0001 The present invention relates to aqueous phytopathological formulations comprising at least one aminophosphate or aminophosphonate type herbicide and at least one betaine type principal surfactant associated with one or more particular additives. 0002 Among the various normal presentations of phytopathological formulations that can be cited are concentrated aqueous formulations which are diluted by the user prior to applying them to the plants to be treated. 0003 In addition to the active ingredient or ingredients, such aqueous formulations comprise additives known as biological activators the role of which is to increase the efficacy of the herbicide, for example by encouraging wetting of the plant by that active ingredient or by encouraging penetration into the plant. 0004 Particularly regarding aqueous commercial formulations comprising active ingredients of the amino acid type cited above, one of the most frequently used biological activators is an ethoxylated amine. 0005 The presence of these amines considerably strengthens the biological activity of the herbicide, most probably by activating diffusion of the herbicide through the cuticular barrier of the plant. 0006 The major disadvantage with ethoxylated amine compounds is their chemical toxicity. They are irritants and are only slightly biodegradable. Further, they are highly ecotoxic, more particularly towards aquatic plant organisms (algae) or aquatic animals (insects, batrachia) even at low concentrations. 0007 The ever more serious view taken of these different problems has led to a search for phytopathological compounds, preferably hydrosoluble phytopathological compounds, with a biological activity that is comparable to current formulations and with substantially reduced toxicity and ecotoxicity. 0008 Thus, the present invention aims to provide novel aqueous phytopathological formulations comprising at least one active ingredient, more particular a herbicide of the aminophosphate or aminophosphonate type, with a proportion of ethoxylated amine with respect to the herbicide that is lower than in the normal formulations, or even free of such amines, while retaining an activity that is at least equal to said formulations. 0009 These and other aims are accomplished by the present invention which thus concerns aqueous phytopathological formulations comprising a hydrosoluble salt of at least one aminophosphate or aminophosphonate type herbicide; at least one principal surfactant selected from alkylbetaines and alkyl(amidoalkyl)betaines, and at least one additive selected from at least one of the following compounds: 0010 (i) amines or etheramines comprising at least one hydrocarbon radical containing 2 to 24 carbon atoms, optionally polyalkoxylated; 0011 (ii) acid or non acid phosphate mono- or di-esters, optionally polyalkoxylated; 0012 (iii) alkali metal, alkaline-earth metal, ammonium, alkylammonium, alkanolammonium, iron, zinc or manganese salts of a mineral acid. 0013 The particular choice of principal surfactant combined with at least one of the additives listed above can produce phytopathological formulations with a reduced ethoxylated amine content, or even formulations that are free of this type of compound while retaining a level of efficacy that is at least as good as that achieved with commercially available formulations. 0014 The consequences of this reduction in the amount of ethoxylated amine are to be found in the significant reduction in the toxicity of the final formulation itself. These characteristics are still further improved when the formulation is free of that amine. 0015 Further, the formulation of the invention is stable on storage and does not cause problems during use. No gel appears, nor does the viscosity increase greatly during dilution prior to application. 0016 Other advantages and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and examples. 0017 As indicated above, the formulation of the invention comprises, as an active ingredient, a hydrosoluble salt of at least one herbicide of the aminophosphate or aminophosphonate type. 0018 Preferably, the formulations of the invention comprise at least one hydrosoluble salt of N-phosphonomethyl glycine. 0019 The term glyphosate will be used below to define hydrosoluble salts of N-phosphonomethyl glycine. 0020 Suitable salts that can more particularly be cited are the salts of alkali metals such as sodium or potassium; ammonium salts of the N(R)4 type in which radicals R, which may be identical or different, represent a hydrogen atom or a linear or non linear, saturated or unsaturated C1-C6 hydrocarbon radical that may be substituted by a hydroxyl group; or sulphonium salts; said salts being present alone or in a combination. 0021 Ammonium salts that can in particular be cited include secondary or primary amines such as isopropylamine, dimethylamine, diamines such as ethylenediamine, or alkanolamines such as monoethanolamine. Trimethylsulphonium is a perfectly suitable sulphonium salt. 0022 Preferred glyphosate derivatives for herbicidal application that can be cited are isopropylamine, the monoethanolamine salt and the trimethylsulphonium salt. 0023 Advantageously, the herbicide content of the aqueous formulations of the invention is in the range 80 to 510 g/l expressed in acid herbicide equivalents. 0024 In accordance with one essential feature of the invention, the aqueous formulations comprises at least one principal surfactant selected from alkylbetaines and alkyl(amidoalkyl)betaines. 0025 Preferably, the principal surfactant corresponds to one or more of the following formulae: 1

