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5 Homemade Pesticides: Soap Sprays for Plants

There is no magic bullet for keeping your garden and indoor plants free from insect pests. Some tricks I have learned over the years are ways to cope with bugs without resorting to nasty chemicals. Here are my tips, including homemade insecticidal sprays (soap sprays).

Pay Attention to Your Plants

Before resorting to using pesticides (even organic ones), consider the following techniques to discourage insect pests from attacking your plants:

Nourish your plants with organic amendments such as aged compost. Strong plants don’t attract as many insects and can withstand their assault better than weak ones. If you’re using fertilizer, follow instructions closely. Over-fertilized plants will attract pests to eat their lush new growth.
Use companion planting to repel insects naturally. Some plants thrive together; some do not. See our Companion Planting Guide.
Use barriers like row covers to block pests from attacking your plants, especially tender transplants. (Remove the covers when plants are established and in bloom to allow for insect pollination.) Additionally, “collars” (paper towel or toilet paper cardboard rolls) inserted around the small transplants (1 to 2 inches into the soil) will prevent insects such as cutworms from eating the young stems.
Time plantings to avoid peak insect populations. For example, plant squash as early as possible to avoid squash vine borers, which lay eggs in early to mid-summer. Plant carrots after June 1 and harvest by early September to avoid the carrot fly.
Select varieties that are naturally resistant to some pests. I grow a lot of butternut squash because it is highly resistant to attack from the squash vine borer.
Make your garden welcoming to beneficial insects and they will do a lot of the work for you by keeping the bugs they feed on in check. For example, lady beetles are an effective biological control of many insect pests. If you see a tomato hornworm with white cocoons on his back (above photo), leave him alone. A parasitic wasp has laid her eggs on him and soon her babies will eat him from the inside out. A fitting death for such a gruesome pest!
Learn to identify the bugs in your garden. You can’t beat them if you don’t know who is friend and who is foe. Learn what their larvae and eggs look like to head them off before they become adults.

These aphids have done some damage, but don’t spray if you see the black and orange alligator-like ladybug larvae attacking them. He will do the dirty work for you by eating up to 50 aphids a day!

5 Organic Pesticide Sprays for Insects

If you have exhausted all these methods and feel you must resort to using a spray, don’t reach for harsh chemicals. They will do more harm than good by polluting the watershed, killing good and bad bugs alike, and eventually the insects you are trying to kill may grow resistant to those chemicals requiring you to use even stronger ones! They can also harm birds, animals, you, and your children!

Try a more natural approach by making one of these homemade insecticidal sprays. Bear in mind that although they are less toxic they are not totally harmless. Keep them away from kids and pets. Test them on a few leaves before you go all in to make sure they won’t injure your plants. Be sure never to spray them on your plants during the sunny, hot part of the day or they will definitely cause foliar damage. Spray in the evening, when bees and other pollinators are not active.

Dish Soap Spray: Dissolve 1 tablespoon of a mild liquid soap such as a pure dish soap (no bleach, degreaser, or detergents added) or castile soap in 1 quart of water. Dr. Bronner’s soap may be expensive, but it uses no animal fats, which makes it a good choice for vegans. Insecticidal soaps are good for killing soft-bodied insects. Be sure to cover the whole plant—both sides of the leaves and on the stems. Soap sprays only work when wet, so they will need to be reapplied every 4-7 days or until you notice that populations have decreased. After a few applications, if rain hasn’t done this for you, spray the plants with plain water to rinse off any soapy residue.
Oil Spray: Mix 1 cup of vegetable oil with 1 tablespoon of mild liquid soap. Add 2-8 teaspoons of this mixture to 1 quart of water and spray your plants as above. The oil in this spray smothers the insects so it is effective on aphids, thrips, mites, and scale.
Tomato Leaves Insecticide: The leaves of tomatoes contain solanine and tomatine and can be used as an insecticide. Soak 2 cups of fresh leaves in 1 quart of water overnight. Strain and spray. It kills aphids and many types of chewing insects, but also attracts beneficials. Don’t use it on other nightshades like eggplants, peppers, or potatoes because it could spread disease from plant to plant.
Garlic Repellent Spray: Despite all you’ve read, garlic acts as more of a repellent than a killer. Puree 2 bulbs of garlic with 1 cup of water and let sit overnight. Strain the liquid into a quart jar, add 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon liquid soap, and fill the jar the rest of the way with water. Put one cup in a 1 quart sprayer, fill with water and apply to your affected plants. It is good for repelling aphids, cabbage worms, leaf hoppers, squash bugs, and whiteflies.
Hot Pepper Repellent Spray: Hot pepper is also a good repellent and works on rabbits and deer as well as many insects. Mix 1 tablespoon dried chile powder, 1 quart of water, and 1 teaspoon of mild soap. Spray full strength on the plants under attack.
If you have lots of hot peppers growing in your garden, you can make a fresh concoction from 1/2 cup chopped peppers pureed in 1 cup of water. Add the puree to 1 quart of water and bring to a boil. Let sit until cool and then strain. Add 1 teaspoon mild soap and spray full strength on plants. You might want to wear gloves when working with this spray and be sure not to get it into your eyes!

Many other plants have been reported to have insecticidal qualities, including hyssop, lettuce leaves, onions, pennyroyal, peppermint, and radish leaves.

There is no one-size fits all when it comes to pest management. At best we can try to maintain a healthy balance of good guys and bad guys and still get some decent produce for us!

Now that we’ve learned how to minimize insect pests, let’s tackle weeds. Here are tips on coping with weeds, including 5 Homemade Herbicides.

Insecticides for Indoor Use | Horticulture and Home Pest News

Overview

Insecticides should be used indoors only as a last resort and as a complement to available nonchemical methods, such as sanitation, exclusion and mechanical disposal. The only insecticides residents should use indoors are ready–to–use sprays, dusts, or baits specifically marketed for in-home use.

Ready–to–use products are applied as they come from the container or packaging with no further mixing, dilution or modification. There are no insecticide concentrates a homeowner should use indoors by mixing with water in a sprayer. Do not use lawn and garden liquid concentrate insecticides indoors.

Numerous companies distribute ready-to-use household insecticides. There are more product names than can be listed here. When choosing an insecticides for use indoors, carefully read the product label. Look for instructions on how to apply indoors. Check to see that your pest is listed. Read and follow pesticide label directions carefully. Store pesticides only in the original container and out of reach of children and pets.

Apply dusts and baits only in areas that are inaccessible to children and pets. Keep children and pets out of sprayed areas until the spray has dried and the room aired. Do not use insecticides in any way that might contaminate food or food handling surfaces.

Insecticides can be classified as residual or non–residual, a general indication of how long the insecticide will remain active after it has been applied.

Residual insecticides persist for several hours to several weeks and are used for accidental invaders and household residents such as ants, cockroaches and fleas. Residual insecticides may come as sprays, dusts or baits. In most cases the label will state that the product controls pests on contact and for several days or weeks after application. Residual insecticide products will probably contain one of the following active ingredients: allethrin, bifenthrin, boric acid, cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, d-limonene, deltamethrin, diatomaceous earth, esfenvalerate, fipronil, hydroprene, lambda-cyhalothrin, methoprene, permethrin, Prallethrin, pyrethrin, resmethrin, sumithrin, tetramethrin, or Tralomethrin.

Non–residual insecticides are effective only during the time of treatment. They are applied as a space spray (fog) to control exposed flying and crawling insects or they may be used directly on individual pests as a contact treatment. Non-residual products usually have pyrethrin as the active ingredient.

Available

Types

Sprays

Household insecticide sprays are applied as liquids. They may come in an aerosol can or a trigger pump spray applicator. Liquid sprays may be residual or non-residual and are easy to use and apply. “Bombs” are a type of liquid spray. Bombs, also known as total release aerosol sprays, discharge the entire contents of the container in a single application. “Bombs” are effective at controlling exposed insects in the residence. Bombs are not effective at controlling insects, such as boxelder bugs and Asian lady beetles that are hiding in walls and attics.

Dusts

Dust insecticides are a very fine powder that must be evenly spread in a thin layer or injected into voids and insect hiding places to be effective. Some dust products come in plastic squeeze bottles that also function as the applicator. Small hand dusters are sometimes available in hardware stores or you may substitute an empty, dry plastic squeeze bottle that has a small spout or opening (for example, detergent bottles). Dusts leave visible deposits which may be considered unsightly unless care and patience are used to do a tidy application. Dust insecticides are most effective when carefully applied to cracks, crevices and other pest hiding areas. All efforts to apply insecticides into concealed areas where pests hide make the application more effective, and also lessen insecticide exposure to people and pets. Boric acid and diatomaceous earth are commonly found in household insecticidal dusts.

Liquid & Station Baits

Baits are used primarily in cockroach and ant control. Bait insecticides must be eaten by the pest to be effective. Therefore, baits contain a food or other attractant plus an active ingredient. Baits must be carefully placed so the insects will encounter the bait. Sanitation is important when using baits; available food lessens the attractiveness of the bait. Be sure to use the amount of bait recommended by the manufacturer. Baits can be an effective way to control ants and cockroaches because the pest insect is attracted to the insecticide, consumes it, and transports it back to colonies or harborages. Baits also confine the insecticide in a small area, so there is less risk of exposure. Common active ingredients in baits include avermectins, boric acid, fipronil, hydramethylnon, sulfluramid and others. Be sure to place baits where they will not be encountered and tampered with by children or pets.

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Spray Adjuvants

An adjuvant is a substance that is added to a pesticide product or pesticide spray mixture to enhance the pesticide’s performance and/ or the physical properties of the spray mixture. Over twenty different types of adjuvants are on the market, including surfactants, oils, compatibility agents, buffering and conditioning agents, defoaming agents, deposition agents, drift control agents, and thickeners. The use of an adjuvant may reduce or even eliminate spray application problems, thereby improving overall pesticide effectiveness. Because adjuvants have no pesticidal properties (they do not control the pest), they are not required to be registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, if they are to be used on a food or feed crop, there must be an established tolerance or tolerance exemption for the adjuvant. Most states, including Pennsylvania, do not regulate the registration or distribution of adjuvants, but a few states do require that adjuvants be registered.

However, manufacturers have established a voluntary program that provides oversight on the production of adjuvants. Two organizations are involved with this program. The first, ASTM International (previously known as the American Society for Testing and Materials), develops and publishes technical standards and terminology. The other group, the Council of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology (CPDA), is an organization of inert ingredient and adjuvant manufacturers that provides legislative and regulatory support to their industry. They have also developed minimum standards that must be met to receive CPDA certification.

Adjuvants can be defined by how they are combined with pesticides in these two ways:

Formulation adjuvants are already included as part of the pesticide product by the manufacturer when it is made.

Spray adjuvants are separate products that are added to a pesticide spray solution by the applicator.

Since applicators have no control over formulation adjuvants, this publication focuses on those products classified as spray adjuvants.

With so many adjuvant products currently in the marketplace, how do you make an informed decision about which adjuvant to select and use for a particular situation? The best way is to have a general understanding of the basic characteristics associated with the various groups of products found among these diverse chemistries.

Before using any adjuvant, check the pesticide’s label. Many pesticide product labels have sections specific to the use of adjuvants. Other products may reference adjuvant use as part of the overall information found in the “Directions for Use” section, while some may not reference their use at all. In many cases, the information provided on the label regarding the use of adjuvants are recommendations from the manufacturer. Other labels may state that a specific type of adjuvant, or product, must be used with that particular pesticide product. In these cases, the label directions must be followed. Failing to do so would be a violation because label directions were not followed.

Adjuvants do not have any pesticidal activity, but they are chemically and biologically active products that can have health risks. These products will have a signal word on their label distinguishing the level of toxicity, just like pesticides.

If you have questions about the specific properties or use of an adjuvant or pesticide, contact the manufacturer or the dealer where they were purchased before attempting to use them. Manufacturers and pesticide dealers can provide labels, technical information, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), supplemental labeling, and promotional literature about their products.

Adjuvants and Spray Application

Adjuvants are designed to perform specific functions involving the mixing and application of pesticides, such as buffering, dispersing, emulsifying, spreading, sticking, and wetting. Adjuvants can also reduce evaporation, foaming, spray drift, and volatilization. No single adjuvant can perform all these functions in all situations, but different types of adjuvants can often be combined, or purchased as a prepackaged combination, to perform multiple functions. As a result, using adjuvants can help minimize spray application problems along with increasing a pesticide’s effectiveness.

Spray adjuvants can be further broken down into two groups: activator adjuvants and special-purpose adjuvants, which are also called utility adjuvants or spray modifiers.

Activator Adjuvants

Activator adjuvants are designed to improve the “activity” of the pesticide, typically by increasing its absorption rate and reducing the surface tension on the leaf. Activator adjuvants include surfactants, oils, and nitrogen-based fertilizers.

