-emulsion (SE) formulations that contain water as continuous phase, two fungicidally
active compounds A and B soluted in a lactic acid ester as organic solvent and a third
pesticidal active compound C in form of dispersed particles, enabling an improved fun-
gicidal activity of said compositions.
As used herein, "pesticidal compounds" or "active compound" or "compounds" is a
compound which directly exerts a biologically relevant effect, preferably a pesticidal
effect and more preferably a fungicidal effect.
The invention further relates to the use of compositions for the treatment of seeds, to
methods of combating phytopathogenic fungi, a method of controlling undesired vege-
tation and methods of improving the health of plants based on the afore-mentioned
compositions.
Surprisingly, it has been found that a composition which comprises the fungicidal com-
pounds A, B characterised in that they have a melting point below 90°C, a third fungici-
dally active compound C in solid form and having a melting point being equal or above
90°C, in a selected organic solvent as solubilizing agent for the compounds A and B,
water as continuous phase, a dispersing agent that keeps the hydrophobic particles
suspended in water, form a stable suspension of the particles of compound C in an
emulsion containing the dissolved fungicidally active compounds A and B.

The appropriate organic solvent according to the present invention must be able to
prevent the formation of crystal when solving the two fungicidal components A and B
and simultaneously must not solve the third component C which has to be present in
the composition as solid particles. This selected solvent must therefore completely sol-
ute the component A and B in the emulsion droplet in a first time and further ensure the
stability of the finished suspoemulsion formulation containing the dispersed third com-
ponent C which is in solid form.
It has been surprisingly found that the appropriate organic solvents according to the
invention are lactic acid esters. The lactic acid esters according to the present invention
show a stabil distribution of the rates of the droplets and the particles sizes in the emul-
sion over variation of the temperature and this even over long storage. By using the
lactic acid esters of the invention, the storage stability of the formulation composition of
the present invention is enhanced. The use of the lactic acid esters according to the
invention permits to obtain a composition wherein the two fungicidal compounds coex-
ist with a third pesticidal compound present in solid form in such a way that the distribu-
tion of the droplets from the two fungicidal compounds soluted in the lactic acid ester
and the solid particles of the third fungicidally compounds are homogeneously distrib-
uted in the suspoemulsion composition.
Further, it has been found that the physical states of the actives ingredients are main-
tained after long storage, thus affording sprayable liquid containing the solubilised
compounds A and B in the lactic acid ester and fine particles of the third fungicidally
active compound C
When the terms lactic acid esters are used throughout the description, it is meant to
include both optical isomers as well as mixtures thereof.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the preferred lactic acid
esters for the practice of the invention are lactic acid esters of C4 to C12 saturated and
unsaturated alkyl, C4 to C12 saturated and unsaturated cyclically C4 to C12 saturated
and unsaturated branched alkyl lactic esters and mixtures thereof.
Particularly preferable lactic acid esters are 2-ethyl hexyl lactate, cyclohexyl lactate, 2-
methylcyclohexyl lactate, heptyl lactate, octyl lactate and mixtures thereof.
More particularly preferable lactic acid ester is 2-ethylhexyl lactate (EHL) which is an
ester of 2-ethylhexanol with lactic acid, preferably L-(+)-lactic acid, such as is obtain-
able, for example, as Purasolv® EHL from Purac Bioquimica (Gran Vial 19-25, 08160
Montmelo-Barcelona, Spain) or Purac Biochem (Gorinchem, NL).

Compounds A and B according to the present invention are selected fungicidally active
compounds. Compounds A and B are fungicides selected from the group of pyraclos-
trobin, metalaxyl, mefenoxam, trifloxystrobin, imazalil, prochloraz and ipconazole with
the proviso that A is different from B.
Compound C according to the present invention is a pesticidal active compound. In
particular, compound C is a fungicide selected from the following list. The following list
of active compounds C, in conjunction with which the compounds according to the in-
vention can be used, is intended to illustrate the possible combinations but does not
limit them. The following may be mentioned as examples of compounds C:
Azoxystrobin, boscalid, or compounds of the following groups:
a) Azoles:
triazoles: azaconazole, bitertanol, bromuconazole, cyproconazole, difenocona-
zole, diniconazole, diniconazole-M, epoxiconazole, fenbuconazole, fluquincona-
zole, flusilazole, flutriafol, hexaconazole, imibenconazole, ipconazole, metcona-
zole, myclobutanil, oxpoconazole, paclobutrazole, penconazole, propiconazole,
prothioconazole, simeconazole, tebuconazole, tetraconazole, triadimefon, triadi-
menol, triticonazole, uniconazole, 1-(4-chloro-phenyl)-2-([1,2,4]triazol-1-yl)-
cycloheptanol;
imidazoles: cyazofamid, imazalil, pefurazoate, prochloraz, triflumizol;
benzimidazoles: benomyl, carbendazim, fuberidazole, thiabendazole;
others: ethaboxam, etridiazole, hymexazole and 2-(4-chloro-phenyl)-N-[4-(3,4-
dimethoxy-phenyl)-isoxazol-5-yl]-2-prop-2-ynyloxy-acetamide;
b) Heterocyclic compounds:
pyridines: fluazinam, pyrifenox, 3-[5-(4-chloro-phenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-isoxazolidin-
3-yl]-pyridine, 3-[5-(4-methyl-phenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-isoxazolidin-3-yl]-pyridine,
2,3,5,6-tetra-chloro-4-methanesulfonyl-pyridine, 3,4,5-trichloropyridine-2,6-di-
carbonitrile, N-(1-(5-bromo-3-chloro-pyridin-2-yl)-ethyl)-2,4-dichloronicotinamide,
N-[(5-bromo-3-chloro-pyridin-2-yl)-methyl]-2,4-dichloro-nicotinamide;
pyrimidines: bupirimate, cyprodinil, diflumetorim, fenarimol, ferimzone, me-
panipyrim, nitrapyrin, nuarimol, pyrimethanil;
piperazines: triforine;
pyrroles: fenpiclonil, fludioxonil;
morpholines: aldimorph, dodemorph, dodemorph-acetate, fenpropimorph, tride-
morph;
piperidines: fenpropidin;
dicarboximides: fluoroimid, iprodione, procymidone, vinclozolin;
non-aromatic 5-membered heterocycles: famoxadone, fenamidone, flutianil, oc-
thilinone, probenazole, 5-amino-2-isopropyl-3-oxo-4-ortho-tolyl-2,3-dihydro-
pyrazole-1-carbothioic acid S-allyl ester;

