Seipasa prepares registration of new bioherbicide

The Spanish company, Seipasa, revealed that it is working on the registration of a new bioherbicide in the market. According to the manufacturer, the launch will add ″a new high value line to its bioprotection catalog.″ Seipasa claims that the bioherbicide will be an ″alternative to existing synthetic herbicides in the market and those likely to disappear.″

The product to be launched ″offers a new mode of action so far unknown and not applied by any of the market references,″ the company further said. To make this project a reality, it recently inaugurated its new industrial base, which, together with a new office building, adds up to 4,000 m² to ensure its immediate future. In addition to being a modern workspace, Seipasa's new headquarters will serve as a hub for exchanging ideas for the company's innovation with all players in the market, and is an interaction space to convey while enriching experiences and knowledge, its Natural Technology model.

Historical

The development of the bioherbicide began four years ago, with the announcement of a partnership with the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) through the Mediterranean Agroforestry Institute (IAM).

According to Mercedes Verdeguer, researcher at IAM, the project began with the need to provide new tools to farmers. ″For a long time, the sector has been demanding new weed control solutions that are more environmentally friendly. In 2009, there was a change in European legislation aimed at the sustainable use of plant protection products and sought to promote integrated pest management strategies,″ Verdeguer said. "Since that moment, the disappearance of active materials has been constant, making it more necessary than ever to have new tools for this integrated management," she added.

Marta Muñoz, Seipasa's product specialist and IAM member, highlighted the importance of developing new alternatives in a scenario such as the current one, where ″problems created by the emergence of resistances are on the rise, but farmers have fewer and fewer active materials at their disposal due to tightening regulations in the European Union.″ Muñoz also noted the increased awareness among consumers for consuming fruits and vegetables without residues, and stressed that this new herbicide facilitates progress towards healthier eating.

Seipasa and IAM have already conducted efficacy trials under controlled conditions to analyze the performance of this new product against different types of weeds, such as Erigeron bonariensis (synonym Conyza bonariensis), Amaranthus retroflexus, and Avena fatua. The product has also advanced to the field stage with positive results in terms of speed of action, efficacy, and absence of waste in final production. Recently, the most significant advances in the project were published in the scientific journals, Agronomy and Molecules.

In January 2024, Seipasa received an investment of €34,341 from the Valencian Institute of Business Competitiveness (IVACE) under its ″R&D Projects″ program, which is co-financed by the European Union. The grant is intended for project IMIDTA/2022/8 to ″study of the mode of action of the bioherbicide based on pelargonic acid and the effect of biostimulants on horticultural and ornamental crops.″

Its main objective is to draft ″sustainable strategies for the optimization of economically important crops through the use of bioherbicide and biostimulant products formulated from natural substances.″

The project includes the development of bioherbicides for weed control and biostimulants based on microorganisms to stimulate the growth of certain crops.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)