Multiplex Group of Companies

MULTIPLEX MAANAS is a dependable spray oil base optimally balances pesticidal strength with low phytotoxicity. Its predominantly paraffinic structure – about 70% paraffinic carbons – further enhances pesticidal activity. Multiplex Maanas poses little or no hazards to people or animals and when used properly, it has minimal effect on beneficial insects. It is a multi-functional pesticide and spray adjuvant is attributable to a unique combination of physical properties including:

Low volatility, for longer adherence to leaf surfaces and minimal drift in aerial applications;
Low surface tension, for better surface coverage and easier atomization;
Low water solubility, to resist rain washoff.

MULTIPLEX MAANAS kills specific insects in various stages of their cycles by hypoxia, or suffocation. Insects cannot develop resistance to this physical mode of death; thus, there is no possibility of a resurgence of immune insect strains.

MULTIPLEX MAANAS meets stringent specifications worldwide for agricultural oils of its type, including Texas Grapefruit; California NR 440; Florida FC 435; Australian standard C-23 NR; and Japanese Summer Oil, 98% type, 70 sec.

MULTIPLEX MAANAS COMBINES HIGH PESTICIDAL STRENGHT AND LOW PHYTOTOXICITY

Multiplex Maanas has been carefully designed to provide an optimal balance of pesticidal effectiveness and low phytotoxicity (harmfulness to plants). Pesticidal efficiency and phytotoxicity tend to increase with higher molecular weight. Moreover, too low a molecular weight can be phytotoxic as well. Research has shown that the C20 – C26 carbon number range provides the optimal balance of high pesticidal potency and minimal phytotoxicity.( Figure shows the correlation between weight and pesticidal efficiency).Thus, the carbon number distribution of MULTIPLEX MAANAS, as determined in high-resolution gas-liquid chromatography, is carefully controlled in that range, with the median at C23. This controlled molecular weight means MULTIPLEX MAANAS, has the right volatility to assure effective pest control without harm to plants. This pesticidal effectiveness is further enhanced by the high paraffinicity of MULTIPLEX MAANAS (about 70% paraffinic hydrocarbons by ASTM D 3238).

Additionally, research has shown that phytotoxicity increases when unsulfonated residues are below 90%. MULTIPLEX MAANAS has a minimum unsulfonated residue content of 92%, which further assures low toxicity to crops.

APPLICATIONS

SCALE AND MITE CONTROL

MULTIPLEX MAANAS	MULTIPLEX MAANAS

Used Alone	Used as Spray Adjuvant
Scale and mite control	Insect and mite control
Disease control	Disease control Weed control

ADVANTAGES OF MULTIPLEX MAANAS

	Low toxicity: safe for crops, people, animals

	Effective against various life stages of target pests

	Does not cause resistant insect strains

	Minimal adverse effects on natural control agents

MULTIPLEX MAANAS is a powerful control agent for scale and mites on deciduous and citrus fruit trees, nut trees (coconut mites) and ornamentals. Extensive monitoring of tree growth, fruit yield and fruit quality over many years has proven this product to be safe for tree crops when applied according to recommended practices. Additionally, MULTIPLEX MAANAS poses a very low inhalation hazard.

Major Tool in Integrated Pest Management

As petroleum oil, MULTIPLEX MAANAS offers important advantages in integrated pest management programs, where biological controls are inadequate. Unlike chemical pesticides, MULTIPLEX MAANAS does not poison insects. Instead, it impedes the respiratory processes of eggs, larvae and other insect life forms, causing hypoxia, i.e. suffocation. The great advantage of this physical mechanism is that insect cannot develop resistance to it. However, MULTIPLEX MAANAS has no adverse impact on desirable natural parasites and predators.

MULTIPLEX MAANAS also serves as a multi-functional spray adjuvant, acting as a low-volatility carrier, spreader, and sticker for growth regulators and other biological agents used in integrated pest management systems.

