Argentina presents new biofungicide formulated with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens

In the Argentinian market, BASF presented a new biological fungicide that is widely recommended for use on fruits and vegetables, which, in principle, is available in the country for strawberries and raspberries.

With the commercial brand, Serifel, formulated with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, BASF is marking its entry in the biological segment in Argentina.

According to the manufacturer, this new preventive biological fungicide of “high purity will soon be approved for controlling diseases affecting grapevines, tomatoes, citrus, blueberries and other fruits. It has one of the highest concentrations on the market.”

“It has a positive toxicological and environmental profile, has multiple modes of action, and allows for a more flexible application, since this can be done at any time during the crop cycle and even during harvest, achieving the greater production of healthy fruits and vegetables,” BASF said.

Serifel is a new technology that is part of BASF's portfolio of agricultural solutions and can be used alternately with other fungicides, helping in the integrated and efficient management of diseases. Another relevant feature of Serifel is that it is also suitable for producing organic food.

With a higher concentration of biological agents, Serifel is formulated from the MBI 600 strain of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens bacteria, which produces antifungal metabolites that physically damages pathogenic cell membranes and physically expels pathogenic bacteria and fungi.

According to BASF, the biofungicide has nutrient competence, as it excluded pathogenic bacteria and fungi from food, as well as activates the defense mechanisms of plants.

"Biological solutions are essential tools to improve the efficiency of control programs, combat resistance, and contribute to sustainable management of resources over time," said Ruben Mancifesta, Commercial Manager of Fruits and Vegetables at BASF.

The metabolites produced by Serifel form a "shield" on the surface of plants, preventing the colonization of major diseases, such as Botrytis cinerea in strawberries and raspberries.

“The fruit and vegetable production system are very important in Argentina. With the needs of producers in mind, we developed technologies, such as Serifel^®, which are in line with the growth of increasingly productive and sustainable crops”, said Fernando Cardello, LASE Strategic Marketing Manager.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)