others: acibenzolar-S-methyl, amisulbrom, anilazin, blasticidin-S, captafol, cap-
tan, chinomethionat, dazomet, debacarb, diclomezine, difenzoquat, difenzoquat-
methylsulfate, fenoxanil, Folpet, oxolinic acid, piperalin, proquinazid, pyroquilon,
quinoxyfen, triazoxide, tricyclazole, 2-butoxy-6-iodo-3-propylchromen-4-one, 5-
chloro-1-(4,6-dimethoxy-pyrimidin-2-yl)-2-methyl-1H-benzoimidazole, 5-chloro-7-
(4-methylpiperidin-1 -yl)-6-(2,4,6-trifluorophenyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo [1,5-a]pyrimidine
and 5-ethyl-6-octyl-[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-7-ylamine;
Particular preferred compounds C according to the invention are azoxystrobin or
boscalid or compounds of the azoles group, e.g. triticonazole, fludioxonil.
The compositions according to the present invention are at least ternary mixtures, i.e.
compositions according to the invention comprising one fungicidally compound A
(component 1), a first further fungicidally active compound B (component 2) and a sec-
ond further pesticidal active compound C (component 3).
Preference is particularly given to suspoemlusion compositions comprising a com-
pound A as component 1 being pyraclostrobin, a compound B as component 2 se-
lected from the group of metalaxyl, mefenoxam, trifloxystrobin, imazalil, prochloraz and
ipconazole and a compound C as component 3 selected from azoxystrobin, or
boscalid, or triticonazole or fludioxonil.
Preference is particularly given to suspoemlusion compositions comprising a com-
pound A as component 1 being pyraclostrobin, a compound B as component 2 se-
lected from the group of metalaxyl, mefenoxam, trifloxystrobin, imazalil and ipconazole
and a compound C as component 3 selected from azoxystrobin, or boscalid, or triti-
conazole or fludioxonil.
Preference is particularly given to formulation compositions comprising a compound A
as component 1 being pyraclostrobin and a compound B as component 2 being
metalaxyl and a compound C as component 3 selected from azoxystrobin, or boscalid,
or triticonazole or fludioxonil.
Accordingly, in a more preferred embodiment, the present invention furthermore relates
to compositions comprising a compound A as component 1 being pyraclostrobin and a
compound B as component 2 being metalaxyl and a compound C as component 3
which is azoxystrobin.
Accordingly, in a more preferred embodiment, the present invention furthermore relates
to compositions comprising a compound A as component 1 being pyraclostrobin and a
compound B as component 2 being metalaxyl and a compound C as component 3
which is fludioxonil.

Accordingly, in a more preferred embodiment, the present invention furthermore relates
to compositions comprising a compound A as component 1 being pyraclostrobin and a
compound B as component 2 being metalaxyl and a compound C as component 3
which is boscalid.
Accordingly, in a more preferred embodiment, the present invention furthermore relates
to compositions comprising a compound A as component 1 being pyraclostrobin and a
compound B as component 2 being metalaxyl and a compound C as component 3
which is triticonazole.
The active compounds referred to as components 1, or 2, or 3, their preparation and
their activity against harmful fungi is known (cf.: http://www.alanwood.net/pesticides/);
these substances are commercially available. The compounds described by IUPAC
nomenclature, their preparation and their fungicidal activity are also known (cf. Can. J.
Plant Sci. 48(6), 587-94, 1968; EP 141317; EP 152031; EP 226917; EP 243970; EP
256503; EP 428941; EP 532022; EP 1028125; EP 1035122; EP 1201648; EP
1122244, JP 2002316902; DE 19650197; DE 10021412; DE 102005009458; US
3,296,272; US 3,325,503; WO 98/46608; WO 99/14187; WO 99/24413; WO 99/27783;
WO 00/29404; WO 00/46148; WO 00/65913; WO 01/54501; WO 01/56358; WO
02/22583; WO 02/40431; WO 03/10149; WO 03/11853; WO 03/14103; WO 03/16286;
WO 03/53145; WO 03/61388; WO 03/66609; WO 03/74491; WO 04/49804; WO
04/83193; WO 05/120234; WO 05/123689; WO 05/123690; WO 05/63721; WO
05/87772; WO 05/87773; WO 06/15866; WO 06/87325; WO 06/87343; WO 07/82098;
WO 07/90624).
The compositions of the present invention may optionally contain further formulation
auxiliaries such as emulsifier dispersing agent, antifreeze agent, antifoam, thickener
and binders in case of application in seeds.
In a prefered embodiement, a particular dispersing agent that has the capability to keep
the hydrophobic particles suspended in water is Atlox 4913.
The term formulation auxiliaries refer to compounds or combinations of compounds
which do not exert a biologically relevant effect of their own, but support the effects of
the active compounds. Theses formulations auxiliaries are known to a person skilled in
the art and are described for example in "crystalline complexes of agriculturally active
organic compounds" (WO 2008/096005)
Preferably if present, the formulation auxiliaries comprise at least 0.5% based on the
total amount of the composition of the present invention.

The formulation composition according to the invention can be prepared as follows:
Compounds A and B are first soluted in the lactic acid ester, preferably EHL to form the
solution S. This solution S is emulsified into water by mixing it with water and emulsify-
ing agents and applying shear to arrive at the emulsion E with a droplet size < 10 urn.
Compound C is dispersed in water by mixing with dispersing agents and water and
milling on bead-mill to a median particle size less thanIO urn, preferably less than 2um
to form dispersion D. Finally, Emulsion E and Dispersion D are mixed by stirring and
further auxilliaries like antifreeze, thickener, binder, etc. may be added.
The amount of the lactic acid ester solvent in the suspoemulsion composition according
to the invention generally depends on the amount of compounds A and B. In general,
the weight ratio of the lactic acid ester solvent to the compounds A and B together is
from 1:1 to 10:1. The total amount of the lactic acid ester will be generally in the range
of 2 to 40 % by weight, in particular from 5 to 20 % based on the total weight of the
formulation.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the amount of EHL in the suspoemulsion com-
position according to the invention generally depends on the amount of compounds A
and B. In general, the weight ratio of EHL to the compounds A and B together is from
1:1 to 10:1. The total amount of EHL will be generally in the range of 2 to 40 % by
weight, in particular from 5 to 20 % based on the total weight of the formulation.
In general, the weight ratio of the lactic acid ester solvent to the compound C is from
1:1 to 50:1.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the weight ratio of EHL to the compound C
is from 1:1 to 50:1.
The weight ratio of compound A (component 1) and compound B (component 2) being
in the range of from 1:50 to 50:1 and particularly in the range of from 1:10 to 10:1, and
the weight ratio of compound A (component 1) and comound C (component 3) prefera-
bly is in the range from 1:50 to 50:1 and particularly in the range from 1:10 to 10:1.
The total pesticidally active compounds A, B and C concentrations in the ready-to-use
composition formulation can be varied within substantial ranges. In general, they are in
the range from 0.01 and 80% by weight, frequently in the range from 0.1 to 50 % by
weight, preferably in the range from 0.5 and 20% by weight, based on the total weight
of the preparation.
Unless indicated otherwise, all amounts in % by weight refer to the weight of the total
composition (or formulation).

