Summary of updates to 13 China’s self-developed pesticidal ingredients

The updates to 13 self-developed pesticidal ingredients in China in 2023 relate to creations by Syngenta, KingAgroot and others. Their details are as follows:

Jiangsu Yangnong Chemical Co., Ltd.

1. Bisulflufen: A systemic acaricide, it was first discovered in 2014 by Shenyang Sinochem Agrochemicals R&D Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Yangnong Chemical. The company’s registration and brand management department initiated the process of registration in February 2023, and it is currently in the process of advanced development. The product offers distinctive advantages in terms of controlling mite eggs, young mites and adult mites, with an excellent foliar permeation property but without cross-resistance to conventional acaricides while being also root systemic. It is safe for mainstream crops, such as citrus, apple and cotton, and does not easily cause resistance. 

Update: At the start of November 2023, ISO’s pesticide generic name committee provisionally approved the generic name.

2. Piperflanilide: a high activity meta-diamide insecticide with a broad spectrum and novel mechanism of action. It was discovered by Shenyang Sinochem Agrochemicals R&D Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Yangnong Chemical. The product is currently in the process of commercialization. Piperflanilide offers unique distinctive, and many field efficacy studies have shown that it has an excellent control effect against lepidopterous cotton bollworm, rice stem borer, rice leaf roller, corn borer, armyworm, beet armyworm, diamond back moth, fall armyworm, apple leaf roller, coleoptera flea beetle, physopoda thrips and homoptera whitefly.

Update: On November 28, 2023, ISO’s pesticide generic name committee provisionally approved the generic name.

Qingdao KingAgroot Co., Ltd.

3. Isoflualanam: A γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-gated chloride channel allosteric regulator and a 1,2-oxazolidine insecticide developed by Qingdao KingAgroot Co., Ltd. It is classified under the IRAC group30, with a unique mechanism of action and without having cross-resistance with other insecticides. Isoflualanam has both stomach and contact toxicity, being also slightly systemic with a fast-acting and ovicidal effect. Its insecticidal spectrum covers Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Acarina (eggs, young mites and adult mites), Hemiptera (aphids) and physopoda (thrips).

Update: On November 14, 2023, ISO’s pesticide generic name committee provisionally approved the generic name.

4. Fuxiucaomi (氟溴草醚): A soil sealant herbicide for application on rice, wheat, corn, soybean, peanut and some broadleaf vegetables. The product can be used during rice transplanting, dry direct seeding and water direct seeding, being remarkably effective for controlling major grassy weeds, such as barnyard grass, rice barnyard grass, moleplant seed and crab grass, as well as some sedges. It is also somewhat effective for the early post-emergence control of younger weeds in paddy fields.

Update: On December 14, 2023, ISO’s pesticide generic name committee provisionally approved the generic name.

Shandong Cynda Co., Ltd.

5. Feproxydim: A brand-new compound, trade name ″Mapike,″ with a special control effect against resistant barnyard grass. It is an ACCase inhibiting (DIMs) compound that effectively control grassy weeds that are resistant to paddy field ALS inhibitors, ACCase inhibitors (FOPs) and hormone herbicides, being especially effective against barnyard grass, moleplant seed and Paspalum distichum. It is not cross-resistant with penoxsulam, cyhalofop-butyl, metamifop and quinclorac, making it an effective resistance management tool.

Update: Scheduled for market release in 2024.

6. Pyraquinate: A creative compound for controlling resistant paddy moleplant seed and barnyard grass. It is a benzoyl pyrazole 苯甲酰吡唑herbicide. Pyraquinate is super systemic and is also remarkably effective for controlling older weeds, including resistant weeds, such as moleplant seed, barnyard grass, Leptochloa panicea, Eragrostis japonica, lecrsia oryzoides and millet weeds. It is especially effective against resistant moleplant seed while being safe for use on rice. It is a breakthrough solution to the issue of lack of safety for indica rice caused by the use of conventional HPPD herbicides. It is an ideal substitute for conventional pesticides for application on paddy fields, with a high value of application as it is a highly creative product. 

Update: Scheduled for market release in 2024.

Nantong CAC International

7. Cycloproflanilide: A γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-gated chloride channel allosteric regulator and a novel bisamide insecticide with independent intellectual property rights. It was developed by Nantong CAC International Co., Ltd. Cycloproflanilide has a novel mechanism of action and broad insecticidal spectrum, being highly active against Lepidoptera and resistant pests that affect rice, corn, cotton, soybean, fruit tree and vegetables. It is fast acting and long lasting without cross-resistance with existing insecticides, and has an excellent control effect against resistant pests, including rice stem borer. 

