Cereals 2011 puts spotlight on Dow AgroSciences innovation

An innovation centre will feature on the Dow AgroSciences stand (F708) at Cereals 2011 to highlight the products and supporting technology that the company hopes to see coming to the market in the next five years.

In recent years, Dow AgroSciences has launched at least one new product a year, including the new herbicide molecule pyroxsulam in Broadway Star and Broadway Sunrise offering ’cross spectrum’ control of both grass and broadleaved weeds. And this year has seen the successful launch of Spitfire which offers the convenience of a single product to control a wide range of broadleaved weeds across the season from early spring into summer.

The new product development pipeline is extensive. For weed control the company is developing a new residual product to deliver grass and broadleaved weed control in cereals and oilseed rape as well as a post-emergence grass and broadleaved herbicide for oilseed rape.

On the insect control front there are three new products in development, whilst new fungicides should enter the market from Dow AgroSciences within the next five years.

Complementing the new products will be novel delivery systems designed to enhance ease-of-use and operator safety. For example, reduced viscosity formulations will make it easier for operators to measure, pour and wash down. Better formulation technology will also allow product development using ’hard to blend’ active substances.

Packaging is also a focus of Dow AgroSciences’ development. In 2010 new packaging was launched for wettable granule products, such as Broadway Star, that make for easier pouring, less environmental risk and quality assurance. This development programme is now addressing improvements for other types of formulation.

'Since 2005, we have launched at least one new product a year and our strong development pipeline for products and supporting technology means that we believe we will maintain that rate of progress for the foreseeable future,’ said Anne Thompson, Dow AgroSciences R&D Leader for Northern Europe.