According to a further particular embodiment, the composition of the present invention
is a seed treatment formulation. The compositions of the present invention show good
adhesion of the active compounds A, B and C to the seeds and seeds treated with the
compositions of the present invention which show good flowability. Germination of the
treated seeds is not affected.
The present invention also relates to the use of a composition as defined herein for
treating seed.
The present invention also relates to a method of treating seed with a composition de-
scribed herein, which comprises applying an effective amount of a composition as de-
fined herein to a lot of seeds.
Seed suspoemulsion compositions comprising binders, fillers and/or plasticizers are
well known in the art. Seed suspoemulsion compositions are disclosed, for example, in
U.S. Pat. Numbers. 5,939,356, 5,882,713, 5,876,739, 5,849,320, 5,834,447, 5,791,084,
5,661,103, 5,622,003, 5,580,544, 5,328,942, 5,300,127, 4,735,015, 4,634,587,
4,383,391, 4,372,080, 4,339,456, 4,272,417 and 4,245,432, among others.
The amount of the active compounds A, B and C that is included in the seed suspo-
emulsion composition acoording to the present invention will vary depending upon the
type of seed, but the suspoemulsion composition will contain an amount of the active
compounds that is pesticidally effective. In general, the amount of the active com-
pounds in the suspoemulsion composition will range from about 0.005 to about 75% of
the total weight. A more preferred range for the active compounds is from about 0.01 to
about 40%; more preferred is from about 0.05 to about 20%.
The exact amount of the active compounds that is included in the suspoemulsion com-
position must not inhibit germination of the seed and should be efficacious in protecting
the seed and/or the plant during that time in the target pest's life cycle in which it
causes injury to the seed or plant. In general, the suspoemulsion will be efficacious for
approximately 0 to 120 days, preferably for approximately 0 to 60 days, after sowing.
As used herein, the term "seed" denotes any resting stage of a plant that is physically
detached from the vegetative stage of a plant and/or may be stored for prolonged peri-
ods of time and/or can be used to regrow another plant individual of the same species.
Here, the term "resting" refers to a state wherein the plant retains viability, within rea-
sonable limits, in spite of the absence of light, water and/or nutrients essential for the
vegetative (i.e. non-seed) state. In particular, the term refers to true seeds but does not
embraces plant propagules such as suckers, corms, bulbs, fruit, tubers, grains, cuttings
and cut shoots.

As used herein, the term "plant" means an entire plant or parts thereof. The term "en-
tire plant" refers to a complete plant individual in its vegetative, i.e. non-seed stage,
characterized by the presence of an arrangement of roots, shoots and foliage, depend-
ing on the developmental stage of the plant also flowers and/or fruits, all of which are
physically connected to form an individual which is, under reasonable conditions, viable
without the need for artificial measures. The term may also refer to an entire plant har-
vested as such.
The term "plant parts" refers to roots, shoots, foliage, flowers or other parts of the vege-
tative stage of the plant, which, when dislodged and disconnected from the rest, are
incapable of survival, unless supported by artificial measures or able to regrow the
missing parts to form an entire plant. As used herein, fruits are also considered as plant
parts.
As used herein, the term "root" refers to parts of a plant which are normally, in order to
fulfill their physiological functions, located beneath the soil surface. Preferably, the term
denotes the parts of a plant which are below the seed and have directly emerged from
the latter, or from other roots, but not from shoots or foliage.
As used herein, the "shoots and foliage" of a plant are to be understood to be the
shoots, stems, branches, leaves and other appendages of the stems and branches of
the plant after the seed has sprouted, but not including the roots of the plant. It is pref-
erable that the shoots and foliage of a plant be understood to be those non-root parts
of the plant that have grown from the seed and are located a distance of at least one
inch away from the seed from which they emerged (outside the region of the seed),
and more preferably, to be the non-root parts of the plant that are at or above the sur-
face of the soil.
As used herein, "fruits" are considered to be the parts of a plant which contain seeds
and/or serve to spread seeds, and/or which may be removed from a plant without im-
pairing its viability.
According to the present invention, the seed treatment comprises applying a composi-
tion of the invention to a seed. Although the present method can be applied to a seed
in any physiological state, it is preferred that the seed be in a sufficiently durable state
that it incurs no significant damage during the treatment process. Typically, the seed is
a seed that has been harvested from the field; removed from the plant; and/or sepa-
rated from the fruit and any cob, pod, stalk, outer husk, and surrounding pulp or other
non-seed plant material. The seed is preferably also biologically stable to the extent
that the treatment would cause no biological damage to the seed. In one embodiment,
for example, the treatment can be applied to seed that has been harvested, cleaned
and dried to a moisture content below about 15% by weight. In an alternative embodi-
ment, the seed can be one that has been dried and then primed with water and/or an-
other material and then re-dried before or during the treatment with a composition of
the invention.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the seed to be treated is thus
substantially dry. "Substantially dry" seed includes seed that has a moisture content
which results if the seed is allowed to equilibrate in an air atmosphere at 20 to 30°C
and 30-90% relative humidity, e.g. at 25°C and 50 % relative humidity.
Here, "seed treatment" refers to all methods that bring seeds and a composition of the
invention into contact with each other, and "seed dressing" to methods of seed treat-
ment which provide the seeds with an amount of the active compounds, i.e. which gen-
erate a seed comprising the active compounds. In principle, the treatment can be ap-
plied to the seed at any time from the harvest of the seed to the sowing of the seed.
The seed can be treated immediately before, or during, the planting of the seed, for
example using the "hopper-box" or "planter-box" method. However, the treatment may
also be carried out several weeks or months, for example up to 12 months, before
planting the seed, for example in the form of a seed dressing treatment, without a sub-
stantially reduced efficacy being observed.
Expediently, the treatment is applied to unsown seed. As used herein, the term "un-
sown seed" is meant to include seed at any period from the harvest of the seed to the
sowing of the seed in the ground for the purpose of germination and growth of the
plant. Preferably, the seed is not a pregerminated seed such as a pregerminated rice
seed.
When it is said that unsown seed is "treated", such treatment is not meant to include
those practices in which the pesticide is applied to the soil, rather than directly to the
seed.
By applying the treatment to the seed prior to the sowing of the seed the operation is
simplified. In this manner, seeds can be treated, for example, at a central location and
then dispersed for planting. This permits the person who plants the seeds to avoid the
handling and use of the active compound and to merely handle and plant the treated
seeds in a manner that is conventional for regular untreated seeds, which reduces hu-
man exposure.
Specifically, the seed treatment follows a procedure in which the seed is exposed to
the specifically desired amount of a pesticidally composition formulation as defined in
the present invention. The composition of the present invention that is applied is a
ready to use pesticidal formulation. Further dilution with water is not necessary for most
types of application equipment. On the other hand, tank-mixing with other seed-
treatment products and or dilution with water are possible if required.
The compositions according to the invention comprising the compounds A, B, C are

