ANIONIC POLYVINYL ALCOHOL COPOLYMER AS PROTECTIVE COLLOID FOR PESTICIDAL POLYUREA MICROCAPSULES

The present invention relates to a process for producing microcapsules which contain a shell and a core of a liquid water-insoluble material, where (a) a premix (I) is prepared from water and a protective colloid; (b) a further premix (II) is prepared from the water-insoluble material and at least bifunctional isocyanate (A) or a mixture of two or more different isocyanates containing (A); (c) the two premixes (I) and (II) are mixed together until an emulsion is formed; (d) at least a bifunctional amine is then poured into the emulsion from step (c); and (e) the emulsion is then heated until the microcapsules are formed, and where the liquid water-insoluble material comprises a pesticide, where the protective colloid is a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer having hydrolysis degrees from 60 to 99.9 %, and where the polyvinyl alcohol copolymer contains comonomers with anionic groups. Further subject matter are microcapsules obtainalbe by said process. The present invention also relates to a method of controlling phytopathogenic fungi and/or undesired plant growth and/or undesired insect or mite attack and/or for regulating the growth of plants, wherein the microcapsules are allowed to act on the respective pests, their environment or the crop plants to be protected from the respective pest, on the soil and/or on undesired plants and/or on the crop plants and/or on their environment.