Fungicidal composition and method

Abstract

An improved fungicidal and fungistatic composition has been achieved, which does not stain plants, has neither phytotoxic effect nor toxicity to animals at concentrations required for controlling fungi development, and is biodegradable in soil. The composition is a mixture of copper salt or hydroxide with an aliphatic amine or polyamine having at least 8 carbon atoms and 1 to 4 secondary or/and tertiary amine functions; the molecule of the amine contains a C.sub.4 to C.sub.18 alkyl attached to one nitrogen atom and at least one further heavy group, such as C.sub.4 to C.sub.18 alkyl or (CH.sub.2).sub.q --COOH (q being 1 to 3) attached to nitrogen atom or atoms of the amine. The composition contains a complex of copper with the amine. Preferably the presence of halogens, NO.sub.2 and SO.sub.3 in the cupric salt is avoided. The composition is effective against many species of fungi and particularly against oidium. Particularly active compositions contain quaternary ammonium compounds which act synergistically with the copper-amine combination.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.