suitable as fungicides. They are distinguished by an outstanding effectiveness against
a broad spectrum of phytopathogenic fungi, including soil-borne fungi, which derive
especially from the classes of the Plasmodiophoromycetes, Peronosporomycetes (syn.
Oomycetes), Chytridiomycetes, Zygomycetes, Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes and Deu-
teromycetes (syn. Fungi imperfecti). Some are systemically effective and they can be
used in crop protection as foliar fungicides, fungicides for seed dressing and soil fungi-
cides. Moreover, they are suitable for controlling harmful fungi, which inter alia occur in
wood or roots of plants.
The compositions according to the invention comprising the compounds A, B, C are
particularly important in the control of a multitude of phytopathogenic fungi on various
cultivated plants, such as cereals, e. g. wheat, rye, barley, triticale, oats or rice; beet, e.
g. sugar beet or fodder beet; fruits, such as pomes, stone fruits or soft fruits, e. g. ap-
ples, pears, plums, peaches, almonds, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries
or gooseberries; leguminous plants, such as lentils, peas, alfalfa or soybeans; oil
plants, such as rape, mustard, olives, sunflowers, coconut, cocoa beans, castor oil
plants, oil palms, ground nuts or soybeans; cucurbits, such as squashes, cucumber or
melons; fiber plants, such as cotton, flax, hemp or jute; citrus fruit, such as oranges,
lemons, grapefruits or mandarins; vegetables, such as spinach, lettuce, asparagus,
cabbages, carrots, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, cucurbits or paprika; lauraceous plants,
such as avocados, cinnamon or camphor; energy and raw material plants, such as
corn, soybean, rape, sugar cane or oil palm; corn; tobacco; nuts; coffee; tea; bananas;
vines (table grapes and grape juice grape vines); hop; turf; natural rubber plants or
ornamental and forestry plants, such as flowers, shrubs, broad-leaved trees or ever-
greens, e. g. conifers; and on the plant propagation material, such as seeds, and the
crop material of these plants.
Preferably, the compositions according to the present invention, comprising com-
pounds A, B, C are used for controlling a multitude of fungi on field crops, such as po-
tatoes sugar beets, tobacco, wheat, rye, barley, oats, rice, corn, cotton, soybeans,
rape, legumes, sunflowers, coffee or sugar cane; fruits; vines; ornamentals; or vegeta-
bles, such as cucumbers, tomatoes, beans or squashes.
The term "plant propagation material" is to be understood to denote all the generative
parts of the plant such as seeds and vegetative plant material such as cuttings and
tubers (e.g. potatoes), which can be used for the multiplication of the plant. This in-
cludes seeds, roots, fruits, tubers, bulbs, rhizomes, shoots, sprouts and other parts of
plants, including seedlings and young plants, which are to be transplanted after germi-
nation or after emergence from soil. These young plants may also be protected before
transplantation by a total or partial treatment by immersion or pouring.
Preferably, treatment of plant propagation materials with composition of the present
invention and compositions thereof, respectively, is used for controlling a multitude of
fungi on cereals, such as wheat, rye, barley and oats; rice, corn, cotton and soybeans.

The term "cultivated plants" is to be understood as including plants which have been
modified by breeding, mutagenesis or genetic engineering including but not limiting to
agricultural biotech products on the market or in development (cf.
http://www.bio.org/speeches/pubs/er/agri_products.asp). Genetically modified plants
are plants, which genetic material has been so modified by the use of recombinant
DNA techniques that under natural circumstances cannot readily be obtained by cross
breeding, mutations or natural recombination. Typically, one or more genes have been
integrated into the genetic material of a genetically modified plant in order to improve
certain properties of the plant. Such genetic modifications also include but are not lim-
ited to targeted post-transtional modification of protein(s), oligo- or polypeptides e. g. by
glycosylation or polymer additions such as prenylated, acetylated or farnesylated moie-
ties or PEG moieties.
Plants that have been modified by breeding, mutagenesis or genetic engineering, e. g.
have been rendered tolerant to applications of specific classes of herbicides, such as
hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) inhibitors; acetolactate synthase (ALS)
inhibitors, such as sulfonyl ureas (see e. g. US 6,222,100, WO 01/82685, WO
00/26390, WO 97/41218, WO 98/02526, WO 98/02527, WO 04/106529, WO 05/20673,
WO 03/14357, WO 03/13225, WO 03/14356, WO 04/16073) or imidazolinones (see e.
g. US 6,222,100, WO 01/82685, WO 00/026390, WO 97/41218, WO 98/002526, WO
98/02527, WO 04/106529, WO 05/20673, WO 03/014357, WO 03/13225, WO
03/14356, WO 04/16073); enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) inhibi-
tors, such as glyphosate (see e. g. WO 92/00377); glutamine synthetase (GS) inhibi-
tors, such as glufosinate (see e.g. EP-A 242 236, EP-A 242 246) or oxynil herbicides
(see e. g. US 5,559,024) as a result of conventional methods of breeding or genetic
engineering. Several cultivated plants have been rendered tolerant to herbicides by
conventional methods of breeding (mutagenesis), e. g. Clearfield® summer rape (Ca-
nola, BASF SE, Germany) being tolerant to imidazolinones, e. g. imazamox. Genetic
engineering methods have been used to render cultivated plants such as soybean,
cotton, corn, beets and rape, tolerant to herbicides such as glyphosate and glufosinate,
some of which are commercially available under the trade names RoundupReady®
(glyphosate-tolerant, Monsanto, U.S.A.) and LibertyLink® (glufosinate-tolerant, Bayer
CropScience, Germany).
Furthermore, plants are also covered that are by the use of recombinant DNA tech-
niques capable to synthesize one or more insecticidal proteins, especially those known
from the bacterial genus Bacillus, particularly from Bacillus thuringiensis, such as 5-
endotoxins, e. g. CrylA(b), CrylA(c), CrylF, CrylF(a2), CryllA(b), CrylllA, CrylllB(bl) or
Cry9c; vegetative insecticidal proteins (VIP), e. g. VIP1, VIP2, VIP3 or VIP3A; insecti-
cidal proteins of bacteria colonizing nematodes, e. g. Photorhabdus spp. orXenorhab-
dus spp.; toxins produced by animals, such as scorpion toxins, arachnid toxins, wasp
toxins, or other insect-specific neurotoxins; toxins produced by fungi, such Streptomy-
cetes toxins, plant lectins, such as pea or barley lectins; agglutinins; proteinase inhibi-
tors, such as trypsin inhibitors, serine protease inhibitors, patatin, cystatin or papain