Surfactants
Surfactants (whose name comes from “surface acting agents”) physically change the properties of the spray solution and droplets. They help improve the pesticide’s ability to emulsify, disperse, spread, and stick by reducing surface tension (Figure 1). Leaf surfaces, as well as pesticides, have a molecular charge. A surfactant’s charge, or lack of charge, will determine how it bonds to a pesticide, which in turn affects how the pesticide will bond to the leaf surface. The goal of this process is to reduce surface tension, which increases a spray droplet’s ability to remain in contact with the leaf surface longer, allowing more pesticide to be absorbed. The types of surfactants are based on their molecular, or ionic, charge (Chart 1). Effectiveness is based on environmental conditions, features of the target plant, and interactions between the pesticide, surfactant, and carrier.

Figure 1: Flattened droplet spreads on waxy leaf surface due to surfactant increasing both surface area and absorption.

Chart 1: Classification of Surfactants
Surfactants are classified by the way they ionize, or split apart, into electronically charged molecules called ions. These ions are made up of a water-loving head (hydrophilic) and an oil-loving tail (lipophilic), which will have either a neutral, positive, or negative charge. This enables the surfactant to bond with the spray droplets, allowing the spray droplet to stick and spread out over the leaf surface. Only use the type of surfactant listed on the label.

The three main types of surfactants are classified by their molecular makeup:

Nonionic surfactants (neutral/no charge): most commonly used type of surfactant and typically recommended for use with most registered pesticides — Help with spray droplet retention, spreading, and penetration of leaf surfaces — Composed of alcohols and/or fatty acids and are compatible with most pesticides — Pesticidal activity can be quite different than if an anionic or cationic surfactant was added

Anionic surfactants (negative charge)

Cationic surfactants (positive charge)

The last two surfactants are not generally used with pesticides.

A newer group of surfactants is being used in place of or in addition to traditional nonionic surfactants:

Organosilicone surfactants: reduce surface tension, increase spreading ability of spray droplets, and improve rainfastness (amount of time needed between pesticide application and rainfall)

Using the wrong surfactant can reduce the effectiveness of a pesticide product and increase the risk of plant injury. Always check the product label to see if using a specific type of surfactant is required or recommended.

Oils
The three types of oil-based adjuvants include crop oils, crop oil concentrates, and methylated seed oils. They increase the penetration of spray droplets and help reduce surface tension.

Crop oils are generally made of 95 to 98 percent paraffin or naphtha-based petroleum oil and 1 to 2 percent surfactant/emulsifier. Crop oils promote the penetration of a pesticide spray either through a plant’s waxy cuticle or an insect’s tough, chitinous shell. Traditional crop oils are more commonly used for insect and disease control and rarely with herbicides.

Crop oil concentrates (COCs) are made up of 80 to 85 percent emulsifiable petroleum-based oil and 15 to 20 percent nonionic surfactant. Crop oil concentrates have the penetration properties of oil and the spreading properties of a surfactant. They also help make some of the less-soluble herbicides more soluble in water.

Methylated seed oils (MSOs) are made up of 80 to 85 percent crop-derived seed oil (cotton, linseed, soybean, or sunflower oil) and 15 to 20 percent nonionic surfactant. To improve their performance, many MSOs have undergone a process called esterification, which changes a seed oil’s characteristics, so it is attracted to and can be dissolved in water. MSOs work in the same manner as traditional crop oil concentrates by increasing the pesticide’s ability to penetrate the target pest.

Nitrogen-based Fertilizers
The use of nitrogen-based fertilizers, such as ammonium sulfate or urea ammonium nitrate, as adjuvants has been shown to help improve herbicide activity when used in the spray solution. Nitrogen fertilizers may replace some adjuvants, but they are usually included as part of the tank mixture with a surfactant and a crop oil concentrate when used with systemic pesticide products. Many fertilizer-based adjuvants are available in liquid form, which are easier to mix and provide more consistent results. Fertilizers should only be used with herbicides when recommended by the label.

Special-Purpose or Utility Adjuvants

Special-purpose adjuvants fix specific conditions that can affect the spray solution or the application of the pesticide in a negative way. By controlling these factors, you can maximize the efficient use of the pesticide. One group of special-purpose adjuvants modifies the physical characteristics of the spray solution and includes products such as compatibility agents, buffering and conditioning agents, defoaming agents, deposition agents (stickers), and drift control agents. The second type of special-purpose adjuvants helps minimize application problems and includes products such as foam markers, tank cleaners, and colorants. Carefully follow product label directions before adding any adjuvant to a spray mix.

Compatibility Agents
Pesticides are commonly mixed with liquid fertilizers or other pesticides. However, some combinations can be physically or chemically incompatible, which may cause clumps to form or products to separate in the spray tank. As a result, incompatible mixtures can clog the pump and hoses, resulting in expensive cleanup and repairs. Using a compatibility agent may eliminate these problems. A “jar test” (Chart 2) can help determine the stability of the mixture.

Chart 2: Jar Test for Compatibility of Pesticide Mixtures
Always wear personal protective equipment (PPE) when pouring or mixing pesticides, even for this simple test. To conduct a jar test, use a clear quart jar and add proportionate amounts of all the products to be mixed into the spray tank. When a liquid fertilizer is to be used as a carrier, many herbicide labels recommend using two jars for this test—one with and one without a compatibility agent.

Step 1. Measure 1 pint of water (or carrier solution) into a clear quart jar. Use the same water source that will be used for making the tank mixture.

Step 2. Add proportionate amounts of each product as planned for the tank mixture, one at a time, in the order referenced on the label, or if not listed on the label, add ingredients in the following order. Stir the mixture each time a product has been added.

Compatibility, buffering, or defoaming agents (if needed)

Wettable powders, dry flowables, water-dispersible granule products

Flowables, liquids, microencapsulated products

Solutions, soluble powder products

Remaining adjuvants, such as surfactants or crop oils (if needed)

Emulsifiable concentrates

Step 3. Shake the jar vigorously and allow it to stand for at least 15 minutes before looking for signs of incompatibility. The mixture is probably not compatible if a scum forms on the surface, the mixture separates, solids form and settle to the bottom (except for wettable powders), or clumps or gels form. Also look for other signs of a chemical reaction, such as heat or strong odors. Do not use a mixture that gives off heat, which is determined by feeling the jar. A strong odor indicates that a chemical reaction has occurred, changing the product’s chemical properties. If a compatibility problem occurs, dispose of the mixture according to the pesticide product label.

Finally, if no signs of incompatibility appear, put the pesticide test mixture into the spray tank. Rinse all jars and devices used for measuring, pour the rinse water (rinsate) into the spray tank, and then apply to a labeled site. Do not use measuring devices or jars for any other purpose once they have been used with pesticides.

Buffering and Conditioning Agents
Most herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides perform best in slightly acidic water that has a pH range of 4.0 to 6.5, with an ideal range of 5.5 to 6.5. The exception is sulfonylurea herbicides, which perform better in water with a pH of 7. 0 or above. Pesticide solutions with a pH level above 7.0 are at greater risk of degrading or breaking down. In some cases, a pesticide that is stable in water and has a pH level of 5.0 can lose half of its effectiveness in as little as 15 minutes if the water’s pH is 9.0. Acidifier adjuvants lower the pH of the water in the spray tank, although they do not necessarily maintain that pH level at a constant rate. Buffers tend to stabilize the pH at a relatively constant level.

Conditioning or water-softening agents reduce problems caused by hard water. Minerals found in hard water, especially calcium and magnesium ions, bind with the active ingredients of some pesticides, which may decrease their performance. Before using a buffer or conditioning agent, consider the specific requirements for the pesticide and test the water for pH and hardness.

Defoaming Agents
Defoaming agents are added to the spray tank to control or reduce the formation of foam in the tank. Foam is created when air bubbles form as a result of spray tank agitation, along with the type of surfactant used to formulate the pesticide.

Deposition Agents
These adjuvants, often referred to as “stickers,” increase a pesticide’s ability to stick to a target’s surface. This decreases the amount of pesticide that washes off the surface during irrigation or rain. Deposition agents can also reduce a pesticide’s evaporation rate and some products can slow a pesticide’s degradation from ultraviolet rays. Many deposition agents also include wetting agents to make a premixed product that both spreads and sticks to the target surfaces.

Drift Control Agents and Thickeners
Drift is a function of droplet size, wind speed, and height of the spray boom. Small droplets (with diameters of 150 microns or smaller) tend to drift from targeted application sites. Drift retardants or deposition aids improve on-target placement of pesticide sprays by increasing the average size of droplets. These adjuvants bind water molecules together to form larger spray droplets.

Thickeners, as the name suggests, increase the viscosity (density) of spray mixtures. These adjuvants are used to control drift or slow evaporation of spray droplets after the spray has been applied. Slowing evaporation is important when using systemic pesticides because it increases the time in which they can be absorbed by the plant.

Foam Markers
Foam markers are adjuvants designed to produce a foam mark when used with special equipment, so the applicator knows where the product has been applied. This helps the applicator avoid skipping areas and/or overlapping areas already sprayed.

Tank Cleaners
As the name implies, tank cleaners are designed to clean spray tanks. Commercial tank cleaners are adjuvants designed to work with water and oil-soluble pesticides. These products are often recommended on pesticide labels.

Colorants
Colorants are used to change the color of spray solutions, so applicators can easily see areas that have already been sprayed.

Suspension Agents
These products extend the amount of time a pesticide will remain suspended in the mixture. If agitation is stopped for a time, this product aids in resuspending the mixture when agitation is restarted.

Adjuvant Acronyms

The following are common acronyms used in association with adjuvants:

AMS: ammonium sulfate; a common water-conditioning agent for hard water

COC: crop oil concentrate; adjuvants primarily made of emulsifiable petroleum-based oil with the remaining amount a nonionic surfactant

MSO: methylated seed oil; adjuvants primarily derived from plant seed oils, with the remaining amount a nonionic surfactant

NIS: nonionic surfactant

How to Choose the Right Adjuvant

Remember, the purpose of adding an adjuvant is to improve a pesticide’s performance and/or change a pesticide’s characteristics to minimize problems when mixing and applying. Many factors must be considered when choosing an adjuvant. The following are some guidelines:

First and foremost, read the pesticide label.

Use only adjuvants manufactured and marketed for agricultural or horticultural uses. Do not use industrial products or household detergents with pesticides because they may interfere with or reduce pesticide performance.

Be aware that some adjuvants may be more toxic than the pesticide. Choose the least toxic adjuvant that meets your needs.

Pesticide labels seldom mention specific brands of adjuvants but rather the general type of adjuvant, such as nonionic surfactant, crop oil, or defoaming agent. However, if the pesticide label lists a specific brand of adjuvant, that brand must be used. Any substitution would be a violation of the label.

Miracle adjuvants do not exist. Ignore claims such as “keeps spray equipment clean” or “causes better root penetration.”

Always buy high-quality, name-brand products from a reputable dealer.

Adjuvant recommendations may change due to changes in pesticide formulations, newly labeled tank mixes and premixes, and changes in application technology and procedures. Always read the label every time a pesticide product is used.

Using an adjuvant is not always necessary. Knowing when not to use an adjuvant is just as important as knowing when to use one. Some pesticide labels may state that an adjuvant should not be used with that particular product. If the label does not mention an adjuvant, the manufacturer’s research may have shown no benefits—or even the occurrence of adverse effects—from using an adjuvant.

Spray adjuvants can play a major role in the safe and effective use of pesticides when used as recommended on the label. Although a single adjuvant may perform more than one function, no single product can improve the performance for all pesticides or solve every problem. As a result, many spray adjuvants are available, each formulated to solve problems associated with a particular type of application or situation. Read the pesticide label. The correct use of adjuvants requires knowledge of the site you plan to spray, the target pest, your equipment, water chemistry, environmental conditions at the time of application, and the pesticides you plan to use. By knowing the particular needs and limitations of the products you intend to use, adjuvants can be a positive addition to the spray tank.

References

Barnhart, Steve. “Agricultural Spray Adjuvant Technology: Sorting Out the Adjuvant Puzzle” presentation. Agriliance Regional Agronomist.

Curran, W. S., and D. D. Lingenfelter. “Adjuvants for Enhancing Herbicide Performance.” Penn State Extension.

Petroff, Reeves. “Pesticide Adjuvants and Surfactants” Montana State University.

Petroff, Reeves. “Pesticide Interactions and Compatibility,” Montana State University.

Tu, Mandy, Callie Hurd, and John M. Randal. Weed Control Methods Handbook: Tools and Techniques for Use in Natural Areas. The Nature Conservancy.

Whitford, Fred. “Adjuvants and the Power of the Spray Droplet.” PP-107. Purdue Extension.