0026 in which formulae: 0027 R1 represents a linear or branched alkyl group containing 3 to 30 carbon atoms, preferably 3 to 20 carbon atoms, such as propyl, dodecyl, hexadecyl or an alkamide group, such as dodecanamide; 0028 R2, which may or may not be identical, represent an alkyl radical, preferably a methyl radical; 0029 R3 represents a hydrogen atom or a CH2COOM radical or an alkyl radical; 0030 M represents an alkali metal, preferably sodium. 0031 Said compounds, which can be used in the invention as principal surfactants, are commercially available products and are sold by Rhodia Chimie under the trade names Mirataine and Wettem. Advantageously, said commercially available products can be used as they are, without undergoing an initial treatment to reduce the amount of salt, for example (sodium chloride in particular). 0032 The amount of principal surfactant in the phytopathological formulation of the invention is advantageously in the range 20 to 180 g/l. 0033 In addition to the principal surfactant, the phytopathological formulations of the invention comprise at least one additive selected from at least one of the following compounds: 0034 (i) amines or etheramines comprising at least one hydrocarbon radical containing 2 to 24 carbon atoms, optionally polyalkoxylated; 0035 (ii) acid or non acid mono- and di-ester phosphates, optionally polyalkoxylated; 0036 (iii) alkali metal, alkaline-earth metal, ammonium, alkylammonium, alkanolammonium, iron, zinc or manganese salts of a mineral acid. 0037 In accordance with a first possibility, compounds (i) are more particularly selected from amines comprising at least one linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated radical containing 2 to 24 carbon atoms, preferably 8 to 18 carbon atoms, optionally comprising 2 to 30 oxyalkylene motifs, preferably oxyethylene, or a mixture of a plurality thereof. 0038 In accordance with a second possibility, compounds (i) are selected from etheramines comprising at least one linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated radical containing 6 to 24 carbon atoms, preferably 8 to 20 carbon atoms, optionally comprising 2 to 30 oxyalkylene motifs, preferably oxyethylene, or a mixture of a plurality thereof. More particularly, the etheramines correspond to the following formula: 2

0039 in which formula R represents a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon radical containing 6 to 24 carbon atoms, preferably 8 to 20 carbon atoms; OA, which may or may not be identical from one motif to another and from one branch to another, represent an oxyethylene motif, preferably oxypropylene; and n, n, which may or may not be identical, represent a mean number in the range 1 to 30. 0040 Examples of such amines that can be cited are amines derived from copra and containing 5 oxyethylene (OE) motifs, oleic amines containing 5 OE, amines derived from tallow containing 10 OE, etheramines corresponding to the above formula, in which radical R is an alkyl radical containing 12 to 15 carbon atoms, the number of OE motifs being in the range 20 to 30. 0041 It should be noted that highly advantageously, the amount of compounds (i) represents 0 to 120 g/l of the formulation. In a particular implementation of the invention, the amount of this type of compound is in the range 0 to 60 g/l. Preferably, the phytopathological formulations are free of them. 0042 Turning now to compounds (ii), these are preferably selected from acid or non acid phosphate mono- or di-esters, optionally polyalkoxylated, with formula (II) below:

(AO)3-mP(O)(OM)m

0043 in which: 0044 A, which may or may not be identical, represent a group R1O(CH2CHR2O) in which: 0045 R1, which may or may not be identical, represent a linear or non linear, saturated or unsaturated C6-C20 hydrocarbon radical, preferably C8-C18; 0046 R2, which may or may not be identical, represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl or ethyl radical, preferably a hydrogen atom; 0047 n is a mean number of motifs in the range 0 to 10, preferably in the range 2 to 10; 0048 M, which may or may not be identical, represent a hydrogen atom, an alkali or alkaline-earth metal, a N(R3)4 type radical in which radicals R3, which may or may not be identical, represent a hydrogen atom or a linear or non linear, saturated or unsaturated C1-C6 hydrocarbon radical optionally substituted with a hydroxyl group; 0049 m is a whole number in the range 1 to 2. 0050 It should be noted that compound (ii) can be in the form of a monoester, a diester, or a mixture of these two esters. 0051 Further, the amount of compound (ii), if present in the formulation of the invention, is in the range 0 to 120 g/l. 0052 Compound (iii) is advantageously selected from alkali metal or alkaline-earth metal, ammonium, or linear or non linear, saturated or unsaturated C1-C6 alkylammorium or alkanolammonium sulphates, nitrates or phosphates; or from iron, zinc or manganese sulphates, used alone or as a mixture. 0053 Finally, the amount of compound (iii) in the formulations, if present, is more particularly in the range 0 to 200 g/l. 0054 In accordance with a preferred characteristic of the invention, the proportion by weight of principal surfactant/sum of additives (i) to (iii) is in the range 6/1 to 1/2. 0055 Further, in one implementation of the invention, the total amount of principal surfactant and additive(s) represents 60 to 180 g/l of the formulation. 0056 The formulations can also comprise additives that are conventional in the field such as anti-foaming agents, for example organopolysiloxanes; or thickening agents such as xanthan gum type polysaccharides, alginates, carboxylated or hydroxylated methylcelluloses, synthetic macromolecules of the polyacrylate, polymaleate, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethylene glycol or polyvinyl alcohol type, or of the inorganic type such as bentonites. 0057 The formulation can also comprise auxiliary additives such as antioxidants, anti-UV agents, colorants, etc. 0058 The amount of these additives listed above is normally less than 10% by weight, preferably 1% by weight or less, advantageously 0.1% by weight or less compared with the composition weight. 0059 The compositions of the invention can be prepared by mixing their different constituents with moderate stirring. 0060 This operation preferably takes place at a temperature in the range 15 C. to 60 C., preferably at a temperature close to ambient temperature (15-30 C.). 0061 Usually, the principal surfactant is preferably only added once the other constituents have been mixed. 0062 The phytopathological formulations of the invention are thus used to treat plants, normally after diluting with water. 0063 Non-limiting examples of the invention will now be described.

EXAMPLE 1 0064 A mixture with the following composition was prepared in water: 1*glycosphosate isopropylamine salt (46% acid)360 g/l*Mirataine D40(*)80 g/l*Geronol CF/AR (**)20 g/l*oleic amine containing 5 OE motifs20 g/l(*)Mirataine D40 (sold by Rhodia Chimie): lauryldimethylbetaine. (**)Feronol CF/AR (sold by Rhodia Geronazzo) is a mixture of mono- and di-ester phosphates with formula (I) from saturated C4-C10 aliphatic alcohols and comprising a mean of 3 to 8 motifs of ethylene oxide, and M is isopropyl ammonium.

0065 A composition was obtained the efficacy of which was equivalent to a composition comprising the same amount of glyphosate (expressed as the acid equivalent) and with a concentration of 180 g/l of ethoxylated oleic amine (15 motifs). 0066 The formulation was stable on storage at ambient temperature and at 54 C.

EXAMPLE 2 0067 A mixture with the following composition was prepared in water: 2*glycophsate isopropylamine salt (46% acid)360 g/l*Wettem MEI(*)100 g/l*ammonium sulphate19 g/l(*)Wettem MEI (sold by Rhodia Chimie): lauryldimethylbetaine.

0068 A composition was obtained the efficacy of which was equivalent to a composition comprising the same amount of glyphosate (expressed as the acid equivalent) and with a concentration of 180 g/l of ethoxylated oleic amine (15 motifs). 0069 The formulation was stable on storage at ambient temperature and at 54 C.