DISEASES CONTROL

ADVANTAGE OF MULTIPLEX MAANAS

	Fungistatic action prevents fungal entry

	Is not detrimental to normal leaf functions

	Does not translocate from the leaf

	Does not leaver long- term residue

MULTIPLEX MAANAS has been proven effective in preventing certain fungus diseases in citrus and other crops, and Sigatoga disease in bananas. Two key properties that ideally suit MULTIPLEX MAANAS for controlling such diseases are its low surface tension, which provides maximum leaf coverage, and its low volatility, which provides adequate residence time.

Fungistatic Control

MULTIPLEX MAANAS is not a conventional fungicide. Technically, it is a fungistat, i.e. it prevents disease by physical mechanisms – in this case by providing a protective barrier that prevents fungus from entering. However, because of its unique composition, MULTIPLEX MAANAS does not interfere with plant respiration, it does not penetrate the inner tissue and its residue is indistinguishable from the plant’s waxy layer.

The same properties that make ,MULTIPLEX MAANAS so effective by itself – i.e. spreadability and low volatility- make it an excellent carrier for other fungicides. Used in this way, MULTIPLEX MAANAS enhances the efficiency of the active ingredient, providing a very high benefit-to-cost ratio.

INSECT CONTROL IN SPRAY ADJUVANT FORMULATIONS

Advantages of MULTIPLEX MAANAS

	Acts as a sticker and spreader

	Holds pesticide on leaf surface

	Resists weathering

	Enhances pesticide absorption by insect

	Low-volume, ultra-low-volume carrier

In addition to its insecticidal qualities, MULTIPLEX MAANAS is an excellent multi-functional spray adjuvant, whose special properties enhance the biological activity of many insecticides, as well as herbicides and fungicides. Compared with vegetable oil adjuvants, MULTIPLEX MAANAS has better insecticidal efficiency, superior flow properties and fewer field handling problems.

When used with recommended concentrations of chemical pesticides, MULTIPLEX MAANAS - based adjuvants facilitate the spread of the insecticide over the leaf surface, help keep the insecticide on the leaf surface and accelerate the insect’s absorption of the insecticide by modifying the insect’s protective cuticle.

Excellent Carrier

Because of this low volatility MULTIPLEX MAANAS is as excellent carrier for low-volume (LV) and ultra-low-volume (ULV) applications of pesticides. It is effective at 2-4 1/ha (1-2 qt. / acre) in the field. Thus, no water is required where equipment capable of spraying these low volumes is available.

WEED CONTROL IN SPRAY ADJUVANT FORMULATIONS

Advantage of MULTIPLEX MAANAS

	Improves surface coverage

	Improves surface coverage

	Enhances penetration

	Resists weathering, including rain wash off

	Leaves little or no residue on edible crop

MULTIPLEX MAANAS can be applied as a water-based emulsion. However, tests have shown that the spreadability of a droplet on the leaf surface is enhanced when paraffinic oil is applied without water. This is largely due to the attraction between lipids, in this case, the paraffinic oil and the waxy cuticle of the leaf.

MULTIPLEX MAANAS Effective with wide Range of Herbicides

MULTIPLEX MAANAS has been used effectively with the following herbicides:

2,4-D Amine	Glyphosate

Alachlor	Haloxyfop

Atrazine	Linuron

Bentazon	Metribuzin

Cloroxydim	Paraquat

Dalapon	Propanil

Fluazifop	Sethoxydim

Fluometuron	Quizalofop

ADJUVANT – A material added to a pesticide formulation that enhances the performance of the active ingredient. An adjuvant can improve pesticide effectiveness in a variety of ways, for example, by: reducing surfaces tension, which permits finer droplet size and better surface coverage; reducing volatility, which minimizes evaporation to control spray drift and provide adequate surface residence time; lowering water solubility to resist rain wash off and weathering; and modifying plant or insect surfaces to improve pesticide uptake.

FUNGISTAT – A substance that prevents the growth or development of a fungus. A fungistat differs from a fungicide in that it does not directly destroy the fungus. Rather, it prevents the entry of a fungus in to the plant or modifies the plant’s physiology to minimize fungal growth.