An Overview Of Agricultural Organosilicone Surfactant

1. A brief introduction of surfactant

1.1 Agrichemicals and Surfactants

The production process of agrichemicals can not be separated from surfactants, pesticides formulations(eg: EC, water emulsion, microemulsion, wettable powder, soluble powder, dispersible granules, granules, etc.), are always added with different types of surfactants. The addition of surfactants greatly reduces the surface tension of the solution and enhances the wettability, spreadability and adhesion of the agrichmicals in the plant or pest surface, thereby improving the efficacy. Currently main surfactants are: fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene, alkyl phenol polyoxyethylene ether, sulfonates, sulfonates, amides, organic silicon and so on. Surfactant itself doesn’t have efficacy, but its emulsification and spreading will enhance the efficacy.

1.2 Application of Surfactants

Surfactants can be used in two ways:

1). When PH is between 6 to 8, directly added into pesticide/fungicide/foliar fertilizer formulation as an additive, to form a new formula.  

2). Mixed with pesticide/fungicide/foliar fertilizer as an adjuvant before use. The first way, there are so many kinds of additives, the application is not introduced here. The second way, currently there are two main categories in the market: A. Gold thimallone, ketone etc; B. Polyether modified trisiloxane(eg, Dow Corning Q2-5211 Silwet L-77, etc.), compared with high gold thimnone and other mixed additives, Organosilicone surfactant not only has a good permeability, but also a good spreadability.

1. Organosilicone surfactant in agriculture

2.1 Features of silicone surfactant

Organosilicone surfactant has good spreadability and permeability. It makes agricultural chemicals perform better, spread more easily, absorb faster and not easily washed out by rain. In particular, we can achieve ideal spray effect with a small dosage of agrichemicals such as pesticide, fungicide, fertilizer and plant regulators, etc. During the spraying process, it helps save up to 50% water. This will not only save water, but also reduce pesticide residues, thereby release the environmental burden. In application it shows the following characteristics:

1. Due to low surface tension, it will penetrate into pests through the pores, increase in the efficacy of some contact drugs; or penetrate into plant mesophyll tissue through foliage stoma, promote the efficacy of some systemic drugs.
2. Good spreadability, improve the utilization of agrichemicals and reduce labor cost;
3. In the prevention and control of rice planthopper and orchard pest control, effectively spread to the base of rice, the back of the leaves and other difficult-to-spray places;
4. Good compatibility, can be mixed with a variety of agrichemicals (pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, foliar fertilizer, bio-fertilizer,plant regulators etc.)
5. Easily hydrolyzed, better used within 4 hours after mixing.

1. The market analysis of Agricultural Organosilicone surfactant

3.1 The advantages of the silicone surfactant determine its great prospects, especially in the fruit, rice, vegetable and other large crops.

Agricultural Organosilicone Surfactant can effectively ease the problem of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables.

At present, in spraying process, some farmers are used to high drug concentration and high spray dosage, residual problems then become more prominent. The residue of pesticides will also damage the surrounding soil and groundwater, and result in a vicious cycle. While the international standard of pesticide residues is more and more higher, especially in the developed countries. Food safety issues are also emphasized.Therefore, reducing pesticide becomes an urgent problem to be solved. The application of Organosilicone surfactant  can promote the rational use of pesticides, reduce pesticide residues and improve the fruits and vegetables quality.

3.2 Save water, reduce labor intensity

It is proved that organosilicone surfactant can help save up to 70% water, which no doubt ease the increasing problem of water resources shortage. Compared to traditional surfactant, silicone one has a better penetration effect. Desired outcome can be achieved with a much less spraying amount.Thereby saving costs and reduce the labor tense, especially in arid areas.

3.3 It has a certain synergistic effect, can effectively reduce agrichmical dosage.

* Ruisil RJ-7033 is an organosilicone surfactant with ultra low surface tension and super spreading ability(9 times more than pure water) and is widely used in pesticides,herbicides,fungicides, foliage fertilizer,growth regulator,etc. It can greatly promote penetration and coverage of the agrichmicals,thereby enhancing the efficacy; In addition, it makes agrichmicals hardly washed out by rain. In the end,saves dosage of agrichmicals especially in rainy seasons.