Update: Scheduled for registration and market release in 2024.

Shandong Kangqiao Biotechnology Co., Ltd.

8. Benmanmizuo (苯螨咪唑): A brand-new next generation acaricidal insecticide developed by Shandong Kangqiao Biotechnology Co., Ltd., with novel structure type and unknown mechanism of action. With excellent acaricidal activity and potential insecticidal effect, the product has minimal toxicity to mammals and is safe for use on common crops, such as flowers, vegetables and fruit trees, as well as to honeybees and aquatic organisms. It is an environment-friendly and high-selective acaricidal insecticide, for which Shandong Kangqiao Biotechnology has initiated the registration process. The product’s future market release will surely bring a new option and new experience to farmers in terms of controlling resistant mites.

Update: On November 10, 2023, its officially name was approved by China’s pesticide standard committee.

9. Benbianmanxianan (苯苄螨酰胺): A brand-new acaricidal compound and the first to be developed by Shandong Kangqiao Biotechnology. The product has a unique mechanism of action, with good stomach and contact toxicity, being fast acting against eggs, young mites and adult mites. Its field application can effectively control phytophagous pests, such as citrus red mites, Tetranychus cinnabarinus and two-spotted spider mites.

Update: On January 1, 2024, the tentative generic name was officially announced.

Sino-Agri Union

10. Trifluenfuronate: A novel nematicide and new insecticide independently developed by Sino-Agri Union. The product is a trifluoro-butene 三氟丁烯insecticide (miticide), which has a mechanism of action similar to Fluensulfone, being a β-oxidation inhibitor based on mitochondrial fatty acid. Trifluenfuronate has a good insecticidal and acaricidal effect, with an inhibitory effect during the oviposition and egg hatching of Tetranychus cinnabarinus, two-spotted spider mites, tetranychus viennensis and citrus red mites, having a better effect than etoxazole. When controlling tobacco whitefly and Bradysia odoriphaga hatchings, its inhibiting effect is better than pyriproxyfen; for diamond back moth and corn armyworm, its effect is better than lufenuron. Trifluenfuronate is highly safe and long lasting, without cross-resistance to lythidathion.

Update: Trifluenfuronate’s patent was authorized in China in 2017, followed by patent authorizations in France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, India and Brazil. In August 2023, the product was filed for registration with the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. On December 18, 2023, Sino-Agri Union launched the product globally for the first time.

Syngenta Crop Protection

11. Flupyroxystrobin: The first strobilurins insecticide (non-acaricide) discovered by Imperial Chemical Industries and developed by its successor, Syngenta. Its mechanism of action is the same as the actions of azoxystrobin, picoxystrobin, fluacrypyrim and pyriminostrobin, all of which are inhibitors based on Qo mitochondrial respiration. As an insecticide, flupyroxystrobin has no cross-resistance to pyrethroid insecticides, such as permethrin. In addition, mixing it with 4-trifluoromethylnicotinamide (metabolite of flonicamid) produces a synergistic effect that knocks down and kills anopheles stephensi.

Update: Generic name was approved by ISO in August 2023.

Hailir Pesticides and Chemicals Group

12. Fumanliumi (氟螨硫醚): A new acaricidal compound created by Hailir Pesticides and Chemicals Group. Hailir said the product has a novel structure and a unique mechanism of action, which are different from the structure of existing acaricides in China. The results of laboratory bioassay tests showed excellent control effect against acarina spider mite eggs, younger mites and adult mites, without cross-resistance with the existing acaricides.

Update: On March 10, 2023, the generic Chinese name, Fumanliumi, was approved. Currently, Hailir Pesticides and Chemicals Group has initiated the process of registration and market release.

Shandong Pengbo Biotechnology Co., Ltd.

13. Jiajikalinsuan (甲基咔啉酸): A new plant regulating compound of microbial source developed by Shandong Pengbo Biotechnology Co., Ltd. The product can induce plants to synthesize many endogenous hormones, including synthetic auxin, gibberellin, cytokinin and brassin, which are precursor substances for various endogenous hormones in plants. It is highly active, requiring less amounts for use, but it also has an outstanding effect, as well as high cost effectiveness and good mixability and synergism, achieving more comprehensive functionality and a faster acting effect than ″brassinolide.″ 

Update: On October 12, 2023, its official name was approved by China’s pesticide standard committee, followed by start of its biopesticide registration process.