Oxitec launches new scale-up of Friendly™ fall armyworm commercial-scale pilot deployments on large farms in Brazil

Oxitec Ltd, the leading developer of insect-based biological solutions to control pests that transmit disease, destroy crops and harm livestock, announced the successful completion of the third large-scale pilot season of the Friendly™ fall armyworm, and the launch of the fourth pilot on commercial corn in Brazil. Following full commercial biosafety approval from Brazilian regulators in 2021, season-long pilot deployments are enabling validation of product delivery and performance on large commercial corn farms in Brazil's most important corn-growing regions.

In the recently completed pilot season, deployments of the Friendly™ fall armyworm were conducted on thousands of acres of commercial corn fields in São Paulo state. This enabled optimization and validation of deployment systems. The new season of pilot trials, timed to coincide with corn planting, is now under way in Mato Grosso state, in partnership with Fundação MT, a leading agricultural research organization in Brazil.

Oxitec’s expert field operations team is now deploying Friendly™ fall armyworm over large-scale corn fields in Brazil

Together, these pilot seasons are enabling Oxitec to validate Friendly™ fall armyworm product form factors that will enable national distribution and simple deployment of the product in growers' fields. Product dosing and on-farm placements are also being tested and optimized, alongside digital systems to support product use by growers and other end-users, as Oxitec moves closer to commercial launch of this new biological solution for the fall armyworm.

The fall armyworm includes a life stage as a caterpillar which destroys corn and other crops. This pest is difficult to control and rapidly develops resistance to biotech corn varieties designed to control crop-damaging pests, as well as traditional chemical pesticides. In recent years, fall armyworm has spread beyond the Americas, and now imposes an economic burden of billions of dollars across Africa, Asia and Oceania.

New, effective, and environmentally friendly solutions are urgently needed for improved and more sustainable crop protection. Published scientific modelling demonstrates that releases of Oxitec's male Friendly™ fall armyworm will be a highly effective pest suppression tool and can also delay the spread of resistance to biotech corn varieties to protect their durability against this pest. Oxitec's pilot deployments continue to confirm the strong performance of Friendly™ fall armyworm on Brazilian farms and across a range of geographies and operational settings.

Grey Frandsen, Oxitec's CEO, commented, "We're focused on delivering value to Brazilian corn growers that allows them to deploy a highly effective biological control solution while leaving no impact on the environment. The Friendly™ fall armyworm continues to show outstanding performance on commercial corn farms in Brazil's most important corn-growing regions, and as we advance it to commercial launch in the near future, we're so thankful for excellent partnerships with growers, non-profits, research groups, and distributors. Given the growing devastation brought about by this pest, there is no time to lose."

Natalia Ferreira, Oxitec's Brazil Country Director, said, "With another season of large-scale pilots completed, we're a step closer to providing farmers with an urgently needed, safe and simple solution for the fall armyworm. Brazilian farmers are among the most advanced in the world, and recognize the need for new solutions to improve productivity while protecting biodiversity and the environment. As our Friendly™ fall armyworm product approaches launch, we're looking forward to delivering it across Brazil to control the fall armyworm, one of the corn industry's biggest challenges."

Bruno Conti, Fundação MT's Head of R&D, said, "We're excited to be working in partnership with Oxitec as they launch a new season of pilots of the Friendly™ fall armyworm in Mato Grosso. This partnership fits squarely with our mission to provide independent and impartial assessment of an innovative and sustainable pest management solution for our region's growers."

Read more about the predicted benefits of the Friendly™ fall armyworm in this recent publication: Link