inhibitors; ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIP), such as ricin, maize-RIP, abrin, luffin,
saporin or bryodin; steroid metabolism enzymes, such as 3-hydroxysteroid oxidase,
ecdysteroid-IDP-glycosyl-transferase, cholesterol oxidases, ecdysone inhibitors or
HMG-CoA-reductase; ion channel blockers, such as blockers of sodium or calcium
channels; juvenile hormone esterase; diuretic hormone receptors (helicokinin recep-
tors); stilben synthase, bibenzyl synthase, chitinases or glucanases. In the context of
the present invention these insecticidal proteins or toxins are to be understood ex-
pressly also as pre-toxins, hybrid proteins, truncated or otherwise modified proteins.
Hybrid proteins are characterized by a new combination of protein domains, (see, e. g.
WO 02/015701). Further examples of such toxins or genetically modified plants capa-
ble of synthesizing such toxins are disclosed, e. g., in EP A374753, WO 93/007278,
WO 95/34656, EP A427529, EP A451878, WO 03/18810 und WO 03/52073. The
methods for producing such genetically modified plants are generally known to the per-
son skilled in the art and are described, e. g. in the publications mentioned above.
These insecticidal proteins contained in the genetically modified plants impart to the
plants producing these proteins tolerance to harmful pests from all taxonomic groups of
athropods, especially to beetles (Coeloptera), two-winged insects (Diptera), and moths
(Lepidoptera) and to nematodes (Nematoda). Genetically modified plants capable to
synthesize one or more insecticidal proteins are, e. g., described in the publications
mentioned above, and some of which are commercially available such as YieldGard®
(com cultivars producing the CrylAb toxin), YieldGard® Plus (corn cultivars producing
Cry1 Ab and Cry3Bb1 toxins), Starlink® (corn cultivars producing the Cry9c toxin), Her-
culex® RW (corn cultivars producing Cry34Ab1, Cry35Ab1 and the enzyme Phosphi-
nothricin-N-Acetyltransferase [PAT]); NuCOTN® 33B (cotton cultivars producing the
CrylAc toxin), Bollgard® I (cotton cultivars producing the CrylAc toxin), Bollgard® II
(cotton cultivars producing CrylAc and Cry2Ab2 toxins); VIPCOT® (cotton cultivars
producing a VIP-toxin); NewLeaf® (potato cultivars producing the Cry3A toxin); Bt-
Xtra®, NatureGard®, KnockOut®, BiteGard®, Protecta®, Bt11 (e. g. Agrisure® CB) and
Bt176 from Syngenta Seeds SAS, France, (corn cultivars producing the CrylAb toxin
and PAT enyzme), MIR604 from Syngenta Seeds SAS, France (corn cultivars produc-
ing a modified version of the Cry3A toxin, c.f. WO 03/018810), MON 863 from Mon-
santo Europe S.A., Belgium (corn cultivars producing the Cry3Bb1 toxin), IPC 531 from
Monsanto Europe S.A., Belgium (cotton cultivars producing a modified version of the
CrylAc toxin) and 1507 from Pioneer Overseas Corporation, Belgium (corn cultivars
producing the CrylF toxin and PAT enzyme).
Furthermore, plants are also covered that are by the use of recombinant DNA tech-
niques capable to synthesize one or more proteins to increase the resistance or toler-
ance of those plants to bacterial, viral or fungal pathogens. Examples of such proteins
are the so-called "pathogenesis-related proteins" (PR proteins, see, e. g. EP A392225),
plant disease resistance genes (e. g. potato cultivars, which express resistance genes
acting against Phytophthora infestans derived from the mexican wild potato Solanum
bulbocastanum) orT4-lysozym (e. g. potato cultivars capable of synthesizing these