York, Alan C. “Section 6: Spray Adjuvants,” CS 414-Weed Science, North Carolina State University.

Original text prepared by Winand K. Hock, professor emeritus of plant pathology. Updated by Kerry H. Richards, former director, Sharon I. Gripp, information specialist, and Bill Riden, pesticide education specialist, of the Pesticide Education Program. Current version revised by Ed Crow of the Pesticide Education Program.

Less Toxic Insecticides | Home & Garden Information Center

While a good pest management plan will start with preventative, cultural, and other non-chemical methods, these are sometimes not completely effective on their own. In this case, a pesticide may be considered. If pesticide use is deemed necessary for control of the pest problem, it is good practice to use the least toxic pesticide that will do the job effectively. Although all pesticides are by their nature toxic in some way to some organisms, there are now a number of “less toxic” pesticide options.

Insecticides may be considered less toxic for several reasons. Generally, they should pose less risk to human and environmental health than conventional insecticides. Many break down rapidly and do not accumulate in the body or environment. Some are very pest specific and do little or no damage to other organisms. Still, others, such as bait stations, minimize human exposure to the pesticide.

While “organic” insecticides are often less damaging to the environment than conventional insecticides, they are still pesticides. All pesticides should be evaluated before selection for level of toxicity, effectiveness, environmental impacts, and costs. Some “organic” or natural pesticides are as toxic, or even more toxic, than some synthetic pesticides. All pesticide products have a toxicity signal word on the label, which will be “caution”, “warning”, or “danger”. Choose the products with “caution” on the label, as they are least apt to harm the user and the environment.

Soaps & Oils

Insecticidal soaps and oils have a number of advantages for controlling insects. They are virtually non-toxic to humans and other mammals and are relatively safe to beneficial insects in the landscape. They control a wide range of common soft-bodied pests, including aphids, mealybugs, thrips, whiteflies, mites, and scales. It is difficult for pests to develop resistance to oils and soaps. Soaps and oils are now readily available and relatively inexpensive.

Both soaps and oils can cause damage to plants if applied when plants are water-stressed, temperatures are above 90 °F, sprayed in direct sunlight, or when high humidity prevents rapid drying. Some plants are sensitive to oil or insecticidal soap sprays. See sensitive plant lists in HGIC 2771, Insecticidal Soaps for Garden Pest Control. Read and follow the label.

Since soaps and oils work on contact, an effective application must coat both the upper and lower leaf surfaces as well as stems for best results. Repeated applications may be necessary. Apply soap or oil sprays in the early morning or late evening to reduce drying times for more effective insect pest control.

Insecticidal Soaps: Insecticidal soaps kill by suffocation; additionally, they damage the protective coat of soft-bodied insects, causing them to dehydrate.

Homemade soap recipes are not recommended because they may be more likely to cause foliage burn. Commercial insecticidal soaps are tested on plants and are less likely to cause damage. Some are available as concentrates to dilute before spraying, and some are available as pre-mixed Ready to Use (RTU) bottles. Examples of insecticidal soap products are:

Bonide Insecticidal Soap RTU
Espoma Organic Insect Soap RTU
Garden Safe Insecticidal Soap Insect Killer RTU
Miracle-Gro Natures’s Care Insecticidal Soap RTU
Natria Insecticidal Soap RTU
Natural Guard Insecticidal Soap Concentrate
Safer Brand Insect Killing Soap Concentrate
Whitney Farms Insecticidal Soap RTU

Horticultural Oils: Oil products smother soft-bodied insects on contact. Oils are formulated as either horticultural or dormant oils. Dormant oils are heavier, less refined oils used on dormant, leafless plants to control overwintering insects (e.g., aphids, spider mites, and scales). Dormant oils will damage plant foliage if used during the growing season. Horticultural oils are also called summer or superior oils, and these are lighter and more refined. They can be applied to both actively growing plants as well as dormant plants for insect pest control. Do not apply horticultural oil sprays when the temperature is above 90 °F, below 45 °F, or if rain is in the forecast within 24 hours.

Most horticultural oils are applied at a 1 to 2% mix with water to spray actively growing plants (this would be 2½ to 5 tablespoons of oil with a gallon of water). To use horticultural oil as a “dormant oil” spray to control pests on woody plant bark, they are mixed at 4% with water (this would be 10 tablespoons of oil per gallon of water). Always spray very late in the day to slow drying time and to get better insect control. Most are available as concentrates made to dilute with water in a sprayer, although some are available as either a Ready to Spray (RTS), which is a bottle to attach to a garden hose for spraying, or as a Ready to Use (RTU), which is a pre-mixed spray bottle. Examples of horticultural oils are:

Bonide All Seasons Spray Oil Concentrate; & RTS; & RTU
Ferti-lome Horticultural Oil Spray Concentrate; & RTS
Monterey Horticultural Oil Concentrate; & RTS; & RTU
Safer Brand Horticultural & Dormant Spray Oil Concentrate
Southern Ag Parafine Horticultural Oil (concentrate)
Summit Year Round Spray Oil Concentrate

Sesame Oil: Sesame oil sprays work in the same manner as horticultural oils. Follow label directions for mixing and use.

Organocide Bee Safe 3-in-1 Garden Spray Concentrate; RTS; & RTU

Botanical Insecticides

Botanical insecticides are naturally occurring toxins extracted from plants. There are several advantages to using botanical rather than synthetic insecticides. Plant derived insecticides break down quickly in the environment, resulting in little risk of residues on food crops and less risk to beneficial insects. Some materials can be used shortly before harvest. Most botanicals are rapid acting, and most, but not all botanicals are of low to moderate toxicity to mammals. Most botanical insecticides must be eaten by the insect pest. Therefore, they are primarily harmful to these pests and do little harm to beneficial insects.

There can also be disadvantages to using these products. Rapid breakdown, while less risky to health and environment, often creates a need for precise timing or more frequent applications. Several botanical insecticides are quite toxic and should be handled accordingly. Some botanical insecticides can be difficult to find in local stores.

Neem products: Neem oil is a botanical insecticide made from extracts of Neem tree seeds. The active ingredient is listed on product labels as clarified, hydrophobic extracts of neem oil. It is used to control a wide variety of insects, including leafminers, whiteflies, thrips, caterpillars, aphids, mealybugs, spider mites, scale crawlers, and beetles. Neem oil is most effective against actively growing immature insects. Neem oil sprays kill small insect pests and mites by suffocation, as do horticultural oil sprays, but also have some insecticidal properties. Neem oil sprays have some fungicidal activity, but it is typically limited to powdery mildew control. This control is primarily because it is an oil. However, a horticultural oil spray generally works better for powdery mildew control.

Azadirachtin, the active ingredient in neem extracts, has a very low mammalian toxicity. It has been separated from the neem oil. It is a somewhat effective insect feeding deterrent and growth regulator. Azadiractin does not produce a quick knockdown and kill but stops insect feeding. The treated insect usually cannot molt into its next life stage and dies without reproducing. It also is an egg-laying deterrent.

Many commercial neem products exist, and these products are labeled for use on ornamentals, foliage plants, trees, shrubs, and food crops. Most neem oil products are available as concentrates made to dilute with water in a sprayer, but some are available as either Ready to Spray (RTS), which is a bottle to attach to a garden hose for spraying, or as Ready to Use (RTU), which is a pre-mixed spray bottle. Examples of neem products for landscape and garden use include:

Neem Oil:

Bonide Rose Rx 3-in-1 Concentrate; & RTU
Bonide Neem Oil Concentrate; & RTU
Concern Garden Defense Multi-Purpose Spray Concentrate
Espoma Organic Neem Oil 3-in-1 RTU
Ferti-lome Rose, Flower & Vegetable Spray Concentrate
Garden Safe Fungicide 3 Concentrate; & RTU; & RTS
Garden Safe Neem Oil Extract Concentrate
Monterey 70% Neem Oil Fungicide/Insecticide/Miticide Concentrate; & RTS
Natria Neem Oil Concentrate; & RTU
Natural Guard Neem Concentrate
Safer Brand Neem Oil Concentrate; & RTU
Southern Ag Triple Action Neem Oil Concentrate

Some neem oil products also contain the botanical insecticide pyrethrin. Examples are:

Bonide Bon-Neem II Concentrate
Ferti-lome Triple Action Plus II with Neem Oil
Ferti-lome Fruit Tree Spray Concentrate
Monterey Fruit Tree Spray Plus RTS
Monterey Rose & Flower Spray Plus RTS
Ortho Tree & Shrub Fruit Tree Spray Concentrate

Azadiractin:

Amazin 1.2% Plus
Aza-Direct Botanical Insecticide
AzaGuard Botanical Based Insecticide/Nematicide
AzaMax Botanical Insecticide
AzaPro
AzaSol Non-oil Based, Water Soluble Powder
Azatin O Biological Insecticide
Azera Gardening (with Pyrethrins)
Biosafe Insect Control

Limonene (also known as d-Limonene) is produced from citrus oils extracted from oranges and other citrus fruit peels. It is used as a contact insecticide against ants, roaches, palmetto bugs, fleas, silverfish, and many other insects. Limonene has low oral and dermal toxicity to mammals, birds, and fish, although it can cause skin irritation or sensitization in some people. Limonene is not used for insect pest control on plants, as this active ingredient may cause significant plant injury. Several natural herbicide products contain d-limonone for weed control.

Pesticide products containing d-limonene are available for indoor insect control, such as in Orange Guard Home Pest Control Insect Killer Concentrate & RTU.

Capsaicin is the material that makes chili peppers hot. It can be used on ornamentals outdoors and indoors for control of aphids, spider mites, thrips, whitefly, lace bugs, leafhoppers, and other pests. It is important to note that capsaicin-containing products are primarily used to repel insects rather than to kill existing infestations, and they also appear to be effective at repelling certain animal pests, such as rabbits, deer, and squirrels. Homemade hot pepper sprays can be made for insect pest control on plants. Products containing capsaicin as an animal repellent include:

Bonide Hot Pepper Wax Animal Repellent RTU,

Pyrethrin: Pyrethrum is made from the finely powdered flowers of a species of daisy. The word pyrethrum is the name for the crude flower dust itself, and the term pyrethrin refers to the insecticidal compounds that are extracted from pyrethrum. Pyrethroids are not botanical insecticides but synthetically produced pesticides that are very similar in structure to pyrethrins. They are stronger and last longer on plants for pest control.

Pyrethrin is a contact insecticide and must be applied directly to the insect to be effective. Pyrethrin rapidly paralyzes pests but may not kill them. However, pyrethrins are often formulated with another insecticide to ensure that paralyzed insects do not recover and once again become pests.

Because the pyrethrin mammalian toxicity is very low, it can be applied to food crops close to harvest. Pyrethrin has high contact toxicity for common beneficial insects., but its insecticidal activity only lasts a few hours. There are many products with pyrethrin available; some products contain pyrethrin alone, and other products are combined with another insecticide, such as in the lists below.

Pyrethrins:

PyGanic Crop Protection EC 1.4 (1.4% a.i.) OMRI,
PyGanic Crop Protection EC 5.0 (5.9% a.i.) OMRI.
Monterey Bug Buster – O (1.4% a.i.) OMRI

Pyrethrins & Neem Oil:

Ferti-lome Triple Action Plus II with Neem Oil Conc.; & RTU
Ferti-lome Fruit Tree Spray Concentrate (with pipernyl butoxide),
Bonide Bon-Neem II Concentrate (with pipernyl butoxide),
Ortho Tree & Shrub Fruit Tree Spray Concentrate.

Pyrethrins & Pipernyl Butoxide:

Southern Ag Natural Pyrethrin Concentrate,
Garden Safe Rose & Flower Insect Killer RTU,
Garden Safe Multi-purpose Garden Insect Killer RTU

Pyrethrins & Sulfur:

Bonide Captain Jack’s Orchard Spray Concentrate; & RTS,
Bonide Tomato & Vegetable 3 in 1 & RTU
Ortho Insect, Mite & Disease 3-in-1 RTU
Natria Rose & Flower Insect, Disease & Mite Control RTU
Natria Insect, Disease & Mite Control RTS; & RTU

Pyrethrins & Canola Oil:

Monterey Take Down Garden Spray Concentrate; & RTU
Whitney Farms Outdoor Insect Killer RTU,
Espoma Organic Insect Control RTU

Garlic is marketed in several products intended to repel insects, much as capsaicin does. Products are labeled to repel a wide variety of pests on ornamental plants, but garlic may also repel nuisance animals. To date, there is limited research showing the effectiveness of garlic insecticides. Products containing garlic or garlic oil include:

Havahart Critter Ridder Deer, Rabbit & Squirrel Repellent Concentrate (with putrescent egg solids & capsaicin)
Captiva Insect Repellent/ Insecticide (with capsicum & soybean oil)

Rotenone, Sabadilla, Ryania, and Nicotine are older botanical insecticides that are no longer available due to toxicity to people and/or the environment. Although these insecticides were naturally derived, they are more toxic or harmful than many commercially produced insecticides.

