Pesticide Formulation Types Explained and Complete Comparison Table

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Pesticide formulations

The vast majority of technical materials produced by pesticide factories cannot be used directly on crops without processing. This is because the amount of active ingredient applied per hectare is very small, often only a few hundred grams, a few dozen grams, or even less than 10 grams. Without dilution, it would be impossible to spread such a small amount of pesticide evenly over such a large area, and therefore the pesticide could not fully perform its function. When using pesticides, it is also required that they adhere to crops, insect bodies, or weeds, so some other auxiliary materials must be added to improve their wetting and adhesion properties. In addition, pesticide processing can also extend the residual effectiveness period of pesticides or process highly toxic pesticides into safe formulations for use. In short, in order to use pesticides safely, economically, and effectively, technical materials must be processed into suitable preparations. The name of a pesticide preparation usually includes 3 parts, namely the active ingredient content, the pesticide name, and the formulation type, such as 2.5% deltamethrin emulsifiable concentrate, 50% procymidone wettable powder, 2.5% chlorothalonil smoke generator, etc. A formulation type is actually a morphological characteristic of a preparation, and the main types are as follows:

(1) Dustable powder (DP) Dustable powder is usually made from technical material, filler (or carrier), and a small amount of other adjuvants (such as dispersants, anti-decomposition agents, etc.) by mixing and grinding to a certain fineness. The active ingredient content in dustable powder is usually below 10%. It generally does not need dilution and is applied directly as dust, and can also be used for seed dressing, preparing poison bait or poisoned soil, etc.

(2) Wettable powder (WP) This is a powdery substance that is easily wetted by water and can be suspended and dispersed in water. It is usually made from technical material, filler or carrier, wetting agent, dispersant, and other adjuvants by mixing and grinding to a certain fineness. Wettable powder is generally diluted with water to a certain concentration and then sprayed. Its active ingredient content is usually 10%-50%, and some varieties are as high as more than 80%.

(3) Soluble powder (SP) is a powdery formulation composed of water-soluble technical material, filler, wetting and spreading agent, and other adjuvants. Soluble powder can be directly diluted with water and then sprayed. The active ingredient content is usually above 50%, and some are as high as 90%.

(4) Granule A loose granular formulation made from technical material, carrier, and other adjuvants through mixing and granulation. It is generally applied directly, and its active ingredient content is usually 1%-20%.

(5) Water dispersible granule (WDG or WG) Composed of technical material, filler or carrier, wetting agent, dispersant, stabilizer, adhesive, and other adjuvants. When used, water dispersible granules are added to water, and the formulation quickly disintegrates and disperses to form a suspension. After dilution to a certain concentration, it is sprayed. Its active ingredient content is usually above 70%.

(6) Emulsifiable concentrate (EC) is a homogeneous transparent solution formed by dissolving technical material, emulsifier, and other adjuvants in an organic solvent. Its active ingredient content is usually between 20%-50%, but there are also varieties as low as 1% and as high as 90%. After dilution with water, it forms a stable emulsion for spraying.

(7) Emulsion in water and microemulsion (ME) Both of these formulation types are made from water-insoluble technical material, emulsifier, dispersant, stabilizer, antifreeze, and water as raw materials through a homogenization process, generally without or with a small amount of organic solvent. The particle size of concentrated emulsion is mostly between 0.5-1 μm, and its appearance is milky white; it is a thermodynamically unstable system, while the particle size of microemulsion is mostly between 0.01-0.1 μm, and its appearance is a transparent homogeneous liquid; it is a thermodynamically stable system. The active ingredient content of emulsion in water is usually between 20-50%, and the active ingredient content of microemulsion is usually between 5-50%. After dilution with water to a certain concentration, it is used for spraying.

(8) Aqueous suspension concentrate (SC) A flowable formulation made by adding water-insoluble solid technical material, wetting agent, dispersant, thickener, antifreeze, and other adjuvants, then grinding and dispersing them in water. Its active ingredient content is usually about 40%-60%. When used, it is diluted with water to a certain concentration to form a suspension for spraying.

(9) Oil solution (OS) is an oil solution formulation of pesticides, and some varieties contain cosolvents or stabilizers. The active ingredient content of oil solution is generally 20-50%. When used, it does not need dilution and is sprayed with ultra-low-volume spraying equipment.

(10) Smoke generator A smoke generator is made from technical material, fuel, combustion-supporting agent, flame retardant, etc. mixed in a certain proportion and processed into a powder or cake. After ignition, there is no open flame, and the pesticide, after being heated and vaporized, can condense into fine particles (smoke) in the air.

(11) Seed dressing agent Seed dressing agent is a special formulation formed by adding a certain amount of adhesive and film-forming agent on the basis of formulations such as suspension concentrate, wettable powder, and emulsifiable concentrate. After treating seeds with seed dressing agent, a firm medicinal film forms on the seed surface..

(12) Controlled release formulation (CRF) A pesticide formulation that can control the slow release of the active ingredient from the preparation. The most widely used is microcapsule formulation, in which liquid or solid pesticides are encapsulated in capsules with a particle size of 30-50 μm. When used, the pesticide is slowly released through the capsule wall to exert its biological effect.

In addition, there are also formulation types such as aqueous solutions, aerosols, smearing agents, poison baits, pastes, and creams..

Wettable powder - WP: When using, first add a small amount of wettable powder, add the pesticide while stirring, and do not add too much pesticide at one time to avoid uneven stirring. Pour the prepared mother liquor into the sprayer tank already half-filled with water, then fill with water, stir evenly, and spray. Soluble powder - SP: Can be dissolved in water to prepare an aqueous solution for spraying. Emulsifiable concentrate - EC: Made by dissolving and mixing pesticide technical material, solvent, and emulsifier. After entering water, it can disperse into an oily homogeneous liquid pesticide formulation forming an emulsion. Water dispersible granule - WDG: A granular formulation that can rapidly disintegrate and disperse after entering water to form a suspension. Dry flowable - DF: Dry flowable is composed of active ingredients and various additives, and has the same characteristics and advantages as suspension concentrate. The difference is that it is dry and granular, complicated to manufacture, higher in cost, and more convenient to use. Stock emulsions are formulations prepared by mixing liquid or solvent to obtain tiny droplets of liquid pesticide technical material dispersed in water. Unlike emulsifiable concentrate, which forms an emulsion after dilution with water, it is a concentrated solution of an emulsion. Suspension concentrates are high-depth viscous formulations in which solid technical material is dispersed and suspended in an aqueous medium containing various adjuvants and which can flow. Aqueous solutions are aqueous solution formulations of pesticide technical material, true solutions in which the pesticide is dispersed in water in molecular or ionic form. The pesticide concentration depends on the water solubility of the active ingredient, and it is generally diluted with water when used.

Also attached are pesticide formulation abbreviations

Pesticide formulation abbreviations

English abbreviations for pesticide formulations

TC Technical material TK Technical concentrate DS Dry seed treatment FS Suspension concentrate for seed treatment

SD Seed dressing WS Water dispersible powder for slurry seed treatment AS Aqueous solution CS Capsule suspension

DC Dispersible concentrate EC Emulsifiable concentrate ME Micro-emulsion OL Oil miscible liquid

SC Suspension concentrate SE Suspo-emulsion SL Soluble concentrate UL Ultra-low volume liquid

CG Capsule granule DF Dry flowable DP Dustable powder FG Fine granule

GR Granule MG Microgranule SG Soluble granule SP Water-soluble powder

WG Water dispersible granule WP Wettable powder WT Wettable tablet MC Mosquito coil

VP Vapour releasing product FU Smoke generator BR Slow release agent