A summary of BASF’s innovative pesticides

In recent years, BASF has continued investment in research and development of agricultural solutions, having launched and planned to launch a series of its innovative products. Here is a summary of BASF’s new product series.

Fungicide

In 2019, BASF launched its innovative fungicide Revysol® (active ingredient: mefentrifluconazole). The product is the first new isopropanol triazole fungicide discovered, developed and marketed by BASF, which fills up triazole fungicide’s 10-year gap without new product release. Its peak sale value is expected to exceed EUR1 billion.

As of March 2020, Revysol® has been granted registration in a large number of countries and regions:

- North America: USA, Canada.
- South America: Colombia, Peru
- Europe: France, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, UK.
- Asia Pacific: China, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand.

In respect of formulation development, mefentrifluconazole formulation series have included single agent, binary mixture and ternary mixture. BASF has developed a variety of mixture products utilizing difenoconazole (DMI) with pyraclostrobin (QoL) and / or fluxapyroxad (SDHI), thus to use active ingredients of different action mechanism to cope with the risk of resistance.

Insecticide

In 2018, BASF's insecticide Inscalis™ (active ingredient: afidopyropen) was granted registration in Australia for the first time. The product has redefined pest management via the precise and flexible manner of control of piercing and sucking insect pests, including aphid, powdery mildew insect, leafhopper and plant louse. As an IRAC Group 9D insecticide with brand-new action mechanism, Inscalis™ is expected to become a rapid and effective tool for resistance management. Inscalis™ is a foliar insecticide, which controls insect pest by disturbing the food intaking and other behaviors of target pest. It is the only compound in Group 9D, as classified by IRAC, which provides a new action mechanism - notochord organ TRPV control.

So far, the product has been granted registration in main markets including the United States, Canada, Japan and China.

In January 2020, BASF's latest insecticide Broflanilide was registered with the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), which was the first-time registration of the product worldwide. The active ingredient was jointly developed by BASF and Mitsui Chemical Agro, the active ingredient is a powerful insecticidal agent for broad use, which can be used for agricultural pest control and non-agricultural pest control, both in urban area and rural area. Broflanilide is a compound with novel action mechanism (IRAC Group 30), which has an excellent effect of control of a large variety of chewing pests, including caterpillars and beetles on featured crops and row crops. It is also effective on control of non-crop pests such as termites, ants, cockroaches and flies. The product can be used as cereal grain seed treating agent for control of wireworm, and can also be used for foliar spray on leafy vegetable, fruit and vegetable, potato, soybean, cotton, corn and bean.

Broflanilide is classified as IRAC Group 30, which is the only compound in the group. Because of its unique action mechanism, Broflanilide has become a very effective broad-spectrum compound and a valuable new tool in insecticide resistance management.

In January 2020, the compound was granted registration in Australia. Recent information shows that in June 2020 Canada has proposed to give approval to the compound.

In Australia, 1 technical material registration and 7 formulation registrations were already approved. At present, all the formulations are registered for non-agricultural uses. The formulations include 2 aerosols, 1 foams, 2 gel baits and 2 granules.

Herbicide

Luximax® (Cinmethylin) is the only eucalyptus compound-based herbicide, which is classified as Group Z. Its brand-new action mechanism inhibits the fatty acid thioesterase (FAT), thus irreversibly destructing cytomembrane while damaging new plant tissue. By a pre-emergence treatment, very soon, ryegrass seedlings could not grow and could survive. Luximax® provides a breakthrough solution for control of annual ryegrass, this complies with the direction of the leading industry standard and offers a unique action mechanism to Australian growers. Luximax® has reinforced the existing integrated weed management strategy and provides a 12-week long period of control of ryegrass, including the control of a number of resistant ryegrass biotypes (such as Group D, Group J and Group K).

The active ingredient was granted registration in Australia in November 2019 in manner of the formulation 750g/L EC, which was the first registration worldwide. According to BASF, the product is planned to be launched in Australia in 2020, followed by launch in the UK in 2021.

Tirexor® (trifludimoxazin) is a novel PPO inhibiting herbicide, which can control PPO-resistant amaranthus weed and ragweed. The novel herbicide takes effect quickly and symptom can be identified just at one day after foliar spray. Tirexor® is planned to be applied to major crops worldwide, including tiny seed crop, corn, soybean, oil palm, a variety of fruit tree and nut fruit. In addition, as the first foliar sterilant herbicide with new action mechanism in 20 years, the product serves as a new tool for ryegrass pretreatment before sowing.

Biopesticide

Serifel® (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MBI 600 strain) is a protective biological fungicide based on Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain MBI 600. After application, Serifel® forms a protective layer around plants and provides a broad-spectrum disease control effect with multiple functions. As part of an integrated plant disease management, Serifel® provides growers with a unique solution to cope with the challenges to the food value chain. As a biological fungicide, its toxicological and environmental compliant characteristics are more fit for end users’ safety requirement, making the product more flexible in its use in the whole production cycle.