proteins with increased resistance against bacteria such as Erwinia amylvora). The
methods for producing such genetically modified plants are generally known to the per-
son skilled in the art and are described, e. g. in the publications mentioned above.
Furthermore, plants are also covered that are by the use of recombinant DNA tech-
niques capable to synthesize one or more proteins to increase the productivity (e. g.
bio mass production, grain yield, starch content, oil content or protein content), toler-
ance to drought, salinity or other growth-limiting environmental factors or tolerance to
pests and fungal, bacterial or viral pathogens of those plants.
Furthermore, plants are also covered that contain by the use of recombinant DNA
techniques a modified amount of substances of content or new substances of content,
specifically to improve human or animal nutrition, e. g. oil crops that produce health-
promoting long-chain omega-3 fatty acids or unsaturated omega-9 fatty acids (e. g.
Nexera® rape, DOW Agro Sciences, Canada).
Furthermore, plants are also covered that contain by the use of recombinant DNA
techniques a modified amount of substances of content or new substances of content,
specifically to improve raw material production, e. g. potatoes that produce increased
amounts of amylopectin (e. g. Amflora® potato, BASF SE, Germany).
The compositions of the present invention are particularly suitable for controlling the
following plant diseases:
Albugo spp. (white rust) on ornamentals, vegetables (e. g. A. Candida) and sunflowers
(e. g. A. tragopogonis); Alternaria spp. (Alternaria leaf spot) on vegetables, rape (A.
brassicola or brassicae), sugar beets (A. tenuis), fruits, rice, soybeans, potatoes (e. g.
A. solani or A. alternata), tomatoes (e. g. A. solani or A. alternata) and wheat;
Aphanomyces spp. on sugar beets and vegetables; Ascochyta spp. on cereals and
vegetables, e. g. A. tritici (anthracnose) on wheat and A. hordei on barley; Bipolaris and
Drechslera spp. (teleomorph: Cochliobolus spp.), e. g. Southern leaf blight (D. maydis)
or Northern leaf blight (B. zeicola) on corn, e. g. spot blotch (B. sorokiniana) on cereals
and e.g. B. oryzae on rice and turfs; Blumeria (formerly Erysiphe) graminis (powdery
mildew) on cereals (e. g. on wheat or barley); Botrytis cinerea (teleomorph: Botryotinia
fuckeliana: grey mold) on fruits and berries (e. g. strawberries), vegetables (e. g. let-
tuce, carrots, celery and cabbages), rape, flowers, vines, forestry plants and wheat;
Bremia lactucae (downy mildew) on lettuce; Ceratocystis (syn. Ophiostoma) spp. (rot or
wilt) on broad-leaved trees and evergreens, e.g. C. ulmi (Dutch elm disease) on elms;
Cercospora spp. (Cercospora leaf spots) on corn (e.g. Gray leaf spot: C. zeae-maydis),
rice, sugar beets (e. g. C. beticola), sugar cane, vegetables, coffee, soybeans (e. g. C.
sojina or C. kikuchii) and rice; Cladosporium spp. on tomatoes (e. g. C. fulvum: leaf
mold) and cereals, e. g. C. herbarum (black ear) on wheat; Claviceps purpurea (ergot)
on cereals; Cochliobolus (anamorph: Helminthosporium of Bipolaris) spp. (leaf spots)
on corn (C. carbonum), cereals (e. g. C. sativus, anamorph: B. sorokiniana) and rice (e.
g. C. miyabeanus, anamorph: H. oryzae); Colletotrichum (teleomorph: Glomerella) spp.
(anthracnose) on cotton (e. g. C. gossypii), corn (e. g. C. graminicola: Anthracnose
stalk rot), soft fruits, potatoes (e. g. C. coccodes: black dot), beans (e. g. C. lindemu-

thianum) and soybeans (e. g. C. truncatum or C. gloeosporioides); Corticium spp., e. g.
C. sasakii (sheath blight) on rice; Corynespora cassiicola (leaf spots) on soybeans and
ornamentals; Cycloconium spp., e. g. C. oleaginum on olive trees; Cylindrocarpon spp.
(e. g. fruit tree canker or young vine decline, teleomorph: Nectria or Neonectria spp.)
on fruit trees, vines (e.g. C. liriodendri, teleomorph: Neonectria liriodendri: Black Foot
Disease) and ornamentals; Dematophora (teleomorph: Rosellinia) necatrix (root and
stem rot) on soybeans; Diaporthe spp., e. g. D. phaseolorum (damping off) on soy-
beans; Drechslera (syn. Helminthosporium, teleomorph: Pyrenophora) spp. on corn,
cereals, such as barley (e. g. D. teres, net blotch) and wheat (e. g. D. tritici-repentis:
tan spot), rice and turf; Esca (dieback, apoplexy) on vines, caused by Formitiporia (syn.
Phellinus) punctata, F. mediterranea, Phaeomoniella chlamydospora (earlier Phaeo-
acremonium chlamydosporum), Phaeoacremonium aleophilum and/or Botryosphaeria
obtusa; Elsinoe spp. on pome fruits (E. pyri), soft fruits (E. veneta: anthracnose) and
vines (E. ampelina: anthracnose); Entyloma oryzae (leaf smut) on rice; Epicoccum spp.
(black mold) on wheat; Erysiphe spp. (powdery mildew) on sugar beets (E. betae),
vegetables (e. g. E. pisi), such as cucurbits (e. g. E. cichoracearum), cabbages, rape
(e. g. E. cruciferarum); Eutypa lata (Eutypa canker or dieback, anamorph: Cytosporina
lata, syn. Libertella blepharis) on fruit trees, vines and ornamental woods; Exserohilum
(syn. Helminthosporium) spp. on corn (e. g. E. turcicum); Fusarium (teleomorph: Gib-
berella) spp. (wilt, root or stem rot) on various plants, such as F. graminearum or F.
culmorum (root rot, scab or head blight) on cereals (e. g. wheat or barley), F. ox-
ysporum on tomatoes, F. solani on soybeans and F. verticillioides on corn; Gaeuman-
nomyces graminis (take-all) on cereals (e. g. wheat or barley) and corn; Gibberella spp.
on cereals (e. g. G. zeae) and rice (e. g. G. fujikuroi: Bakanae disease); Glomerella
cingulata on vines, pome fruits and other plants and G. gossypii on cotton; Grainstain-
ing complex on rice; Guignardia bidwellii (black rot) on vines; Gymnosporangium spp.
on rosaceous plants and junipers, e. g. G. sabinae (rust) on pears; Helminthosporium
spp. (syn. Drechslera, teleomorph: Cochliobolus) on corn, cereals and rice; Hemileia
spp., e. g. H. vastatrix (coffee leaf rust) on coffee; Isariopsis clavispora (syn. Cladospo-
rium vitis) on vines; Macrophomina phaseolina (syn. phaseoli) (root and stem rot) on
soybeans and cotton; Microdochium (syn. Fusarium) nivale (pink snow mold) on cere-
als (e. g. wheat or barley); Microsphaera diffusa (powdery mildew) on soybeans; Moni-
linia spp., e. g. M. laxa, M. fructicola and M. fructigena (bloom and twig blight, brown
rot) on stone fruits and other rosaceous plants; Mycosphaerella spp. on cereals, ba-
nanas, soft fruits and ground nuts, such as e. g. M. graminicola (anamorph: Septoria
tritici, Septoria blotch) on wheat or M. fijiensis (black Sigatoka disease) on bananas;
Peronospora spp. (downy mildew) on cabbage (e. g. P. brassicae), rape (e. g. P. para-
sitica), onions (e. g. P. destructor), tobacco (P. tabacina) and soybeans (e. g. P.
manshurica); Phakopsora pachyrhizi and P. meibomiae (soybean rust) on soybeans;
Phialophora spp. e. g. on vines (e. g. P. tracheiphila and P. tetraspora) and soybeans
(e. g. P. gregata: stem rot); Phoma lingam (root and stem rot) on rape and cabbage
and P. betae (root rot, leaf spot and damping-off) on sugar beets; Phomopsis spp. on

