Gowan Company, along with partners SDS Biotech and Nissan,recently announced that the innovative rice herbicide benzobicyclon and the end use product BUTTE®, have received Section 3 registrations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).BUTTE® was submitted as a USEPA/California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) concurrent review, and CDPR has also approved the BUTTE® registration for California.

BUTTE® is a granular herbicide , combining benzobicyclon, a novel HPPD inhibitor, with halosulfuron-methyl, an established ALS inhibitor that is widely used in rice.BUTTE® controls a wide range of broadleaf, grass and sedge weeds and is intended for use as an early-season treatment in an integrated rice weed control program. With herbicide resistance rapidly developing in key rice weeds, BUTTE® offers growers a new mode of action to control weeds that have developed resistance to older chemistries.

“Gowan is extremely excited to finally bring BUTTE® to the market,” said Juli Jessen, Gowan CEO. “The new mode of action in rice, combined with good crop safety and outstanding control of a wide range of weeds, will make it an excellent tool for California rice producers.” The addition of BUTTE® serves to strengthen Gowan’s growing herbicide portfolio to help growers in their ongoing battle against herbicide-resistant weeds.

Junichi Takahashi, President & Representative Director of SDS Biotech K.K., said “SDS is very pleased about the federal and state registrations of benzobicyclon. Based on the proven benefits with benzobicyclon use in Asian countries and California field trials, BUTTE® is expected to be an excellent herbicide for California rice growers.” 

Takashi Honda, Managing Executive Officer, Head of Agricultural Division of Nissan added, “This is very good news, as it enables us to provide a new weed management option in the U.S. Nissan is very proud to introduce this new halosulfuron-methyl brand into California and believes BUTTE® will contribute to improved rice production by U.S. growers”.

BUTTE® will be available to growers in limited quantities during the spring of 2017.