Essential Oils

A variety of pesticides based on essential oils or components of essential oils have come on the market in the last few years. Essential oils are volatile, highly concentrated substances extracted from plant parts. In 1996 the EPA established that certain ingredients that pose minimum risk to users no longer require EPA approval to be marketed as insecticides. A number of these ingredients are essential oils, including the oils of geranium, cedar, cinnamon, citronella, citrus, clove, eugenol (a component of clove oil), garlic, mints, rosemary, thyme, and several others. As insecticides, these work most commonly as contact-killing agents only, so re-treatment may be needed. Most essential oils used as pesticides work by disrupting an insect neurotransmitter that is not present in people, pets, or other vertebrates.

Examples of brands that make essential oil insecticides for insect pest control within homes are included below, but check the label for ingredients first.

Wondercide
Dr. Earth
Cedarcide
Essentia
Maggie’s Farm
Aunt Fannie’s
Monterey
Some Ortho Home Defense products

Microbial Insecticides

Microbial insecticides contain microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, or nematodes) or their by-products. Microbial insecticides are especially valuable because their toxicity to animals and humans is extremely low.

Insecticidal products comprised of a single species of microorganism may be active against a wide variety of insects or group of related insects (such as caterpillars), or they may be effective against only one or a few species. Most are very specific. Since there is such a narrow range of insects killed, they spare the beneficial insects almost entirely.

Bacillus thuringiensis products are the most widely used microbial insecticides in the United States. They are commonly known as Bt. Different subspecies of Bt are effective against different groups of insects or their larvae.

The best results will be achieved using Bt products by following a few guidelines.

Make sure the Bt product you have chosen lists the specific insect you want to control.
Make sure the insect is at a stage where it is susceptible to control by Bt. In general, Bt products are effective against young larval stages but will not kill adults.
Spray the parts of the plant on which insects are feeding thoroughly, including the underside of leaves. Bt products must be eaten in order to be effective. Liquid formulations are more effective and stay on plants better than dust formulations.
Treat with Bt in the late afternoon or evening or on a cloudy day as Bt breaks down in sunlight.
Be aware that Bt does not kill immediately, but the poisoned insects will stop feeding almost immediately.

Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk) products are toxic only to larvae of butterflies and moths. They are used to safely control many common leaf-feeding caterpillars, including caterpillar pests on vegetables, bagworms and tent caterpillars on trees and shrubs, and European corn borer larvae. Some caterpillars are not effectively controlled by Bt, especially those that live in the soil or bore into plant tissues without consuming a significant amount of the Bt applied to plant surfaces. Liquid Bt products are frequently referred to as Thuricide, and Bt dust products are often referred to as Dipel.

Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki products include:

Bonide Thuricide Bt Concentrate
Garden Safe Bt Worm & Caterpillar Killer Concentrate
Monterey Bt Concentrate; & RTU
Natural Guard Caterpillar Killer Spray with Bt Concentrate; & RTU)
Safer Brand Caterpillar Killer Concentrate
Southern Ag Thuricide Bt Caterpillar Control Concentrate
Tiger Brand Worm Killer Concentrate
Ferti-lome Dipel Biological Insecticide Dust
Safer Brand Garden Dust with Bt
Southern Ag Dipel Dust

Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) formulations kill mosquito, black fly, and fungus gnat larvae. Bti is most effective for mosquito or black fly control when it is used on a community-wide basis. For most homeowners, eliminating standing water sources is more effective than applying Bti or other insecticides. Floating products sold as dunks or pellets can eliminate mosquito larvae in ornamental ponds and other areas that cannot be drained. Bti products that are available commercially include:

Summit Mosquito Dunks,
Summit Mosquito Bits,
Microbe-Lift Biological Mosquito Control (granules & liquid)

Milky Spore products contain the naturally occurring bacterium Paenibacillus popillae. These products are applied to turf and watered into the soil below to control the larval (grub) stage of the Japanese beetle, and less effectively, some other beetle grubs. If a substantial grub population is present at the time of application, milky spore can survive beneath undisturbed sod for a period of 15 to 20 years. Consequently, lawn applications of milky spore bacteria might not have to be repeated each year.

Examples of products are:

St Gabriel Organics Milky Spore Powder Japanese Beetle Control
St Gabriel Organics Milky Spore Granular Grub Control

Spinosad is an insect toxin derived from a soil-dwelling bacterium. It kills primarily by ingestion and is used against fire ants, caterpillars, thrips, leaf miners, and some beetles. It is also used against caterpillar borers of fruit trees. When applied at recommended rates, this product poses less risk than most insecticides to mammals, birds, fish, and beneficial insects. It is, however, toxic to bees and should not be applied to plants in flower. Affected pests stop feeding within minutes but may remain on the plant for up to two days. Always spray plants late in the day to reduce any harmful effects on pollinating insects.

Products containing spinosad are sold as concentrates to spray or as fire ant baits in granular form. The sprays are labeled for use on ornamentals, lawns, and vegetables; the baits can be used in landscapes and within vegetable gardens. Examples of concentrates and baits are:

Spinosad Concentrates:

Bonide Colorado Potato Beetle Beater Concentrate,
Bonide Captain Jack’s Deadbug Brew Concentrate; & RTU,
Ferti-lome Borer, Bagworm & Leafminer Spray Concentrate,
Monterey Garden Insect Spray Concentrate,
Natural Guard Spinosad Landscape & Garden Insecticide RTS,
Southern Ag Conserve Naturalyte Insect Control Concentrate.

Spinosad Fire Ant Baits:

Conserve Fire Ant Bait,
Ferti-lome Come and Get It! Fire Ant Bait,
Southern Ag Payback Fire Ant Bait,
Terro Fire Ant Bait Mound or Broadcast Treatment.

Beauveria bassiana is a naturally occurring fungus that attacks and kills a variety of immature and adult insects. Insects effected by various formulations include whiteflies, aphids, mites, caterpillars, leaf hoppers, grasshoppers, Colorado potato beetles, Mexican bean beetles, Japanese beetles, boll weevils, cutworms, sod webworms, bark beetles, chinch bugs, fire ants, European corn borers, and codling moths. Beneficial insects, such as lady beetles, are also susceptible.

Products containing Beauveria work best when applied at the onset of an infestation. Thorough spray coverage is essential because fungal spores must contact the insect for infection to occur. Then it typically takes three to seven days after application for the spores to germinate, penetrate, and grow throughout the insect, thus killing them.

Examples of Commercial products containing Beauvaria include:

Naturalis L (liquid)
BioWorks Botanigard 22WP (wettable powder)
BioWorks Botanigard ES (liquid)
BioWorks Botanigard Maxx (with pyrethrins; liquid)
Mycotrol WPO (wettable powder)
Mycotrol ESO (liquid)
BioSolutions BB Fix (wettable powder)

Beneficial Nematodes Nematodes are microscopic, worm-like parasites. While some species of nematodes are pests of turfgrass and other plants, others are beneficial, being parasites of harmful insects. Since beneficial nematodes cannot develop in vertebrate animals, they are very safe for use in pest control.

Beneficial nematodes can be used to control a variety of plant pests, including larvae of black vine weevil, clearwing borers, cutworms, sod webworms, mole crickets, and white grubs. It is important to select the proper nematode species when trying to control a particular pest.

Nematodes can be difficult to use for most home gardeners. They must be shipped, stored, and used under specific temperature and moisture conditions and generally must be used very soon after shipping. For this reason, they are best ordered from suppliers immediately after a pest problem is observed.

A number of nematode products are available by mail order. Be sure the product you are ordering is specified for the pest you have and that you are able to provide proper environmental conditions for the nematodes. In general, nematodes require moist conditions, high humidity, and temperatures between 55 and 90 °F with little direct sunlight.

Minerals

Diatomaceous Earth is a non-toxic powder composed of fossilized, one-celled organisms called diatoms. It is used to control slugs, millipedes, sowbugs, cockroaches, ants, and soft-bodied insects like aphids. It has low mammalian toxicity. Use the “natural grade,” not the type used as a filtering agent in swimming pools.

Prolonged exposure to diatomaceous earth will irritate the lungs and other tissues of people or pets. Because it also kills honeybees, avoid applying the product to crops in flower. Diatomaceous earth products include:

Bonide Diatomaceous Earth Crawling Insect Killer,
Garden Safe Crawling Insect Killer Diatomaceous Earth,
Harris Diatomaceous Earth Crawling Insect Killer,
Natural Guard Crawling Insect Control Containing Diatomaceous Earth,
Safer Brand Ant & Crawling Insect Killer,
St Gabriel Organics Insect Dust Diatomaceous Earth.

Kaolin Clay products act as a barrier that irritates insects and disguises the host plant by coating it with a ghostly white film. Insects are apparently unable to recognize plants treated with kaolin. It is most commonly used against a wide variety of pests on apple and pear trees. In addition, kaolin can be used to control Japanese beetles, tarnished plant bugs, thrips, leafhoppers, cucumber beetles, and Colorado potato beetles on vegetable crops. Kaolin must be applied as a preventative to be effective and cannot control a pest that is already established.

Kaolin clay can be applied up to the day of harvest and is non-toxic. Kaolin is sold as Surround. Examples of products are:

Gardens Alive Surround Broad Spectrum Sun & Insect Crop Protectant
Nova Source Surround WP

Boric Acid is derived from boron, a naturally occurring mineral. It acts as a stomach poison and causes insects to die from starvation. Boric acid is available in powder, paste, aerosol, tablet, and liquid forms for use against cockroaches, ants, and other insects. It should not be applied around plants in the landscape because, although boron is a necessary plant micro-nutrient, larger than trace amounts are toxic to plants. Most boric acid products are available as ready-to-use products. Boric acid (labels may list this as orthoboric acid or sodium tetraborate) is sold under a number of brand names, and product examples include :

Avenger Boric Acid Roach Killer II (powder)
Bonide Boric Acid Roach Killer (powder)
Hot Shot Maxattrax Roach Killing Powder with Boric Acid
Terro Multi-Purpose Insect Bait
Zap-A-Roach – Roach & Ant Killing Powder
Zone Defense Kills Roaches with Boric Acid (powder)

Silica Gel is an inert, nonabrasive material that is very effective in absorbing moisture. It absorbs the waxy coating on the insect’s body and causes death by dehydration. Silica gel products are often used by professional pest control operators to control cockroaches, silverfish, and other pests. Examples are:

PT Tri-Die Aerosol,
CimeXa Insecticidal Dust, and
Bayer Drione Insecticide (dust).

These contain amorphous silica gel.

Sulfur is probably the oldest known pesticide in current use. It can be used as a dust, wettable powder, or liquid and is primarily for disease control. However, mites, psyllids, and thrips are also controlled by sulfur. Sulfur is non-toxic to mammals but may irritate skin or especially the eyes. Sulfur is also used as a fungicide to control powdery mildew, rusts, brown rot, and leaf spots on fruits, vegetables, and ornamentals.

Sulfur has the potential to damage plants in hot, dry weather. It is also incompatible with other pesticides. Do not use sulfur within 20 to 30 days of applying spray oils to plants as it reacts with the oils and is more likely to cause damage to foliage. Do not apply sulfur when temperatures are above 80 °F. Examples of products containing sulfur are:

Sulfur:

Hi-Yield Wettable Dusting Sulfur,
Safer Brand Garden Fungicide Concentrate; & RTU OMRI,
Southern Ag Wettable or Dusting Sulfur,
Bonide Sulfur Plant Fungicide (dust or spray),

Sulfur & Pyrethrins:

Bonide Captain Jack’s Orchard Spray Concentrate; & RTS,
Bonide Tomato & Vegetable 3 in 1 & RTU
Natria Rose & Flower Insect, Disease & Mite Control RTU
Natria Insect, Disease & Mite Control RTS; & RTU
Ortho Insect, Mite & Disease 3-in-1 RTU

Sulfur with Insecticidal Soap:

Safer Brand 3-in-1 Garden Spray Concentrate OMRI.
Safer Brand Rose & Flower 3-in-1 Garden Spray RTU OMRI
Safer Brand Tomato & Vegetable 3-in-1 Garden Spray RTU OMRI

Insect Growth Regulators

Insect growth regulators (IGRs) are juvenile insect hormone analogs. They interfere with egg development and molting of various insect life stages. Because of their mode of action, they are very safe for vertebrate animals. IGRs are among the safest pesticides for application in homes. They are primarily used in homes for flea control. More information is available in EIIS/HS-2, Flea Control.

Two commonly available IGRs are methoprene (Precor) and pyriproxyfen (Nylar). The latter is photostable, and therefore can also be used outdoors. Nylar is sold as Martin’s IG Regulator.

