AgroPages-Corteva to delay key fungicide Inatreq’s launch to 2021-Agricultural news

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Corteva is to delay the launch of its widely awaited novel wheat fungicide Inatreq (Fenpicoxamid) until 2021 to allow it to satisfy the UK regulator’s enquiries.

The fungicide, with a new site of action compared with existing products, was eagerly awaited and expected to be launched for this spring as it is seen as a useful tool to fight fungicide resistance, especially against septoria disease in wheat.

The manufacturer had expected the product to be approved in February and to be in use in the UK this spring, following its approval for use in New Zealand.

The group says it submitted a product dossier to the Chemicals Regulation Division (CRD) of the Health and Safety Executive in October 2018, and while the evaluation is largely complete, the final pieces of data require further discussion.

“Due to the time required for this discussion, the evaluation will not be concluded in time to allow sales of Inatreq Active products in 2020,” the company said in a statement.

Confident for 2021

The group added that it is “entirely confident the outcome of this dialogue will be positive and Inatreq Active will be in the market for 2021”.

The active in Inatreq, with a chemical name fenpicoxamid, is from the picolinamide chemical group, which have not been used before as fungicides in cereals and therefore the new product is seen as a step forward in guarding against development of fungicide resistance.

The delay comes at a time when the popular multisite fungicide chlorothalonil is set to be banned for use in May this year, and the widely-used azole epoxiconazole is under threat from the regulators.

However, fellow agrochemical group BASF has a new azole, Revysol – chemical name mefentrifluconazole – cleared for use in wheat and barley this spring and set to be available with the group’s SDHI fungicide fluxapyroxad as Revystar.