Syngenta launched an L-glufosinate product in Chinese market

Driven by innovation strategy coming into 2022, Syngenta stepped on to the fast track to take part in the competition in the L-glufosinate sector, having released its Gold Kelituo (L-glufosinate 20% AS) into the Chinese market. 

Its activity is almost twice that of the conventional glufosinate formulations, which are capable of control of more than 100 weeds with a faster effect. The product is expected to become a new iconic burndown herbicide, once after its market release. 

Glufosinate has been a hot pesticide variety over recent years, the global demand for which is expected to grow to 50,000 tons in 2022. With the relaxed regulation of GM crop production, the ban on paraquat, the increase in the formulation of agents and the decline in the price of glufosinate, its global application is expected to reach 100,000 tons in the future.

From the market standpoint, the largest registrations are of glufosinate of L-isomer and D-isomer (mixture of L-isomer and D-isomer, each taking up 50%), of which L-glufosinate is herbicidal while D-isomer is almost inactive. The herbicidal activity of L-glufosinate is close to twice that of ordinary glufosinate, applied at only about 50% of the amount of glufosinate. The cost of application is basically the same, whilst the development and production of L-glufosinate will greatly reduce the use of technical material. 

As a Chinese national agricultural company and a global agrochemical industry leader, Syngenta’s Gold Kelituo has the following advantages:

The first, is the broad herbicidal spectrum, which is effective on control of more than 100 annual and perennial broad-leaved weeds and grassy weeds, such as eleusine indica, horseweed herb, field horsetail, Japonic weed, alternanthera philoxeroides, lecrsia oryzoides, amaranth, crab grass and barnyard grass.

The second, is safety and environment friendliness, with biological affinity. The Gold Kelituo is a natural allelopathic herbicide produced via bio-fermentation, which is a green, safe, and environment-friendly product variety, without harm to soil or roots, and is easily degraded in the soil. At the same time, plant absorption and utilization take place quickly, being less affected by climate conditions such as temperature, humidity, and rainfall. Meanwhile, it can improve the control efficacy against some weed species.

The third is doubled activity. Compared with conventional glufosinate, the active ingredient of Gold Kelituo is pure optical L-glufosinate, which has higher herbicidal activity, nearly twice that of ordinary glufosinate.

The fourth is fast and complete weeding. The active ingredient of the pure optical L-glufosinate enables faster and long-acting efficacy, which has apparent time-saving and labor-saving advantages, and the function to prevent weeds from returning. The high-content adjutant of Gold Kelituo provides a lower surface tension, which allows for easier foliar spreading and penetration.

In 2022, with price fluctuations of technical material, the price rise of glyphosate and the fierce competition in the conventional glufosinate market, Gold Kelituo is expected to emerge out of the L-glufosinate segment market as a new iconic product in the burndown herbicide market.