Safer Formulations

Bait Stations deliver an insecticide through a sealed plastic or metal chamber that insects enter. This gives bait stations the advantage of decreasing both the amount of insecticide used and the likelihood of exposure to it. Bait stations are particularly suitable for use in situations where the safety of children and pets is a concern or in areas where food is prepared or stored.

Numerous brands of bait stations are commonly available to control cockroaches and ants. Some of the more effective bait stations have fipronil as the active ingredient, but those with boric acid (it may list this as orthoboric acid or sodium tetraborate) or hydramethylnon are also available. Each company below has a variety of baits stations and gels. Examples of products are:

Terro Liquid Ant Bait,
Combat Source Kill Max Ant Bait,
Bayer Maxforce FC Ant Bait Stations,
Combat Roach Killing Bait,
Bayer Maxforce FC Magnum Roach Killer Bait Gel.

Pesticide Safety

Always read the pesticide label and follow its directions exactly. You may only use the pesticide on sites or crops listed on the label. Be sure to observe all special precautions that are listed on the label. Wear protective clothing or equipment as listed on the label when mixing or applying pesticides. Mix pesticides at the rate recommended for the target site as listed on the label. Never use more than the label says. Follow all label directions for safe pesticide storage and disposal. Always remember to read and heed the six most important words on the label: “KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.”

Caution: Pollinating insects, such as honey bees and bumblebees, can be adversely affected by the use of pesticides. Avoid the use of spray pesticides (both insecticides and fungicides), as well as soil-applied, systemic insecticides unless absolutely necessary. If spraying is required, always spray late in the evening to reduce the direct impact on pollinating insects. Always try less toxic alternative sprays first for the control of insect pests and diseases. For example, sprays with insecticidal soap, horticultural oil, neem oil extract, spinosad, Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.), or botanical oils can help control many small insect pests and mites that affect garden and landscape plants. Neem oil extract or botanical oil sprays may also reduce plant damage by repelling many insect pests. Practice cultural techniques to prevent or reduce the incidence of plant diseases, including pre-plant soil improvement, proper plant spacing, crop rotation, applying mulch, applying lime and fertilizer based on soil test results, and avoiding overhead irrigation and frequent watering of established plants. Additionally, there are less toxic spray fungicides that contain sulfur or copper soap and biological control sprays for plant diseases that contain Bacillus subtilis. However, it is very important to always read and follow the label directions on each product. For more information, contact the Clemson Extension Home & Garden Information Center.

Pesticides are updated annually. Last updates were done on 8/21 by Joey Williamson.

Originally published 08/05

If this document didn’t answer your questions, please contact HGIC at [email protected] or 1-888-656-9988.

Pest control in the home

Pesticides are chemicals designed to kill or harm pests. They include insecticides used for insect control, herbicides used for weed control, fungicides used for fungi and mould control, and rodenticides used for rodent control. Household pests can include insects such as flies, cockroaches and mosquitoes, or rodents like mice or rats.

Household pesticides can be purchased from supermarkets or hardware stores, and are designed for householders to use around their home or garden. Although you can easily obtain household pesticides, this does not mean that they are harmless. They are toxic and if used carelessly, they may affect the health of the user, their family, pets or the environment.

Choosing pesticides

Suggestions include:

Think about whether your proposed use of pesticide is appropriate. For example, it may not be realistic to expect your property to be completely pest free. It’s possible that the repeated use of pesticides may be more dangerous in the long term than the pests themselves.
Consider non-chemical pest control measures.
Make sure you identify the pest before you buy a pesticide. What you assume to be rats in your roof could be possums. If you are having trouble identifying the pest, Museums Victoria offers an identification service. You can submit an online enquiry. An alternative is to employ a licensed pest control operator trained in the identification and management of pests.
Determine the most effective pesticide for your pest problem and make sure the pesticide you choose is designed for the pest you intend to use it on.
Opt for the least toxic (or lowest schedule) household pesticide available.
Use the least amount of pesticide possible, as all pesticides are toxic and can cause harm if used incorrectly.

General pesticide safety

Suggestions when using pesticides at home include:

Don’t stock up on pesticides. Buy only as much as you need.
Read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully and always use the product strictly as directed. Do not use more than the recommended amount and make sure that you follow all safety precautions.
Do not mix pesticides. You risk an unexpected and potentially dangerous chemical reaction.
Store the pesticide in its original container with the lid firmly sealed and keep out of the reach of children, for example, locked in a high cupboard in the garage. Never transfer pesticides into containers that children might mistake for food or drink.
Do not set traps or place baits in areas that are accessible to children, pets or native animals.
Wear the protective clothing suggested in the manufacturer’s instructions whenever you handle or use the pesticide, for example, rubber gloves.
Do not eat, drink or smoke while using a pesticide.
Wash your hands after use.

Safety suggestions for indoor use of pesticides

When you use pesticides indoors you should always:

Cover or remove bird cages and fish tanks, and relocate other pets before using aerosol (spray) pesticides. Many pesticides are extremely toxic to birds and fish.
Remove (or cover) food, cooking utensils and other personal items from the area to be treated. Thoroughly clean kitchen benches before preparing food.
Avoid applying surface sprays to areas commonly touched by family members, such as furniture. Only use surface sprays in out-of-the-way areas like along skirting boards.
Leave the room while the pesticide (such as fly spray) is taking effect. When you come back, open the windows to clear the air.
Make sure pesticides are used in the right place. For example, mice tend to run along skirting boards and under floors. If you put traps or baits out in the open, they may fail to attract the pest and may pose a health risk to family members or pets.
Clear up any food debris or scraps if you use baits, so that the pest is drawn only to the bait. This means you will need less bait.

Safety suggestions for outdoor use of pesticides

When you use pesticides outdoors, you should always:

Make sure all doors and windows are closed before using the pesticide
Avoid using pesticide outdoors on rainy or windy days. The weather can influence the effectiveness of the pesticide and cause damage to other animals, people and the environment
Cover fish ponds, barbeques and vegetable gardens before using the pesticide
Relocate pets and remove their bedding, food and water bowls
Avoid watering your garden after using a pesticide. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for a guide to how long you should wait
Observe plants and birds for a few days afterwards to make sure that the pesticide isn’t causing unwanted harm
Advise your neighbours if you use any external pesticide treatments
If you have a rainwater tank, take care to prevent overspray onto guttering and the roof area. If there is any risk of pesticide residue washing into the tank, you should divert the collection pipe away from the rainwater tank until after the next rainfall.

Pesticide toxicity

Schedules are used to classify pesticides and to control the availability of a product to the general public. They take into account things like how toxic a substance is, how it will be used and what form it takes (for example, whether it is a liquid or a spray).

Pesticides are either unscheduled or they fall under schedules 5, 6 or 7. Each schedule has a warning, which appears in large contrasting lettering on the label.

Scheduled poison	Label warning	Toxicity level
Unscheduled	Some may display ‘Keep out of reach of children’	Lowest (readily available)
Schedule 5	Caution	Slight
Schedule 6	Poison	Moderate
Schedule 7	Dangerous poison	High (even for small doses)

Household pesticide products should not be schedule 7. Always select the least toxic (or lowest schedule) household pesticide available.

Pesticides and harm to the environment

Some pesticides, like space sprays, are fast acting. They knock down the pest, then break down quickly. Other pesticides, like surface sprays and termite treatments, linger in the environment for days, weeks or even longer after application.

While most pesticides are designed to only affect the target pest, other insects or animals may sometimes be harmed. For example, a bird may be poisoned if it eats a spider killed by insecticide. That’s why it’s important to select pesticides that are designed for the pest you wish to treat, follow the label instructions carefully and use the least amount possible.

Alternatives to pesticides

It is important to consider alternative control methods to pesticide use. The key is to make your house and garden unattractive to pests. Some suggestions include:

Rodents – don’t put food scraps in the garden for birds or possums. Throw out food left in dog or cat bowls. If you have an aviary, keep birdseed in rodent-proof dispensers. Pick up and dispose of fallen fruit from any fruit trees. Regularly trim plants such as creepers. Keep potential nesting places, such as wood and rubbish piles, off the ground. Consider using traps, but do not lay traps in areas where children, pets or native animals could be harmed.
Flies – keep a tight lid on outdoor rubbish bins. Put garden compost in a well-sealed container. Flies don’t like pyrethrum, which is a common ingredient in fly spray. You might plant pyrethrum daisies near your front and back doors to repel flies and other insects. Hang flytraps or fly paper outside in areas where flies tend to gather.
Fleas – wash pets, their blankets and other bedding regularly. See your veterinarian for treatment options for your pet.
Cockroaches – remove any sources of water such as in the base of the shower, in sinks or in dishes left in the kitchen. Cockroaches need a daily source of water to survive. Don’t leave food scraps on benches or in pet bowls. Keep rubbish in a bin with the lid on tightly. Don’t keep piles of wood chips or mulch near the house. Seal cracks and crevices where cockroaches may get into your home.
Mosquitoes – drain any collected puddles of water, as this is where mosquitoes breed. Change the water in birdbaths at least once a week. Run your swimming pool filter for a few hours each day. Regularly clear your gutters of leaves and other debris that may collect water. Keep larvae-eating fish in ornamental ponds – see an aquarium dealer for suggestions on appropriate fish.

Pesticides and your health

Pesticides can take the form of a solid, liquid, powder or spray. The form will influence the way in which the pesticide can enter your body and potentially affect your health.

Pesticides can enter your body if you:

swallow a pesticide, eat, drink or smoke after handling pesticide, or consume food or drink that was exposed to a pesticide
have skin contact with pesticides – directly, through pesticide-soaked clothing, or by touching pesticide-treated surfaces
inhale pesticide vapours, sprays or dust
rub your eyes after handling pesticides or cause pesticides to come into direct contact with your eyes.

If you minimise your exposure and take care when you come into contact with pesticides, you will reduce the chance of damaging your health.

Pesticide poisoning

Poisoning by exposure to pesticides may occur shortly after a single exposure (acute poisoning) or gradually after repeated exposures over a period of time (chronic poisoning).

Acute poisoning from pesticides

Symptoms of acute poisoning from pesticides may begin shortly after exposure and may include:

headache
dizziness
nausea
vomiting
stomach cramps
diarrhoea
blurred vision
excessive eye watering
sweating
excess saliva.

More severe poisoning may also lead to changes in heart rate, chest tightness, muscle weakness and twitching, difficulty breathing and walking, constricted pupils and incontinence. In very severe cases of poisoning, seizures and unconsciousness may occur.

Chronic poisoning from pesticide

Symptoms may occur gradually, after repeated exposures over a period of time, and may include:

muscle weakness
fatigue
difficulty concentrating and remembering things
generally feeling unwell.

The type of symptoms you have, how long they last and how severe they are may vary depending on factors such as:

the type and concentration of the pesticide used
the degree of exposure
the health and age of the person exposed.

Many of the potential symptoms are not specific to pesticide poisoning – they may be due to other conditions, such as illness or allergy. You should always consult your doctor for an accurate diagnosis of symptoms.

Risk factors for pesticide poisoning

Although anyone may be affected by exposure to pesticides, certain groups of people are particularly susceptible including:

unborn babies and young children
pregnant and nursing women
elderly people.

Pesticide poisoning – first aid

If you, or anyone in your family, develop symptoms soon after exposure to pesticides, you should:

In an emergency, always call triple zero (000)
Contact a doctor immediately
Call the Victorian Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.

Remember to provide details of the exposure, including the product name if possible.

Using a licensed pest control operator

Sometimes, you might have a pest problem that is difficult to manage yourself. For these jobs, you should hire a professional licensed pest control operator. Look for a pest control operator who holds a Pest Control Licence. In Victoria, this photo ID licence is issued by the Department of Health and Human Services. You can check the status of a pest control licence

here

Where to get help

In an emergency, always call triple zero (000)
Victorian Poisons Information Centre Tel. 13 11 26 – for advice when poisoning or suspected poisoning occurs and poisoning prevention information (24 hours, 7 days)
Emergency department of your nearest hospital
Your doctor
Department of Health and Human Services, Pest Control Team. Tel. 1300 767 469.
Licensed pest control operator
Worksafe Victoria Tel.1800 136 089 – if you think a pest control job was not performed safely
Australian Environmental Pest Managers Association (AEPMA) Tel. 1300 307 114 – for information on how to manage pests
Consumer Affairs Victoria Tel. 1300 55 81 81 – if the service provided by the pest control operator is different from that which they indicated they would provide

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European Commission calls for a ban on bee-killing pesticides

31 January 2013

Image caption,

The EU links the decline in bee populations to the use of some pesticides

The European Commission has asked EU Member States to ban the use of certain classes of pesticides considered harmful to bees.