sunflowers, vines (e. g. P. viticola: can and leaf spot) and soybeans (e. g. stem rot: P.
phaseoli, teleomorph: Diaporthe phaseolorum); Physoderma maydis (brown spots) on
corn; Phytophthora spp. (wilt, root, leaf, fruit and stem root) on various plants, such as
paprika and cucurbits (e. g. P. capsici), soybeans (e. g. P. megasperma, syn. P. sojae),
potatoes and tomatoes (e. g. P. infestans: late blight) and broad-leaved trees (e. g. P.
ramorum: sudden oak death); Plasmodiophora brassicae (club root) on cabbage, rape,
radish and other plants; Plasmopara spp., e. g. P. viticola (grapevine downy mildew) on
vines and P. halstedii on sunflowers; Podosphaera spp. (powdery mildew) on rosa-
ceous plants, hop, pome and soft fruits, e. g. P. leucotricha on apples; Polymyxa spp.,
e. g. on cereals, such as barley and wheat (P. graminis) and sugar beets (P. betae)
and thereby transmitted viral diseases; Pseudocercosporella herpotrichoides (eyespot,
teleomorph: Tapesia yallundae) on cereals, e. g. wheat or barley; Pseudoperonospora
(downy mildew) on various plants, e. g. P. cubensis on cucurbits or P. humili on hop;
Pseudopezicula tracheiphila (red fire disease or .rotbrenner', anamorph: Phialophora)
on vines; Puccinia spp. (rusts) on various plants, e. g. P. triticina (brown or leaf rust), P.
striiformis (stripe or yellow rust), P. hordei (dwarf rust), P. graminis (stem or black rust)
or P. recondita (brown or leaf rust) on cereals, such as e. g. wheat, barley or rye, and
asparagus (e. g. P. asparagi); Pyrenophora (anamorph: Drechslera) tritici-repentis (tan
spot) on wheat or P. teres (net blotch) on barley; Pyricularia spp., e. g. P. oryzae
(teleomorph: Magnaporthe grisea, rice blast) on rice and P. grisea on turf and cereals;
Pythium spp. (damping-off) on turf, rice, corn, wheat, cotton, rape, sunflowers, soy-
beans, sugar beets, vegetables and various other plants (e. g. P. ultimum or P. apha-
nidermatum); Ramularia spp., e. g. R. collo-cygni (Ramularia leaf spots, Physiological
leaf spots) on barley and R. beticola on sugar beets; Rhizoctonia spp. on cotton, rice,
potatoes, turf, corn, rape, potatoes, sugar beets, vegetables and various other plants,
e. g. R. solani (root and stem rot) on soybeans, R. solani (sheath blight) on rice or R.
cerealis (Rhizoctonia spring blight) on wheat or barley; Rhizopus stolonifer (black mold,
soft rot) on strawberries, carrots, cabbage, vines and tomatoes; Rhynchosporium se-
calis (scald) on barley, rye and triticale; Sarocladium oryzae and S. attenuatum (sheath
rot) on rice; Sclerotinia spp. (stem rot or white mold) on vegetables and field crops,
such as rape, sunflowers (e. g. S. sclerotiorm) and soybeans (e. g. S. rolfsii or S. scle-
rotiorum); Septoria spp. on various plants, e. g. S. glycines (brown spot) on soybeans,
S. tritici (Septoria blotch) on wheat and S. (syn. Stagonospora) nodorum (Stagono-
spora blotch) on cereals; Uncinula (syn. Erysiphe) necator (powdery mildew, ana-
morph: Oidium tuckeri) on vines; Setospaeria spp. (leaf blight) on corn (e. g. S.
turcicum, syn. Helminthosporium turcicum) and turf; Sphacelotheca spp. (smut) on
corn, (e. g. S. reiliana: head smut), sorghum und sugar cane; Sphaerotheca fuliginea
(powdery mildew) on cucurbits; Spongospora subterranea (powdery scab) on potatoes
and thereby transmitted viral diseases; Stagonospora spp. on cereals, e. g. S. nodorum
(Stagonospora blotch, teleomorph: Leptosphaeria [syn. Phaeosphaeria] nodorum) on
wheat; Synchytrium endobioticum on potatoes (potato wart disease); Taphrina spp., e.
g. T. deformans (leaf curl disease) on peaches and T. pruni (plum pocket) on plums;

Thielaviopsis spp. (black root rot) on tobacco, pome fruits, vegetables, soybeans and
cotton, e. g. T. basicola (syn. Chalara elegans); Tilletia spp. (common bunt or stinking
smut) on cereals, such as e. g. T. tritici (syn. T. caries, wheat bunt) and T. controversa
(dwarf bunt) on wheat; Typhula incarnata (grey snow mold) on barley or wheat; Urocys-
tis spp., e. g. U. occulta (stem smut) on rye; Uromyces spp. (rust) on vegetables, such
as beans (e. g. U. appendiculatus, syn. U. phaseoli) and sugar beets (e. g. U. betae);
Ustilago spp. (loose smut) on cereals (e. g. U. nuda and U. avaenae), corn (e. g. U.
maydis: corn smut) and sugar cane; Venturia spp. (scab) on apples (e. g. V. inaequalis)
and pears; and Verticillium spp. (wilt) on various plants, such as fruits and ornamentals,
vines, soft fruits, vegetables and field crops, e. g. V. dahliae on strawberries, rape, po-
tatoes and tomatoes.
The compositions of the present invention are also suitable for controlling harmful fungi
in the protection of stored products or harvest and in the protection of materials. The
term "protection of materials" is to be understood to denote the protection of technical
and non-living materials, such as adhesives, glues, wood, paper and paperboard, tex-
tiles, leather, paint dispersions, plastics, colling lubricants, fiber or fabrics, against the
infestation and destruction by harmful microorganisms, such as fungi and bacteria. As
to the protection of wood and other materials, the particular attention is paid to the fol-
lowing harmful fungi: Ascomycetes such as Ophiostoma spp., Ceratocystis spp.,
Aureobasidium pullulans, Sclerophoma spp., Chaetomium spp., Humicola spp.,
Petriella spp., Trichurus spp.; Basidiomycetes such as Coniophora spp., Coriolus spp.,
Gloeophyllum spp., Lentinus spp., Pleurotus spp., Poria spp., Serpula spp. and Tyro-
myces spp., Deuteromycetes such as Aspergillus spp., Cladosporium spp., Penicillium
spp., Trichorma spp., Alternaria spp., Paecilomyces spp. and Zygomycetes such as
Mucor spp., and in addition in the protection of stored products and harvest the follow-
ing yeast fungi are worthy of note: Candida spp. and Saccharomyces cerevisae.
The invention is illustrated by the following examples, without being limited to these.
1- Stability
The measurement of the stability of the composition of the present invention using a
lactic acid ester gives the results summurized hereunder:
Caracteristics and condition Suspo- Suspo- Suspo-
of experiment emulsion emulsion emulsion
based on based on based on
EHL RME BC
wet sieve 150pm fresh 0,00 0,00 0,00
wet sieve after Storage 0,1 0,3% 0,00

