CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[001 ] The present application claims the benefit of priority to US

Provisional Patent Application Serial Number 62534245, filed July 18, 2017, entitled "INSECTICIDES CONTAINING ALDEHYDES" The aforementioned application is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[002] The present invention generally relates to compositions for controlling insects and nematodes in plants and agricultural crops.

BACKGROUND ART

In the agricultural practice, synthetic and/or natural toxic agents are used to reduce the population of harmful pests, such as insects, bacteria, fungi and nematodes in crops. Common synthetic chemical agents employed in such practice are organo-phosphorous and carbamate compounds. The toxicity associated with such substances is often considered harmful to the environment and to the consumers of food products produced from the crops. To facilitate cultivation of crops and yet keep the harmful effect low, chemical agents having reduced toxicity and reduced persistence have been introduced to control pests. For example, the application of plant essential oils to combat beetles in packages of food products are disclosed in US patent application publication US 2003/0091661 A1 . More specifically, several secondary plant metabolites, which are also typically constituents of essential oils having a phenolic residue, have been shown to perform as pest controlling agents. GB patent application 2415381 A deals with the control of insects by vanillin solubiiized in water. GB patent application 071 1065.3 relates to compositions consisting of salicylaldehyde and other components that are effective together as nematode control agents. The present invention deals with the use of a combination of naturally in combination with other compounds as will be described further in the present disclosure. In a paper by Tan, T.C. et al. "Effectiveness of ascorbic acid and sodium metabisulfite as anti-browning agent and antioxidant on green coconut water (Cocos nucifera) subjected to elevated thermal processing" in International Food Research Journal 22(2): 631 -637 (2015). The results show that in conditions in which green coconut water turns brown and rancid. Ascorbic acid and/or sodium metabisulfite can reduce the negative effecy of the process considerably.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a diagram describing the semiquantitative effect of the Agent of the invention on gall abundance in the roots of cucumber plants.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, a mixture of two aldehydes in combination with sodium metabisulfite salt is prepared in water. In another aspect of the invention, a mixture of two aldehydes and two antioxidants is prepared in water. This mixture is used to mitigate insect attack notably thrips on plants. Combination A substance Amount in grams water 40.3

Sodium 5.57

metabisulfite

Citral 3.7

technical -KOH 0.6

Combination B

substance Amount in grams water 8.6

Sodium 2.50

metabisulfite

vanillin 2.0

monoethanolamine 0.14

Combination C

substance Amount in grams water 40.3

Sodium 5.57

metabisulfite

Ascorbic acid 3.7

Monoethanolamine 0.6

KOH -technical 0.6 Each of the combinations above was thoroughly mixed by stirring for several hours and filtered as further described below. Then, a mixture of all the above combinations was prepared with the ratios as follows.

Final combined mixture

The final combined mixture was thoroughly mixed (for about three hours) and later filtered through a paper filter Macherey Nagel MN 615. The filtrate, clear and non tinted (or slightly yellow tinted) solution was used further for experimentation. This filtrate is referred to hereinafter as the functional solution or as Agent. In the graphs it will be referred to as the Agent.

The functional solution was supplied for treating nematode to the root zone via drip irrigating. The administration of the functional solution via spraying demonstrated some control over some insects, as will be described below. It was found that in addition to the insect control, the administration of the functional solution had some control effects on nematodes (when supplied via drip irrigating). Additionally, some effects were observed and measured with regards to several biologic parameters having agronomic value on crops.

ANTI NEMATODE EFFECT

Cucumbers were planted at screen covered green- house environment, in plots including two parallel rows in untreated soil. The statistical base plan was of randomized blocks with four repetitions for each trial, In each of the experiments to be described below. The application of test material was carried out first at time of planting and then three consecutive applications were carried out every ten days.

Assessments of gall abundance were made two weeks after the last treatment and also four weeks after, (graph 1 ). As will be described with reference to the histograms in the figure. The galling index is related to in Fig. 1. The measurements (visual evaluation) show that Vydate is most influential of the treatments and is significantly different than the control. The treatment of 20 litres\Hectare Agent was close but did not differ statistically than either untreated control or Vydate.

ANTI INSECT EFFECT

Cucumber trial (thrips)

Trial was conducted in a commercial greenhouse. At 4 repeats, 15 m ² each. In randomized blocks.

Spray was applied by a backpack sprayer (spray volume: 500L/Ha)

Data collection, number of individual thrips on 10 random leaves for each repetition.

Cauliflower trial (thrips)

Trial was conducted in a commercial cauliflower field (Variety: White Corona). Spray was applied by a backpack sprayer (spray volume: 500L/Ha) in two consecutive applications with a 1 week interval between applications.

Trial design: 4 repeats, 15 m ² each. Randomized blocks. Data collection method: number of individual thrips, on 10 leaves per repetition ( all leaves were taken from the 3rd whorls in the plants)

Cauliflower trial (whitefly)

The trial was conducted in a commercial cauliflower field (Variety: White Corona).

Spray was applied by a backpack sprayer (spray volume: 500L/Ha) in two consecutive applications with a 1 week interval between applications. Trial design: 4 repeats, 15 m ² each. Randomized blocks. Data collection method: number of individual whiteflie crawlers on 10 leaves per repetition ( all leaves were taken from the 3rd whorls in the plants) Guava aphids observation The trial was conducted in a commercial guava grove.

Spray was applied by a hand-pressed sprayer to branch-tips with green aphids. Design: 6 branches in 2-3 trees per treatment. Randomized Data collection was implemented by measuring aphid coverage (0= no live aphids' 10= whole branch tip covered by live aphids)

Pest Crop dose concentration %

(L/ha) (%) mortality

as

compared

to

untreated

control tobacco cucumber 2 60%

thrips tobacco

thrips cauliflower 2 53%

Whitefly cauliflower 4 70% aphids Guava 0.5 62%