According to the EU’s highest executive authority, neonicotinoids should only be sprayed on crops that are not attractive to these pollinating insects.

The European Commission has also called for a ban on the sale of seeds grown with these chemicals.

Bayer CropSciences, one of the pesticide companies, is convinced that they can be used without harming the bees.

Earlier in January, the European Food Safety Authority issued guidance on the use of neonicotinoids, acknowledging “high risks” for bees exposed to the residue of these sprays in the pollen and nectar of plants such as oilseed rape and sunflower.

According to the agency, pollen from crops such as maize, which are also sprayed with these pesticides, which are said to be poisonous to bees, also poses a threat to bees.

However, the European Food Safety Authority did not recommend a complete ban on these chemicals.

Now European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection Tonio Borg has taken the same stance, saying the time has come for “quick and decisive action”.

Two-year ban

He proposed a draft paper for discussion that would ask EU Member States to allow neonicotinoids to be sprayed only on crops that are unattractive to bees, and to ban the sale and use of seeds produced using these chemicals.

Three types of pesticides have fallen out of favor – clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam. Farmers are being asked to ban spraying on sunflower, oilseed rape, cotton and maize fields.

European Commission spokesman Frédéric Vincent told the BBC that the measure was prompted by recent scientific research.

“We have demanded a thorough scientific study of neonicotinoids by the European Food Safety Authority. They have come up with some disturbing findings. So now we are telling EU members that we have scientific evidence that these pesticides are of some concern and may have some effect bees,” he explained.

The European Commission wants to impose restrictions on the use of these pesticides by July this year. The effectiveness of the proposed measures will be evaluated after two years.

A similar ban is already in place in France, Germany and Slovenia.

Campaigners for the protection of bees are satisfied with the position of the EU. Representative of the international environmental organization “Friends of the Earth” Andrew Pendleton said that the initiative of the European Commission is timely.

“The EU’s very important proposal demonstrates a necessary first step towards a turning point in the decline of our bee population. The British government should back it with all its weight,” he said.

“The evidence linking neonicotinoids to bee population declines is mounting. We cannot afford to ignore the threat they pose to such important pollinators,” he said.

“Museum Farming”

But Bayer CropSciences, which produces a range of chemicals that will be restricted, is convinced that neonicotinoids can be used safely and effectively in sustainable agriculture.

Speaking before the House of Commons Committee on the Environment the day before, company spokesman Dr Julian Little said Europe could be threatened by “cultivating a kind of ‘museum farming'”.0005

“Personally, I absolutely support the strictest regulation, but not to the point where, as we believe, you write off advances in chemistry and advances in agriculture without a visible improvement in the health of bees. And other countries will continue to use these products,” he stressed.

The UK Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs refused to ban the drugs last year, saying the scientific evidence was not yet very accurate. It commissioned new studies on the effects of neonicotinoids on bumblebees in the fields to assess the amount of pesticides remaining on them and the diseases they develop.

However, if the EU agrees to limit the use of neonicotinoids, then this measure will also apply to the UK, says European Commission spokesman Frederic Vincent.

“If our proposal today is approved by the member states [of the European Union] in the near future, this will mean the introduction of new rules that will become mandatory for everyone from July 1,” he said.

In recent days, several UK stores have removed preparations containing neonicotinoids, which may be associated with a declining bee population, from sale.

Saves cereals from fungus spray of RNA molecules

How to use RNA interference to silence genes and turn one of the key molecules of life into a molecule of death, with the gene of luminous jellyfish and Nobel research, Indicator.Ru figured it out.

Biologists from the Institute of Phytopathology of the Justus Liebig University of Giessen, in collaboration with colleagues from North Carolina, have proposed their method of combating a fungus that affects barley crops. The results are presented in PLOS Pathogens.

Mushrooms that steal our food

The world’s population is constantly growing, and in order to feed it, agriculture must develop intensively. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, more than half of the cultivated land in the world is occupied by cereals. But not only people like to eat these cereals, but also pests and parasites. One of them is the fungus Fusarium graminearum (also in the asexual generation – Gibberella zeae ), which settles on the spikelet, treacherously invading the plant through the defenseless stomata of the soft tissues of the flower. In a short time, the fungus infects the developing caryopsis itself, climbs under the seed coat and reaches the endosperm (nutrient for the plant embryo). Boxes with spores appear on the spikelet, and it dries up and becomes whitish and unsuitable for food, since the waste products of the fungus are toxins that are dangerous to humans and other animals. In the form of mycelium and spores, fungi overwinter in the remains of affected plants, plotting new attacks.

Fusarium of cereals in the last 10-15 years is also very common in Russia: in some fields the number of affected plants reaches 20-50%. Pesticides help fight fungi by binding to an enzyme in the fungus’s membrane, a “mushroom” variety of cytochrome P450. This stops the biosynthesis of ergosterols – insoluble substances that fungi build into their membrane, but without which plants and animals do very well. As a result, the cell membrane of the parasite is destroyed, and the fungus dies.

The use of pesticides causes great damage to the environment, and pests eventually adapt to them (Indicator.Ru already wrote about adaptation to pesticides, GMOs and the formation of superweeds). We noticed the formation of stable forms in the mid-70s.

RISC silences genes

A gene is a section of DNA, some code sequence of letters-nucleotides that encodes the instructions for assembling a protein (and, ultimately, a trait that an organism will have). To build a protein, you need to remove from the DNA stored in the nucleus, a “xerox” – messenger RNA, which will come out of the nucleus and become a template for assembling a protein molecule. A copy is made by “translation”: each “letter” of DNA corresponds to a certain “letter” of RNA.

In 1998, scientists discovered that the appearance of a foreign double-stranded RNA in a cell can suppress the activity of the DNA region (gene) to which it corresponds. This effect, called RNA interference, is used by plants and animals to protect against viruses and transposons, genomic parasites. In other situations, RNA interference silences “native” genes – this is necessary, because each cell of the body inside contains instructions for the work of all the others, and only one model needs to be followed, while all extra genes are “turned off” in different ways.

Since normally an RNA molecule, an intermediate link in protein synthesis, consists of a single strand (in contrast to the DNA double helix familiar to us all, with which it is synthesized), the appearance of such a bizarre structure alarms the cell: what if it is a virus? Indeed, in some viruses (reoviruses), the genetic material is stored in this form. Therefore, the work of the enzyme Dicer is launched, which cuts a strange object into short pieces of 20-25 nucleotides (the letters that the genetic code is written in RNA and DNA). One of the chains of each fragment is called a guide and becomes a “tip”, which “surrenders” the gene corresponding to it to the formidable RISC complex. This complex takes the guide fragment with it and causes it to “point” to the appropriate DNA or RNA sequences. “Surrendered” by the RNA guide chain, the executioner squirrel overtakes Argonaute , preventing protein synthesis from them, and if the interference also affects the gene in DNA, and not only the RNA “consequences”, then he himself becomes silent, “afraid” of RISC.

The study of this mechanism in the nematode (roundworm) Caenorhabditis elegans was awarded the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

Barley, don’t let yourself dry out

Scientists decided to use this method to silence the most important genes of the pest fungus. They called their method Spray-induced gene silencing, or SIGS (literally, “spray-induced gene silencing”).

To make sure the technology works, the scientists took a fungus strain that has the Aequorea victoria jellyfish green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene, which is often used to test the operation of any genes, since its glow is easy to see and register ( The 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded for the study of this protein. Barley was infected with this fungus, then the control leaves were sprayed with a buffer solution, and the remaining leaves were sprayed with a solution containing double-stranded RNA corresponding to the three main genes encoding fungal cytochromes. It turned out that the spray acts even on distant parts of the leaf, reducing the level of expression of each of the fungal genes by about half (by 48%, 50% and 58%).

By marking their double-stranded RNAs with the ATTO 488 label (a red fluorescent label produced by the German company ATTO), the scientists were able to verify that their action is directed specifically at the nucleus, to “turn off” target genes, since the red color is concentrated in the cell nuclei.

By creating a fungus that does not have the Dicer enzyme, biologists are convinced that this enzyme is the key link in the RNA interference process, but without it, the fungus continues to be dangerous to plants. They also found that the effectiveness of their drug is maintained regardless of how the plant itself chemically fights the aggressor.

Scientists believe their technology will help develop sustainable, natural farming practices that do not harm the environment.

The latest solutions in fruit growing from “Alpika Agro”

The variety of plant protection products (PPP), growth stimulants, agrochemicals and biological products requires deep knowledge about them, including the features of their application. In modern agriculture, the question is no longer whether to carry out plant protection measures or not. Today there is a question about the quality of water for the preparation of working solutions, about the sequential addition of plant protection products to the sprayer tank, about the possible combination of certain leaf and root fertilizers both with each other and with plant protection products.

The role of surfactants in plant protection systems

Agrarians from all sectors of agricultural production ask the specialists of Alpika Agro LLC a question about increasing the effectiveness of plant protection products, reducing the number of treatments, about the possibility of combining biological preparations, or asking for help in developing biological farming technology. It is currently impossible to solve these issues without the use of surface-active substances (surfactants).

Since 2013, Alpika Agro has been actively working in this direction and annually improves the technology for the use of surfactants. Together with specialists from the testing environmental and agrochemical laboratory, they test and select the optimal surfactants to reduce pH and water hardness, surfactants – film formers, spreaders, preparations to improve the penetration ability of plant protection products, defoamers. They are testing innovative plant protection products that work both as biological preparations and as surfactants. At the beginning of 2020, a technology for stabilizing solutions for a long time appeared.

Various sources of water intake are used for both irrigation and spraying: tap water, wells, open water bodies – rivers, lakes, ponds. Each of these sources has its own characteristics for use when working with plant protection products. Tap water, for example, has a high pH for pesticides: ≥8, open water bodies, depending on the time of year, change their indicators both in pH and in hardness. For example, when spraying, it is unacceptable to exceed such trace elements as Ca and Mg. When using drip irrigation, it is unacceptable to exceed such indicators as Fe, Mn, Ca and Mg. From the water samples analyzed by us for 2018 – 2019

70% have excess pH and hardness,
13% high pH,
10% exceeded hardness values,
7% is suitable for spray application.

And there is not a single sample that meets the standards for irrigation.

To purify irrigation water from organic impurities, various purification plants, filters, etc. are used, and much less attention is paid to water for spraying and irrigation with nutrient solutions. The safety of investments in the agricultural sector depends on the quality of water. Before starting spraying, it is necessary to lower the pH level of the water to the values that correspond to the selected pesticides, stabilize them in the tank mixture, and eliminate the negative effect of cold water on both plant protection products and the treated plant. Today, there are many methods and techniques that contribute to the fulfillment of 1-2 points, no more, of the requirements that modern plant protection products now impose on specialists, and there are single preparations that meet all the requirements at once.

Spray Aid and Spray Aid Complex: exclusive and effective

Alpika Agro, working in this direction, recommends conducting a water analysis before spraying and, if necessary, using such exclusive preparations as Spray Aid and Spray Aid Complex . Spray Aid complex isolates Ca and Mg, Fe and AI ions, which cause water hardness, preventing them from blocking the active ingredients of SZR and other preparations. This allows the drugs to work 100%. Spray Aid Complex converts Ca and Mg ions into a form available to plants, lowers the pH level of solutions. Spray Aid reduces the pH level of solutions (it is especially necessary if you have to work with alkaline preparations), stabilizes the components in the tank mixture, is effective when using cold water, prevents metal corrosion – keeps the sprayer clean, improves the dissolution of preparations. In case:

cold water is used for autumn and early spring treatments,
working solution pH above 7 – 7.5,
water hardness is up to 5.5 meq/l (Spray Aid) or above 5.5 meq/l (Spray Aid Complex),
multi-component tank mixes are used,
there is a transition from crop to crop or from herbicides to other groups of drugs,
need to clean the sprayer and prevent corrosion,
there is a low outflow of the working fluid (up to 100 l / ha), – Spray Aid and Spray Aid Complex – the solution to all these problems!

If you do not test the combination and quality of working solutions, you can lose not only the effectiveness of the drugs, but also investments in plant protection products, when solutions have to be drained due to inattention.

Natural MultiMaster

Loss of investment in PPP can be caused by factors such as evaporation, negative effects of ultraviolet radiation, drift of the working solution, reduced penetration of PPP, untimely precipitation, coverage area and reduced retention of drugs on plant surfaces, sunburn, etc. e. To prevent these negative consequences, Alpika Agro proposes to use a group of drugs based on the active ingredient pinoline. MultiMaster – vegetable polymer, 96% consisting of pine resin extract (96% di-1-p-menthene + 4% emulsifier), film former. Improves the quality of treatments with expensive pesticides. In an integrated plant protection system, it ensures maximum effectiveness of the preparations even under adverse weather conditions. Increases the amount of drugs that gets on the plants during spraying and that remains on / in the plant after. Compatible in tank mixes with all fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, growth regulators and foliar fertilizers. It is produced from natural ingredients, therefore it is safe for living organisms, does not violate the physiology of plants. Certified for organic farming.