2W-10/+10
wet sieve after Storage 0,1 0,00 0,9%
8W -5/+30
In this example EHL is ethyl-hexyl-lactate, RME is methyl-oleate and BC is butylene
carbonate. The wet-sieving is a standard test to check that particle size has remained
constant (mesh size = 150 urn). The storage regimes are as follows:
8W-5/+30 = 8 weeks storage in a climate chamber with temperature cycling between -
5°C and +30°C
2W -10/+10 = 2 weeks storage in a climate chamber with temperature cycling between
-10°C and+10°C
The results of the experiments above show the ability of EHL to stabilize the particles
sizes distribution of the SE according to the present invention by varying the tempera-
ture of storage during a limited time of observation (beetwen 2 to 8 weeks) compare to
other solvent (REM and BC).
2- Formulation example
Example 1a: preparation of solution S: compounds A and B in EHL
To 1000 g EHL at 40°C were added 419,3 g of Pyraclostrobin with a purity of 95,4%
and 240 g Metalaxyl with a purity of 100% and 100 g Atlas G-5000 and 80 g Atlox 4914
until 1839,3 g of a clear solution S was obtained.
Example 1b: preparation of emulsion E
492 g of water are entered into a Silverson high-shear mixer. While shearing at 3000
rpm, 368 g of the solution S from Example 1a were added to arrive at 860 g of a milky
white, free-flowing emulsion E.
Example 1c: preparation of dispersion D:
To 175 g of water were added 274 g of triticonazole with a purity of 91 % and 10 g So-
prophor 4D384 and 35 g Atlox 4913 and 30 g Glycerol. This mixture is milled first on a
mechanical mill (brandname PUC) and then on a bead-mill (KDL-Dynomill from
Bachofen) until 90% of the particles have a size < 4 urn as determined by laser-
diffraction. After milling 499 g of milky-white product were recovered and were is com-
pleted with 1,4 g of a silicon antifoam, 28,5 g of a 2% solution of xanthan-gum and 1 g
of the biocide Acticide MBS to arrive at 546 g of dispersion D
Example 1: preparation of Suspoemulsion:

To 860 g of Emulsion E obtained in example 1b were added 185 g of Dispersion D
from Example 1c to obtain 1045 g of a milky-white free-flowing suspo-emulsion.

Claims
1. Pesticidal suspoemulsion composition comprising
(i) two pesticidal compounds A and B dissolved in a lactic acid ester
and wherein
a) both A and B have melting points below 90°C
b) both A and B are selected from the following list: pyraclos-
trobin, metalaxyl, mefenoxam, trifloxystrobin, imazalil, pro-
chloraz and ipconazole with the proviso that A is different from
B
(ii) at least one pesticidal compound C present in solid particles, and
having a melting point of 90°C and above,
(iii) water,
(iv) and optionally formulation auxiliaries.
2. Suspoemulsion composition as defined in claim 1 wherein compound A is pyra-
clostrobin and compound B is metalaxyl.
3. Suspoemulsion composition as defined in any of the preceding claims 1 to 2
wherein compound C is selected from the list of fludioxonil, boscalid, triticonazole
and azoxystrobin.
4. Suspoemulsion composition as defined in any of the preceding claims 1 to 3
wherein the lactic acid ester is selected from the group comprising C4 to C12 satu-
rated and unsaturated cycloalkyl and C4 to C12 saturated and unsaturated
branched alkyl lactic acids ester and mixtures thereof.
5. Suspo-emulsion composition as defined in any of the preceding claims 1 to 4
wherein the lactic acid ester is selected from the group consisting of 2-ethyl hexyl
lactate, cyclohexyl lactate, 2-methylcyclohexyl lactate, heptyl lactate and octyl
lactate.
6. Suspoemulsion composition as defined in any of the preceding claims 1 to 5
wherein the lactic acid ester is 2-ethyl-hexyl lactate (EHL).
7. Suspoemulsion composition as defined in any of the preceding claims 1 to 6
wherein the weight ratio between the lactic acid ester and the sum of com-
pounds A and B is from 1:1 to 10:1.

8. Suspoemulsion composition as defined in any of the preceding claims 1 to 7
wherein the weight ratio between the lactic acid ester and the compound C is from
1:1 to 50:1.
9. A method for preparing the pesticidal suspoemulsion composition as defined in
any of the preceding claims 1 to 8 comprising
a) dissolving compounds A and B in the lactic acid ester resulting in a pre-
formed solution S
b) and mixing S with the compound C, water and if present the formulation
auxiliaries.

10. Use of a suspoemulsion composition as defined in any of the claims 1 to 8 for the
treatment of plants or seed.
11. A method for combating or protecting phytopathogenic fungi which comprises
contacting plant propagation material with a suspo-emulsion as defined in any of
the claims 1 to 8.
12. A method for combating phytopathogenic fungi and/or increasing the health of
plants, which comprises contacting plants, seed, soil or habitat of plants with a
suspoemulsion composition as defined in any of the claims 1 to 8.
13. A Method for treating seeds comprising contacting the seeds with an effective
amount of a suspoemulsion composition as defined in any of the claims 1 to 8.
14. Seeds treated with a suspoemulsion composition as defined in any of the claims 1
to 8.

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to formulation comprising at least (i) two pesticidal compounds A and B dissolved in
a lactic acid ester and wherein a) both A and B have melting points below 900C b) both A and B are selected from the following
list: pyraclos- trobin, metalaxyl, mefenoxam, trifioxystrobin, imazalil, pro- chloraz and ipconazole with the proviso that A is dif
ferent from B (ii) at least one pesticidal compound C present in solid particles, and having a melting point of 900C and above, and
to their use as seed treatment formulation as well as their use for plant protection, including seed and crop protection.