Bayer launches new herbicide Mateno Plus in Uruguay

In Uruguay, Bayer launched Mateno Plus, a new herbicide recommended for controlling broadleaf weeds and grasses that affect wheat and barley crops.

Bayer's commercial leader, Marcos Carrera, said the product is a pre-emergent herbicide featuring ″technology not widely used in winter crops, but it is a triple mixture that offers three modes of action.″

Mateno Plus comprises Flufenacet, which inhibits cell division; Diflufenican, which inhibits carotenoid synthesis; and Aclonifen, which inhibits carotenoid synthesis and chlorophyll synthesis, controlling an extensive number of weeds, he added.

Carrera noted that its uniqueness lies in the fact that ″at least two modes of action are working for each group of weeds. This offers two advantages, which are a broad spectrum of control for cleaning farms and lowering the probability of generating resistance.″

Applying a herbicide with two modes of action on a certain group of weeds ″severely restricts the appearance of resistance,″ which enhances the sustainability of herbicide packages to deal with the weed problem, he explained.

Bayer's commercial leader said that Mateno Plus was developed for controlling broadleaf weeds and ryegrass. ″The herbicide mixture is the best option available on the market for application on broadleaf weeds. Today, there is no other product that can as effectively control this type of weeds,″ Carrera stressed.

The development and testing of Mateno Plus in Uruguay has been going on for four years, which also serves to ″mark and define″ the commercial proposal for the local market based on its performance, highlighting it as ″key″ to advance with the launch, he further said.

Mateno Plus was unusually commercially launched earlier in Uruguay rather than in Argentina, which is because the progress of the regulatory process was completed quicker in the Uruguayan market, he explained, adding the situation ″puts us in the spotlight because this year, we will have many visits from producers and technicians from Argentina to witness the performance of the herbicide on farms.″

″We are trying to make simultaneous launches, but, usually, the registration process in Argentina is faster than in Uruguay,″ he explained.

Carrera stressed that the product is being launched at a limited volume, and therefore, it is estimated to account for 5% to 10% of wheat and barley plating area. But ″with the expectation that you can see its performance in the field, and that we can continue to learn about its qualities,″ he said.

The launch is taking place at a time when Uruguayan agriculture ″has a very good business climate, and a novel tool is being launched due to its double mode of action it has on each group of weeds,″ he said in conclusion.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)