Sumitomo launches Empera herbicide in Argentina with new molecule

Sumitomo Chemical has announced the launch of the herbicide Empera in Argentina, formulated with the new exclusive molecule Rapidicil (Epyrifenacil). 

According to the manufacturer, this is the third generation of the company's PPO enzyme inhibitors, which address difficult-to-control weed problems in Argentina, Brazil, the United States, and Canada. The launch, developed with an investment of more than US$100 million, is formulated at 5.5% as an emulsifiable concentrate.

″Empera is the first global product formulated with Rapidicil (Epyrifenacil) to be launched. It is a milestone for the company and the global market. And it will not be the only one, as we have others in development in combination with different active ingredients,″ stated Lucas Diaz Panizza, Strategic Marketing Manager for the Southern Region of Sumitomo Chemical. According to him, the Rapidicil molecule stands out for being "unique in its group, with striking attributes and benefits" and of broad spectrum.

The manufacturer explained that the new product is versatile and can be included from fallow periods up to a few days before sowing various crops. The product offers ″strong control″ over Amaranthus sp., a problematic weed in Argentina, and can also control multiple annual summer and winter grasses.

″The control of volunteer crops such as soybeans, corn, peanuts, and other weeds, such as cruciferous plants, makes this product a versatile herbicide. Over the last five years, we have conducted more than 450 field trials and over 90 just on Amaranthus sp. The control levels observed consistently stand out above competitors in the same segment,″ Panizza reported.

He said this herbicide is ″unique in its mode of action, working both by contact and systemically, effectively eliminating weeds and preventing regrowth due to its rapid penetration and bidirectional movement within the plant.″

″It has great penetration speed due to its physicochemical properties, followed by movement through the xylem and phloem, more superior to other herbicides also considered contact herbicides or in this group,″ Sumitomo explains. This means that, unlike other products, there is practically total weed control, preventing regrowth over time, which is an issue with other products for both Amaranthus sp. and grasses.

The manufacturer highlighted that post-emergent PPO herbicides usually show control failures in tolerant Amaranthus sp. populations. ″Rapidicil will allow us to continue expanding post-emergence management of Amaranthus sp. and also combine grass control in the field with a new mode of action for weeds not previously addressed,″ the manager stated.

Other characteristics that differentiate Rapidicil include its high selectivity in various crops like soybeans, corn, wheat, and cotton, the possibility of application and sowing of different crops without the risk of carryover, its broad application window from fallow periods to days before sowing, its compatibility and synergy with other herbicides, especially glyphosate, and its good toxicological profile.

″The second generation of Sumitomo Chemical’s PPO herbicides was Flumioxazin, the most used pre-emergent in the world and one of the most applied in Argentina within this mode of action,″ he recalled. 

According to him, other countries like Brazil and the United States also share similar weed problems and the adoption of this molecule.

″Sumitomo invests heavily in research and development, reinvesting more than 7% of its annual revenue. Today, it ranks as the fourth company in the world in obtaining patents,″ Panizza said in conclusion.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)

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