Home & Garden Technical Information

What is a Technical Grade White Mineral Oil

The base oil used to formulate JMS Stylet-Oil, Organic JMS Stylet-Oil and JMS Stylet-Oil for Grass Seed Use is defined in the industry as a Technical Grade White Mineral Oil (or white oil). The decision to provide growers with a technical grade white oil for disease and insect control was made more than two decades ago by JMS Flower Farms, Inc. Providing growers with a highly refined, superior technical grade white oil has a number of advantages over non-white horticultural oils. The purity (or Unsulfonated Residue) of the base oil used in Stylet-Oil is 99.1%; the purity of non-white horticultural oils is typically 92%. This difference in purity can have significant consequences: There is more active ingredient (ai) in white oils than in typical non-white horticultural oils;

• White oils do not contain aromatic hydrocarbons, thus, these compounds are not freely evaporating into the atmosphere from spray applications. Typical 92% UR horticultural base oils can contain as much as 8% aromatic hydrocarbons — all of which evaporate into the atmosphere as air pollutants;

• Included in these aromatic compounds are suspected Carcinogenic compounds such as benzene, toluene and xylene. After refining, these compounds are not effectively removed from 92% UR oils, but they are removed using the advanced refining processes to manufacture white oil;

• Potential for phytotoxicity (plant injury) is minimized when using white oils due to the removal of impurities, including aromatic compounds.

Storage Recommendations

Stylet-Oil in the container is a clear, colorless, tasteless liquid. The oil is formulated with an expensive, high performance emulsifier which is uniformly suspended in the oil. Under normal storage conditions this emulsifier is not visible. However, if water should enter the container due to poor storage conditions, the emulsifier has potential to degrade causing the oil to turn a "milky" color. Never use Stylet-Oil from a container which has a milky appearance ― pest control will suffer and oil applications might damage your crop!

NOTE: When Stylet-Oil is added to water in the spray tank the mixture of water + oil should turn a milky color (which indicates the emulsifier is blended and working properly). If the oil fails to emulsify (turn a milky color) in the spray tank, contact your dealer or JMS Flower Farms, Inc. immediately.

To Prevent Water Contamination:

• store drums or containers indoors

• store drums or containers outdoors under a waterproof tarp or roll drums onto their sides

• never store Stylet-Oil in used pesticide containers containing chemical residue (the oil may dissolve incompatible chemical residue from inside the container resulting in either the destruction of the oil’s emulsifier and /or damage to your crop when the oil is sprayed)

• never store Stylet-Oil in a used detergent or soap container

• when transferring Stylet-Oil from a drum or tote, always use clean, uncontaminated containers

Temperature Conditions Under Storage: 

• never store Stylet-Oil below freezing temperatures (32° F or 0° C)

• storage under high temperature conditions is not a problem

Shelf Life:

The shelf life of Stylet-Oil is 3 years. However, oil stored longer than 1 year should be stirred prior to use to re-suspend any emulsifier which may have settled during storage.

To Re-suspend Emulsifier After Long Term Storage:

• stir the oil with a commercial paint stirring rod of sufficient length or a metal stirring rod (3/8-inch rebar plus a 12-inch length of chain welded to one end) using an electric drill for approximately 5 minutes per 30 gal drum

• rolling drums on their sides will also re-suspend any emulsifier which may have settled during storage, although stirring with a stirring rod is preferable

Environmental Influences

 

Stylet-Oil is a protectant spray chemical whose performance is influenced by the quality of spray coverage on the surface of the plant. As with all protectant chemicals, there are certain environmental influences which may compromise product performance. These environmental influences include ―

Temperature 

Do not spray Stylet-Oil when freezing temperatures are anticipated within 48 hours of an oil application, above 90° F (32° C) or when plants are under heat or moisture stress. On vegetables:

• Do not apply when temperatures are below 50° F (10° C).

• if daytime temperatures exceed 90° F, spraying should be done at night or early morning

• the risk from spray injury at high temperature is due to the likelihood of heat or moisture stress in the plants, a condition where spray droplets can be absorbed into the leaf

Frost

• do not apply Stylet-Oil within 48-hours of a predicted frost or freeze

• do not apply Stylet-Oil within 48-hours after a frost or freeze

Wet Weather 

Do not spray wet foliage. Rain or overhead irrigation has the potential to wash Stylet-Oil off plant surfaces. The use of frequent overhead irrigation can compromise a Stylet-Oil spray program. We do not recommend the use of Stylet-Oil where a twice per week application schedule is required and overhead irrigation is the sole source of irrigation.

Considerations Under Wet Weather Conditions: 

• rain in excess of ½ to ¾ - inch will remove most of the oil residue from foliage

• do not apply Stylet-Oil to wet foliage or poor spray coverage will result. Wait until the outer canopy has dried before applying the oil

• oil residue can be detected by immersing leaves in water; the formation of water beads indicate oil residue is on the surface of the leaf 

Windy Conditions 

Spraying pesticides under windy conditions can result in poor spray coverage. For this reason we do not recommend spraying Stylet-Oil (or anything else) if the wind exceeds 10 miles per hour. (Note: Some states may mandate maximum wind thresholds while spraying chemicals. Consult your local and State regulations.)

Spraying Vegetables Under Windy Conditions:

• under wind conditions of 0 to 5 mph, lower nozzles to within 12 to 15-inches of the plant canopy

• under wind conditions of 6 to 10 mph, lower nozzles to within 8 to 10-inches of the canopy and slow down the tractor

• when practical, spray at night when wind conditions are less prevalent

Dusty Conditions 

The accumulation of significant amounts of dust (where leaves are actually turning the color of the dust) will adversely affect an oil spray program because dust will absorb the oil.

Considerations Under Dusty Conditions: 

• minimize vehicular traffic and drive slowly on perimeter roads

• overhead irrigation can be useful so long as it is done in moderation

• application of dust retardant chemicals (such as lignum sulfonate) can be useful

Chemical Compatibility

 

What other Pesticides is Stylet-OIl not Compatible with?

Products containing active ingredients, which are not compatible and should be used after a 14 day advised interval.

  • Captan
  • Chlorothalonil

Consult the product labels for a more complete list of compatible materials. Additional information can be found under the chemical compatibility section in the commercial side of the site, or by contacting our Chemical Compatibility Department

Technical Specifications

 

Mixing Procedures

1. Add ¼ to ½ of the liquid amount of water to the tank mix.

2. Start agitator before adding any tank mix partners. In general, tank mix partners should be added in the following order:

Products Packaged in Water Soluble Packaging;

Wettable powders;

Wettable granules (dry flowables);

Liquid formulations; Liquids;

Emulsifiable concentrates;

and, add mineral oil as the last ingredient.

NOTE: Certain chemicals (such as Rally® brand fungicide) are packaged in water soluble packages which are not oil soluble. We recommend these products be mixed in a clean 5-gallon bucket of water before adding to the spray tank water. Always add the oil to the spray tank as the last ingredient.

3. Provide sufficient agitation while adding the remainder of the water.

4. Maintain agitation until all of the mixture has been applied. General Information: •

always add the oil to the tank mix as the last ingredient

• local climatic conditions can adversely affect the persistence of oil on a crop

• on crops where a tank mix or a spray interval has not been used before, spray a small area with the recommended nozzles and pressure, then wait several days to observe potential for phytotoxicity

• chemicals which are phytotoxic when used alone will be more phytotoxic when used with the oil

• when other products are tank mixed with Stylet-Oil the other products should be used only in accordance with their specific label directions