The Netherlands
March 16, 2016

It sounds too good to be true: the release of an active ingredient just at the time it is needed. Investigators and formulators are trying to approach this ideal ever closer. Adjuvants & Formulations reports about the most interesting findings. A literature and patent scan completes this survey.

Scientists are working on ‘intelligent’ delivery systems that release their content in response to an external stimulus. Seed scientists have for instance developed a thermo-responsive seed coating for maize. This seed coating releases a stress-reducing compound below a temperature of 12 °C, thus when maize seedlings are under cold stress. Such triggered-release formulations attract considerable attention, Adjuvants & Formulations concludes from a study covering recently published reports and patent applications. Results of this comprehensive study are reported in a just published special issue that can be purchased and downloaded via the website.

Learning from medicine
Triggered release is a sophisticated form of sustained release, slow release or controlled release. The trigger may vary, but the aim is always the same: tailoring the release of the active ingredient or nutrient to the need of that moment. In ordinary controlled release formulations, the release is also affected by pH, temperature and/or other environmental factors. But then, the release is not purposefully adjusted to a specific trigger.
Stimuli-responsive drug release systems are often leads for formulators of plant protection products. Scientists working in medicine have already developed many experimental stimuli-responsive systems that release their payload at specific target tissues. Researchers in the field of agrochemistry let themselves often inspire by the achievements in medicine. The yield is dozens of experimental stimuli-responsive formulations: photoresponsive herbicide formulations, pH-responsive insecticides and fertilisers, an enzyme-responsive bactericide and even a herbicide formulation that releases its active ingredient only inside weeds.

Other patent news
Adjuvants & Formulations – former Adjuvant Newsletter – is a bimonthly newsletter for agchem specialists. Started in 2004, this digital newsletter is well-established as special interest medium for formulators and adjuvant specialists who want to follow the developments in their field. Furthermore Adjuvants & Formulations presents in every issue an overview of the recent patent literature. In the just distributed January/February issue, the newsletter published new patent applications covering novel agrochemical compositions and adjuvants to improve the performance of agchem products.

Website: http://www.surfaplus.com

Published: March 17, 2016