Enhancing Crop Protection Performance Through Smarter Adjuvant Design
How Syensqo’s Antarox® LF range helps formulators improve bioefficacy while supporting lower-dose, more sustainable crop protection
The global crop protection market is evolving quickly. Growers need reliable performance in the field, while formulators are facing increasing pressure to reduce active ingredient dose rates and limit environmental impact. In this context, formulation design has become a key factor in achieving strong biological efficacy.
One recurring challenge for agrochemical formulators is ensuring that the active ingredient reaches, spreads, and remains on the leaf surface long enough to deliver its full potential. Poor wetting, limited droplet spreading, excessive run-off, and insufficient spray retention can all reduce the performance of crop protection products, especially when lower application doses are targeted.
This is where built-in adjuvant technology can make a significant difference.
The challenge: improving efficacy without increasing active ingredient dose
In foliar crop protection, the active ingredient is only part of the story. Its performance depends strongly on how well the formulation behaves during application and once it reaches the plant surface.
For formulators, several technical questions are critical:
- Can the spray droplets spread efficiently on difficult-to-wet leaves?
- Can the formulation improve retention on the plant surface?
- Can the formulation favor foliar uptake of the active ingredient ?
- Can it help increase biological efficacy at reduced application rates?
- Can it remain compatible with different active ingredients and formulation types?
The document highlights that non-ionic surfactants used as built-in adjuvants play a central role in:
- Reducing surface tension
- Promoting droplet wetting
- Improving spreading on foliar surfaces
- Supporting spray retention
- Contributing to active ingredient bioavailability in the spray deposit
- Supporting cuticular penetration
A smart built-in adjuvant approach from Syensqo
Syensqo, a trusted Azelis partner in the Agro market, has developed the Antarox® LF range, a series of 2-ethylhexyl alkoxylate adjuvants designed to help formulators address diverse crop protection formulation challenges.
The Antarox® LF range includes grades with different hydrophilic-lipophilic balance values, making it suitable for a broad range of formulation systems and active ingredient profiles.
Depending on the selected grade, formulators can target solutions for:
- Solvent-based systems
- Oil-based systems
- Aqueous formulations
- Lipophilic active ingredients
- Hydrophilic active ingredients
- Herbicide and fungicide applications
This gives formulators a flexible toolbox to tailor the adjuvant system to the formulation type, the active ingredient, and the targeted biological performance.
Helping droplets spread where performance starts
One of the most important benefits of the Antarox® LF range is its ability to improve spray behavior on foliar surfaces.
The document shows that dynamic surface tension values below 45 mN/m are typically achieved by the Antarox® LF range. Low dynamic surface tension is associated with:
- Rapid interfacial adsorption
- Efficient wetting
- Improved droplet spreading
- Strong spray retention characteristics
Depending on the selected grade, formulators can also target low to moderate foam profiles, which is important for practical handling and application.
In tests with imazamox SL formulations, the addition of Antarox® LF 145 or Antarox® LF 165 reduced the contact angle by around 30° compared with the formulation without adjuvant. This indicates improved droplet spreadability and potentially better spray retention on moderately hydrophobic, wax-coated leaf surfaces.
For customers, this means the formulation is better equipped to deliver active ingredient performance where it matters most: on the plant surface.
Demonstrated performance in herbicide formulations
The document presents greenhouse testing on imazamox SL herbicide formulations, evaluated on weed species including:
- Lamb’s quarters
- Green foxtail
- Shepherd’s purse
The results showed that, in the evaluated SL imazamox systems, biological efficacy against lamb’s quarters was significantly enhanced with Antarox® LF 145 or Antarox® LF 165 at the tested application rate. Antarox® LF 165 also provided the highest efficacy on shepherd’s purse and green foxtail.
This demonstrates how the right built-in adjuvant can help formulators unlock stronger herbicide performance by improving spray behavior and active ingredient delivery.
Supporting fungicide efficacy at low dose rates
The same problem-solving approach is also relevant for fungicide systems.
The document includes a case study on an EC formulation combining bixafen and prothioconazole. At a low application dose, the addition of Antarox® LF 825 demonstrated strong performance, achieving a twofold increase in biological efficacy compared with the formulation without adjuvant.
This is especially relevant for formulators looking to maintain or improve crop protection performance while supporting more efficient use of active ingredients.
A formulation toolbox for more sustainable crop protection
Today’s customers are looking for crop protection solutions that combine efficacy, reliability, and improved environmental profiles. Built-in adjuvant design can help address these expectations by improving the biological performance of agrochemical formulations and supporting active ingredient dose optimization.
The Antarox® LF range helps formulators by offering:
- Improved wetting and spreading on leaf surfaces
- Enhanced droplet spreadability and spray retention potential
- Compatibility with different formulation types and active ingredient profiles
- Low to moderate foam options depending on the selected grade
- Strong performance in both herbicide and fungicide systems
- A flexible platform for next-generation crop protection development
By selecting the right Antarox® LF grade, formulators can adapt performance to specific actives, formulation systems, and target applications.
Partnering with Syensqo and Azelis
At Azelis, we are proud to work with trusted partners like Syensqo to bring advanced formulation technologies to the Agro market.
With Syensqo’s expertise in adjuvant chemistry and Azelis’ market knowledge, technical support, and formulation capabilities, customers can develop crop protection solutions that are more efficient, reliable, and aligned with the needs of modern agriculture.
Whether the challenge is:
- Improving herbicide performance
- Optimizing fungicide efficacy
- Enhancing spray retention
- Supporting lower-dose crop protection strategies
Syensqo’s Antarox® LF range offers a smart and versatile approach for formulation innovation.
For formulators seeking to improve bioefficacy through advanced built-in adjuvant design, Antarox® LF provides a strong platform to turn formulation complexity into field performance.
Read the original Syensqo AgroPages article here: