Buffering Agents

A buffering agent is an adjuvant that is often added to herbicides to improve its performance and stability overall.

Buffering agents are used to change the pH and hardness of the water and to increase the dispersion or solubility of herbicides, pesticides or fertilizer compounds in alkaline or acid waters used in making up a solution.

Buffering agents usually contain a phosphate salt or, more recently, citric acid, which maintains a slightly acid pH when added to alkaline waters. These are added to higher pH solutions to prevent alkaline hydrolysis (a chemical reaction) of some organophosphate (OP) and carbamate insecticides. In other words, it is a helpful chemical used to improve the control product uptake and performance.

Buffering agents are very easy to add to a herbicide. Simply mix a small dosage according to the product label to a diluted mixture of herbicide concentrate and agitate then you can apply to the intended area. Some buffering agents are already pre-mixed in herbicide products for convenience.

Shop our top recommended buffering agents and products below. If you need help selecting the right adjuvant for your herbicide application or would like more information on how to modify a pesticide properly, our experienced pest control specialists will be more than happy to help you

Our Recommendation

To enhance the performance of most herbicide products, our experts recommend Alligare BupHR.

This helps give you quicker results by helping your herbicide pass through natural barriers of plants. It is a non-ionic surfactant that is combined with a water conditioning agent that helps reduce the effects of hard water mineral buildup. 

User Guide

Step 1: Add The Buffering Agent To Sprayer

Fill your sprayer (preferably a large capacity sprayer tank such as for a professional spray rig) about halfway with water. Then add Alliagre BupHR to the sprayer at a rate of 2 to 8 pints per 100 gallons of finished spray solution. Begin agitation to your sprayer.

Step 2: Mix in Pesticide Concentrate

Add the desired rate of your chosen pesticide to be used as directed by your product's label. Continue agitation until the solution is well mixed.

Step 3: Apply the Mixture To Target Area 

Begin applying the mixture you created the target area where the weed is present. It is recommended to test your solution in a small area to see if the product has thickened. If it hasn’t you may have to add another small amount of the buffering agent.

Key Takeaways

• Buffering agents are a resourceful adjuvant which when mixed with a powerful insecticide changes its properties and enhances their performance
• Adding a buffering agent to a pesticide mixture requires a selected pesticide active ingredient, a buffering agent product like the one we mentioned and a tank sprayer
• Make sure to check the label for specific instructions in regards to rates and mixing
• The buffering agents we carry give you the most value for the price. You won’t find them at big box stores as it is a specialty item.