US approves Syngenta's corn herbicide Acuron

Syngenta announced recently that it has received US EPA approval for its breakthrough corn herbicide, Acuron™( atrazine, bicyclopyrone, mesotrione and S-metolachlor). The first sales of the product to US growers will take place this year.

In the USA herbicide resistance, notably to glyphosate, is increasing with infestations of broadleaf weeds in corn up 50 percent in the past four years. Acuron has been shown to improve control of more than 70 weeds that are increasingly difficult for growers to manage, such as Palmer amaranth and Giant Ragweed.

Acuron incorporates bicyclopyrone, a novel chemical ingredient which is combined with three other active ingredients to target a wider range of weeds than any existing product. The four active ingredients and three modes of action in Acuron deliver a multi-targeted approach to weed control.

Davor Pisk, Chief Operating Officer, said: “As current herbicides such as glyphosate lose effectiveness, corn farmers have to spend considerably more per acre on crop protection. The most cost-effective solution is to use a high performing pre-emergent herbicide that stops weeds before they start. We’re delighted that we can now offer Acuron to US corn farmers. It sets a new standard for weed control and will be critical in helping farmers make corn production more sustainable.”

Acuron is a key component of Syngenta’s $3 billion crop protection pipeline with peak sales potential of more than $250 million.