MultiMaster is active in a wide pH range (from 2 to 10), is not picky about salinity and water hardness, does not foam. Between the film and the surface of the plant, a semi-liquid state of the working solution and the wax cuticle is maintained for some time. This allows systemic preparations to better penetrate the plant and protects against flushing by sudden precipitation. In the spring of 2020, agronomists faced severe frosts that damaged the ear in the central shoot and prevented the protective measures taken up to that point from working with high efficiency. It was noted that in those farms where MultiMaster was used during early protective treatments, the effectiveness of the drug was at the level of 75%. That is, Multimaster allows you to protect plant protection products even in cases of a sharp cold snap.

Obvious economic benefit of Aventrol

Aventrol consists of 96% pinolines – derivatives of natural resins of coniferous plants, which have been subjected to high-tech purification and transformations. Therefore, Aventrol, which is almost impossible to fake, is safe for plants, people and beneficial insects.

Advantages of Aventrol compared to analogues:

prolongs the “life” of the drop, because it has the properties of an anti-evaporator. Due to this, systemic preparations have more time to penetrate into the plant,
reduces the drift of the working solution by 50%, which, accordingly, reduces the loss of water and drugs, less funds are thrown into the wind,
better wets the surface of the plant and at the same time prevents the solution from draining from it, and also serves as an anti-evaporator, while conventional surfactants / wetting agents only reduce the surface tension of the working solution, accelerating its evaporation. This property of Aventrol, especially with a decrease in water rates, elevated temperatures and low air humidity, significantly improves the quality of processing and the effectiveness of all types of drugs,
is especially unique in the ability of Aventrol to wet the wax coating of plants, facilitating the penetration of drugs through it, but without destroying the natural protection of the plant. Most cheap synthetic surfactants/wetting agents simply destroy this waxy coating, leaving the plant exposed to evaporation and pathogens. Aventrol retains the wax coating,
has the unique ability to form a polymer film when exposed to daylight. This film keeps contact preparations longer on the plant surface, preventing them from being washed off and destroyed by precipitation, ultraviolet radiation and high temperatures.

Possessing the widest range of properties, Aventrol increases the effectiveness and prolongs the activity of systemic and contact preparations by 4 to 7 days, thereby reducing the number of treatments. The effectiveness of growth regulators, biostimulants and foliar applications also increases.

Thanks to its natural formula, Aventrol can be used together with biological preparations. In particular, it improves seed coverage during dressing. Aventrol is especially effective in the treatment of soybeans with inoculants.

At present, given the economic situation, many farmers save every penny. But if, for example, crops are treated with a high-quality fungicide, when applied, the cost of a hectare norm is about $30 – 60, then the price difference between Aventrol and a cheap surfactant / wetting agent will be negligible compared to such an amount. But it is this small difference that will affect the effectiveness of investing dollars.

In contrast to the polymer, MultiMaster Aventrol is recommended for use in the middle of the season, when active temperatures increase. Since this drug has a higher concentration of active ingredients, it is used as a film former against cracking on rapeseed, soybeans, and peas. This technique allows you to save the crop if it rains during harvesting.

Vapor Gard will come to the rescue

It often happens that the most effective plant protection products are chosen to protect the garden, a highly effective perennial plant protection system is developed, used both for irrigation and for spraying, the water is prepared according to all the rules, high-quality fertilizers and surfactants are used, but it is very difficult to predict the amount of precipitation during the growing season, the temperature regime, and the activity of solar radiation. For example, 1 hectare of vegetative plants can evaporate 37,000 liters of water in 1 day. With this evaporation, temperatures during this period are high even at night. Plants do not “rest” from the resulting heat stress during the day. Dry, hot summers, high temperatures, late watering periods or heavy rains in the last month before harvesting, combined with high temperatures, cause fruit burns (sunburn or browning of the skin). It also happens that the disease penetrates deeper than the skin, and in this case the pulp of the fetus is affected. Browning of the skin of apple fruits also occurs during the transportation of apples from storage, when the temperature regime changes. It is impossible to eliminate thermal burns when they have already appeared. This entails loss of yield and quality if burns occur before harvest, and loss of product quality when transported from storage sites.

Vapor Guard (Pinoline), a unique water-emulsifiable organic concentrate of natural origin, forms a semi-permeable transparent film after processing. This film – the result of the polymerization of pinolines – reduces transpiration through the stomata and cuticle of the leaves without changing gas exchange. In addition, Vapor Guard can reduce transpiration by 10% to 30%, thus saving 3,700 to 11,000 liters of water per day! The film formed during polymerization not only reduces moisture loss, but also prevents cracking of cherries, protects vegetables and fruits, grapes from sunburn. The resulting film prevents the penetration of storage rot, the fruits are stored for a long time without the formation of moldy fungi. The use of the drug increases the keeping quality and transportation of vegetables and fruits, and also protects the fruits from sunburn.

Spray Fix will provide 100% spreading of PPP

Often we come across surfactants that combine the functions of increasing the spreading and penetration of preparations. However, lab testing shows significant differences. The latest product for increasing the spreadability of PPPs on the Russian market is the emulsifying concentrate Spray Fix from the Spanish company Dimes. It is a 100% natural product made from pine resin. Spray Fix significantly reduces the dynamic and static surface tension, thereby helping to retain droplets of any size on the leaf and reducing the effect of their bouncing off the plant surface. Prevents drops from slipping from the plant surface, promotes a more uniform distribution of the active substance over the entire surface of the plant. We suggest using Spray Fix at the time of the greatest accumulation of vegetative mass, when it is necessary to achieve maximum spreading of the drug, on such crops as perennial plantations, during the formation and ripening of fruits, on field crops – when treating corn against polyphagous pests, for example. Spray Fix is able to stabilize, for example, a solution of kaolin and keep it for a long time without the formation of sediment.

Tonantis® – a unique preparation for pest control

low concentrations. Such a drug is Tonantis®.

Tonantis® is a set of silicone polymers, does not penetrate into plants, works through physical contact with the pest, does not apply to plant protection products. Thus, Tonantis® can be used in organic farming without restrictions and is an invaluable alternative to chemical control with an efficiency at or above pesticide levels. . Controls a wide range of piercing-sucking pests (aphids, whiteflies, mites, leafhoppers, psyllids, scale insects).

The formulation consists of a mixture of carefully selected silicone type polymers. The application of Tonantis® forms a polymer film on the pests, which immediately immobilizes them. Experiments on bees have shown that Tonantis® does not affect pollinators. It is possible to combine Tonantis® KE with insecticides against hard-to-control pests (thrips, psyllids). Such tank mixtures allow you to combine two mechanisms of action: physical + biochemical. The uniqueness of the product is that it can be used as a surfactant in biological farming with the manifestation of the effectiveness of a bioinsecticide not only in the horticultural direction, but also in crop production in field crops in cases where the temperature regime does not allow the use of insecticides, and the pest is active. For example, against mites on winter wheat, which are harmful from autumn to early spring.

The correct choice of excipients when carrying out protective measures will allow not only to maintain the effectiveness of preparations in various climatic conditions, but also to reduce the pesticide load on the crop and the cost of purchasing plant protection products and fertilizers.

A. MALYKHINA, consultant of Alpika Agro LLC, Ph.D. n.

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1. Zbir, Vikoristannnya Tu metabolks

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2. Zgoda

PIDSISTIMS FOR PERSONAL DANY IZ IZOMEEMENNAM IZA DANY NAGALS FITS, VADA unequivocally Zgoda for:

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Your personal data at the side of DELTA MEDICAL;

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UVEX coveralls, protective clothing standards.

DIN EN 14605 – Protective clothing resistant to liquid chemicals

DIN EN 14605 regulates the requirements for protective overalls.

Chemical protective clothing is categorized according to specific applications.

9000 bodies with liquid-resistant seams

TYPE	CATEGORY
TYPE 3 9032 0002 Chemical protective costumes with seams resistant to liquids
Type 4	Chemical protective suits with sutures resistant to
Type PB [3] 905
TYPE PB [4]	Protective clothing for body parts with aerosol-resistant seams

Requirements for testing protective clothing according to DIN EN 14605:

abrasion resistance
crack resistance
crack resistance at -30 °C
tensile strength 90
puncture resistance
liquid permeation resistance

The test criteria for protective clothing against liquid chemicals can be verified using specific test methods.

DIN EN 13034 – Protective suits with limited protection against aerosols

DIN EN 13034 regulates the minimum requirements for protective suits providing protection against aerosols (type 6 chemical protective suits). Protective clothing according to the European standard provides limited protection against exposure to liquid aerosols, sprays and liquid splashes in applications where the risk of chemical exposure is considered to be relatively low.

Standard requirements include the protection provided by a special fabric finish combined with the necessary treatment of the overalls, especially the seams. The test criteria include the material’s resistance to penetration by liquids and sprays.

ISO 13982-1 – Particle-tight protective coveralls

The European standard ISO 13982 governs the minimum requirements for type 5 chemical protective coveralls. The standard for protective suits that protect a person from particles, aerosols and solid chemicals.

The clothing specified in the standard protects the torso, arms and legs (with/without hood and with/without shoe covers). Clothing must protect against the ingress of solid particles.

DIN EN 13034 – Protective suits with limited protection against aerosols

DIN EN 32781 – Protective clothing against pesticides

DIN EN 32781 regulates the minimum requirements for protective overalls that are used when spraying pesticides and should protect a person from potential hazards when spreading such substances.
Pesticide protective clothing performance requirements include material strength and imperviousness provisions. Penetration is determined by a special test method in accordance with DIN EN 14786: 2006.
Working with undiluted concentrated pesticides also requires additional protective equipment: aprons, special protective gloves and face protection.

DIN EN 14126 – Protective clothing against infection

The requirements for performance and test methods for protective clothing against infection are regulated in DIN EN 14126. Protective clothing tested in accordance with DIN EN 14126 guarantees resistance to the penetration of biologically contaminated liquids.

Special requirements for clothing used to protect against infectious agents ensure that human skin is protected from potential contact with biological agents, which helps to prevent the spread of germs.

DIN EN 14126 covers the following tests on protective clothing materials:

synthetic blood penetration test (ISO / FDIS 11603)
virus resistance (ISO / FDIS 16604)
resistance to bacteria (ISO / DIS 22610)
resistance to the penetration of biologically contaminated aerosols (ISO / DIS 22611)
resistance to contaminated dust (ISO / DIS 22612)

against

– DIN EN 1073- particles

Part 2 of DIN EN 1073 regulates the requirements and test methods for non-ventilated protective clothing against particulate contamination. Protective clothing in accordance with the standard must protect the person from radioactive contaminated particulate matter.
This standard does not cover protection against ionizing radiation or contamination from radioactive substances used in diagnostic or therapeutic interventions.

The standard also requires clothing to be easy to put on and take off, minimizing the risk of infection. Protective clothing may consist of one piece or several pieces that are worn together. Protective clothing in accordance with DIN EN 1073-2 must also be equipped with accessories (hood, gloves, overshoes, respiratory protection).

DIN EN 1149 – Protective clothing with antistatic properties

The following parts are combined according to DIN EN 1149 basic type “Electrostatic properties”:

Part 1: Test method for measuring surface resistivity
Part 2: Test method for measuring vertical resistance
Part 3: Test method for measuring charge decay
Part 4: Test clothing
Part 5: Material performance and design requirements. Protective clothing with antistatic characteristics. This clothing reduces electrostatic charge and flammable static sparks. This property is necessary for use in areas with an explosive atmosphere. The standard defines the electrostatic requirements for clothing.

Do-it-yourself adhesive for plants – types and methods of application

Author Maria Chursina To read 12 min. Views 20.4k. Published 07/05/2021

When treating plants with pesticides, you will notice that often the working solution quickly drains and is washed off the plants. In order for the solution to be evenly distributed and remain on the plant for as long as possible, “adhesives” are added to it. They are actively used in crop production to increase the effectiveness of plant protection products and reduce the application rates of pesticides and fertilizers.

There are many surfactants on the agricultural market now, and they have differences that should be taken into account when choosing. What is an “adhesive”, what types exist and how to use it correctly, read the article.

