Sumitomo Chemical launches insecticide Kaiso Max in Brazil

Sumitomo Chemical announced to AgroPages the release of its latest insecticide, Kaiso Max, which, according to the manufacturer, is an "innovative blend" of imidacloprid and lambda-cyhalothrin. 

″It has the shock effect that the market already knows, but also with an innovative residual effect. It is an exclusive blend and the first mixture with imidacloprid,″ said Suellen Drumond, Insecticides Manager at Sumitomo Chemical.

Suellen Drumond, Insecticides Manager at Sumitomo Chemical

The product is aimed at controlling Mahanarva fimbriolata, currently the main pest affecting sugarcane, which can cause a significant decline in productivity. Sugarcane production in Brazil for the 2023/2024 season is expected to exceed 670 million tons, according to estimates from the National Supply Company (Conab). If confirmed, it will be a rise of almost 11% compared to the previous season. Therefore, the impact of Mahanarva fimbriolata can be mitigated with an efficient solution with high shock power and long residual effect.

According to Sumitomo, Kaiso Max has a dual mechanism of action, being an excellent tool for resistance management and protecting the productive potential of sugarcane fields. ″Producers have an innovative solution with a molecule that is 'rested' in the sugarcane crop. They can rotate assets, which increases the efficacy of pest control with an excellent shock,″ Drumond said.

Younger froghoppers are responsible for the greatest damage, as they draw a large amount of water and nutrients from roots. Adults, on the other hand, suck the sap from leaves and inject toxic saliva into plants, causing necrosis in foliar and root tissues. This scenario results in lower industrial sugarcane yields, the contamination of industrial processes, lower fermentation yields, a 1.5% reduction in sugar content, difficulty in obtaining white sugar, complete dryness of sugarcane fields with a burnt appearance, and recorded reductions in productivity ranging from 34 to 78 tons per hectare.

Other benefits of the launch include increased productivity of tons of sugarcane per hectare, an excellent cost-benefit ratio, the suppression of froghoppers in the first crop when applied in the planting furrow, compatibility with entomopathogenic fungi used in biological controls, and protection throughout the entire crop cycle. The new solution is used in the 70/30 modality when applied to sugarcane setts and the soil. Kaiso Max will be available for the next harvest, starting in March 2024.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)