Content

What is adhesive
Types of surfactants
Ethoxylate solution
isodecyl alcohol
Oil based surfactant
(mineral or methylated vegetable)
Surfactant with polysaccharides
Organosilicon “Strengthens”
How to use plants for plants
List of the best stickers
VioVLT (Corteva)
SkaBA (AGRO summit)
Silvet (ARISK
Adyu (August)
Liposam (BTU-Center)
Eco oil spray (Adama)
Tandem (Ukravit)
Mero (Bayer)
hands
Laundry soap
Liquid
soap
Laundry detergent
Acrylic
primer
PVA
food grade
gelatin
potato starch
oat
Decoction
Milk
Sugar
Lenon

What is the sticker

PAV (surface-active substances) or “Strengtheists” are special means that increase the effectiveness of fertilizers, fungicides and herbicids and herbicids and herbicids and herbicids and herbicids and herbicids and gerbicides and gerbicides and herbicids. insecticides. In simple words, this is a drug that helps plant protection products to be evenly distributed and stay on the surface of the plant for as long as possible, that is, “stick” and from this they got their popular name.

“Stickers” due to their properties retain moisture in the plant, serve as a protective barrier against the influence of negative weather factors and harmful organisms, and also contribute to better absorption of fertilizers and pesticides.

Surfactant is usually applied in a tank mix with pesticides and fertilizers. Also, some agronomists first treat plants with “adhesives”, and then separately with pesticides so that they fit well on the surface. But such treatments are not economically feasible, so it is better to mix everything at once.

On the left of the photo, the leaf is treated without the use of “adhesive”, and on the right – with surfactant

There are also adjuvants , which also improve the adhesion, wetting, penetration and resistance of plant protection products to precipitation. They can also be used to raise or lower the pH of the working solution. After all, the pH of the water, which does not correspond to the parameters required for pesticides, can cause a negative effect and affect the uniformity of the mixture in the tank.

Individual adjuvants are able to maintain a constant pH level of the solution (buffering), even after adding several drugs to the working solution. Their advantages include reducing the negative impact of hard water, the ability to reduce surface tension and improve contact with the treated surface.

Types of surfactants

“Adhesives” can
included in chemicals or sold separately. To the most
bioadhesives based on polysaccharides are environmentally friendly.
The industry produces surfactants of the following types:

Non-ionizing.
Amino active.
Cationic.

But in rural
households use only non-ionizing surfactants,
the rest are used in household chemicals. The main types of “adhesives” in
composition dependent.

Ethoxylate solution
isodecyl alcohol

This element reduces the surface tension of the working solution at a rate of 100-150 ml per 100 liters. But it is worth paying attention that it dissolves the natural wax coating on plants. That is, if you use this adhesive with herbicides, weeds will die, but at the same time, due to the absence of a wax coating, crops will increase moisture evaporation and sensitivity to ultraviolet light, which will provide additional stress. These drugs include: Syaivo, Macho, Vivolt surfactant, Trend 90 and Adyu.

Oil based surfactant
(mineral or methylated vegetable)

They also dissolve
wax layer and are safe for crops, but have a lower
adhesion compared to ethoxylate isodecyl alcohol. Both types of drugs
ideal for use with systemic pesticides. “Stickers”
oil-based: Olemix 84, Eco oil, Remix 732, Kodaside 950 and Metolat.

Surfactant with polysaccharides

They are
real “biological glue” and are popular because of their low
cost. But due to strong adhesive properties, they cannot be used on
cultures during flowering, as even flowers and stamens can stick together, which
interfere with pollination. And one more minus of “adhesives” with polysaccharides is that
they can clog sprayer nozzles, causing crops to
treated unevenly or the sprayer may break. Polysaccharides are included
as part of such preparations: Smart Grow Adhesive, Agrolip, Dobry Gospodar,
Biosticker, Smart Grow Adjuvant, Liposan.

Organosilicone “adhesives”

Gaining their
popularity, as they provide a decrease in surface tension up to 20-22
N/m2, which is almost twice as high as an aqueous solution of isodecyl ethoxylate
alcohol. The rate of use of organosilicon surfactants – 35 – 45 ml per 100 liters
working solution. This “adhesive” is partially soluble in oil and water,
therefore does not reduce surface tension and is universal.
Organosilicone helps pesticides to penetrate the leaf without causing harm
protective layer of the plant. On sale in Ukraine now there are such
organosilicone adhesives: BT Sticker, Silvet Gold and Adumax.

How to use the plant adhesive

Surfactant can be used not only for the treatment of adult plants by leaf, but also at other stages of development

Seed treatment before sowing. This procedure increases the germination of seeds, as a protective film is formed on them along with the protectant and moisture is retained.

Soaking seedlings and
plant roots. This way
processing helps plants develop faster and stay longer
protected from the impact of negative factors.

Treatment of plants in combination with pesticides and fertilizers. Primary use that improves the effectiveness of insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, microfertilizers, etc. Also in the heat, the plants will be protected from the sun and air drought. For the “adhesive” to work effectively, it should be sprayed, creating drops of 200-300 microns in size. These drops will be light enough to adhere well to the surface of the plant after being treated with the solution.

Each surfactant has its own consumption rate of the drug, which is indicated in the instructions for the drug. But when added to the working solution, its content should not exceed 5%.

List of the best adhesives

There are a huge number of surfactants with different properties on the market and we invite you to get acquainted with the list of the best preparations that are used for spraying plants.

Corteva

A surfactant that increases coverage and uptake of herbicides in weed control. Vivolt surfactant helps to penetrate the cuticle and accelerate the entry of sulfonylurea herbicides into weeds. It can be mixed with almost all pesticides, but before use it is recommended to check the products in the tank mix for compatibility at a small dosage.

Skaba (Summit Agro)

Organo-silicone adjuvant to improve the properties and adhesion of fungicides, insecticides and herbicides on the plant. It increases the contact action of systemic insecticides, promotes better contact with preparations on plants with a wax coating or pubescence, helps the preparation not to be washed off for a long time and provide long-term protection. Also, the use of “adhesive” helps to reduce the amount of water used in the working solution by 30%.

Profi (Kisson)

Adhesive based on polysaccharides and polysiloxanes used in tank mixes with pesticides and foliar fertilizers. It helps to reduce the runoff of the working solution from the leaf surface and improves its penetration into the plant. It can be used on cereals, vegetables, berries and ornamental plants.

Silvet Gold (Arista)

Organo-silicone group surfactant for use as an adhesive in tank mixes with pesticides and fertilizers in crop treatment. It forms a uniform film on the leaves and in hard-to-reach parts of the plant. Sylvet Gold improves the wetting of the surface and the penetration of the working solution into the plant.

Trend 90 (FMC)

A popular plant ‘sticker’ that improves the ability of herbicides and other pesticides to stay on the plant for a long time and also increases the speed of application of the drug. Effectiveness Trend 90 is independent of water hardness and is safe for humans and animals.

Adyu (August)

Well-known “stick” for spraying plants, which holds well and evenly distributes the spray solution over the surface. It is especially effective when used with herbicides on weeds with a dense wax coating and pubescence, Adyu enhances the absorption of the drug.

Liposam (BTU-Center)

Biological “stick” for spraying plants, which is used with soil herbicides, for treating seeds and bulbs before planting, and for spraying on the leaves of plants. It creates a protective shield that retains moisture, but does not interfere with photosynthesis and plant respiration. Liposam promotes better absorption of nutrients by plant leaves.

Eco Oil Spray (Adama)

An effective “stick” for plants that enhances the activity of various preparations. It helps to increase the ability of pesticides to penetrate into plants, and also prevents washout after precipitation. The surfactant prevents the appearance of aphid eggs and mites. The peculiarity of Eco oil spray is that it envelops the body of the insect with a special layer, enters the trachea and leads to the death of the insect.

Tandem (Ukravit)

Surfactant that enhances the effect of pesticides and fertilizers. Its film protects plants from viral diseases, fungal infections and negative environmental influences.

Mero (Bayer)

Preparation based on rapeseed oil to enhance the absorption of the working solution by the leaves. It accelerates the action of fungicides, protects the plant from diseases and does not show phytotoxicity.

Macho (Simeiny Sad)

Plant surfactant used with plant protection products and fertilizers. It accelerates the penetration of drugs into the plant, and it also helps them stay on the plant for a long time.

The full range of adhesives can be found on the website of the Supermarket Seeds online store in section “Adhesives” .

“

Adhesives” for plants with their own hands

Adhesives
are part of most pesticides that are sold in stores. But
most gardeners do not use “chemistry” and process plants
folk recipes. Therefore, it is often used as an adhesive
laundry and liquid soap, which are added to herbal infusions or mixtures.
There are also other substances to improve attachment and penetration.
means in the fabric, and can also serve as a top dressing for plants. Below
consider the main adhesives of a biological nature that can be made
with your own hands.

Laundry soap

Bar soap as an adhesive has been used for a long time and not in vain, as it promotes better adhesion of plant protection products to plants, but also acts as an excellent remedy for pests such as aphids, thrips, etc.

For him
cooking, dilute 10-50 g of grated soap in 10 liters of working water
solution. To combat harmful insects, you need to increase the dose of soap to 50
g per 1 liter of liquid.

Since
soap has an alkaline reaction, do not increase the dosage, as it can
negatively affect the plant. It cannot be combined with pyrethroid
insecticides. Also, when combined with iron sulphate, soap precipitates.
and may clog the sprayer.

Liquid
soap

Toilet soap
liquid soap as a plant adhesive is used because of its ability to
reduce surface tension and help the working solution to be uniform
spread over the surface. Compared to laundry soap, liquid soap has
neutral pH, but fixes drugs on the leaf a little worse. In addition to liquid soap
shampoo or dishwashing detergent can be added to the working solution.

Norm
adding liquid soap – 2-3 tablespoons per 5 liters of working solution.

Laundry detergent

Economical
profitable do-it-yourself adhesive for plants,
which quickly dissolves, stably attaches to the plant and does not cause it
harm.

For 10 l
the working solution will require only 50 g of washing powder, this is an approximate
volume of a matchbox.

Acrylic
primer

More
one building material that can be used in the garden. Everyone knows that
it perfectly holds together the substances that are used for repairs, so that in
a certain ratio, it will be useful for growing plants. For
adhesive, it is not recommended to use a primer with
antifungal properties.

To
make adhesive mix 2-3 tablespoons of acrylic primer with 10 liters
water. Leave the mixture for 1 hour and then stir thoroughly again. Then
ready-made adhesive can be added to the working solution at a rate of not more than 5% of
total volume.

PVA

Adhesive
PVA is used as an adhesive for plants with its
hands.
It has a slightly acid solution reaction, therefore it mixes with most
plant protection products. But PVA glue is not recommended for mixing with
biopreparations, but only with chemical ones.

Solution
with PVA glue, prepare 4 hours before processing plants. For this, 2-3 tablespoons
spoons of glue are dissolved in 10 liters of water. The adhesive must be completely soluble in water and
not form flakes.

Food grade
gelatin

gelatin
or purified casein glue—that degradable spray adhesive you can make yourself. It remains on the plant even after
rain, has a neutral pH and is miscible with
all drugs and infusions. Also, casein glue is a protein
food for beneficial organisms. The disadvantage of gelatin is that it can
harden on plants at low humidity levels.

To use gelatin as an adhesive, dissolve 30-50 g of the powder in a small amount of cold water. After that, add water to the mark of 10 liters.

Potato starch

This
natural binder, which in its properties is similar to gelatin. He
also has a neutral pH and is compatible with all pesticides, including
including with biological products (trichoderma, hay bacillus). Starch does not form
too dense a film that allows the plant to breathe. It is also nutritious for
beneficial microorganisms.

For
to prepare the adhesive, mix 3 tablespoons of starch with 10 liters
water. But first, the starch is dissolved in a small amount of cold
water, and then – poured into boiling water. After the mixture turns into
gel-like mass, you can add water so that the total volume is 10 liters.

Oatmeal
decoction

More
one bioadhesive, which, in addition to fixing properties, contains a lot of macro- and
trace elements, vitamins and other useful substances that are good
plant food and beneficial bacteria. A decoction of oatmeal has
neutral reaction, therefore compatible with all plant protection products and
microfertilizers, which are applied “by leaf”.

For
preparation of 10 l of oatmeal adhesive, it is necessary to cook 100 g of flakes in 1
l of water until a homogeneous mass is formed. After that, strain the broth and add
water for a total volume of 10 liters.

Milk

This natural “adhesive”, which is still used for prevention
fungal diseases on plants.

To prepare a solution, milk or whey is diluted in a ratio of 1 to
1, and then added to the working solution.

Sugar

One of the easiest do-it-yourself plant spray adhesives that can be used in crop production. The downside to sugar is that it creates a sweet environment and can attract midges and other insects to feed on.

To
To prepare the adhesive, completely dissolve 100 g of sugar in 10 liters of water.

Flax

Seeds
flax, when wetted, emit a sticky and slippery gel, which will be excellent
environmentally friendly means.

For
preparation of adhesive 100 g of seeds, pour 1 liter of water and cook on a slow
heat until the solution becomes gel-like. Then strain the decoction and
add water to a total volume of 10 liters.

Share in the comments which surfactants you use to add to plant protection products.

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