Summary of Innovative Adjuvants for Significantly Enhancing Glufosinate Concentrations and Performance

Editor’s Note: Glufosinate ammonium is a non-systemic herbicide with high activity, low toxicity and a good environmental compatibility profile. Glufosinate has emerged as a powerful solution against glyphosate-resistant weeds along with those resistant to ALS herbicides. However, traditional liquid formulations limit the concentration of glufosinate at 200 to 280g/L, requiring larger doses and consequently larger product volumes for application. In light of this,Indorama Ventures launched novel SURFOM^® 8963 adjuvant. This game-changing technology allows for significantly higher glufosinate concentrations of up to 420 g/L in the formulation.

To depress(L)-glufosinate high foaming tendency and boost its performance as a single and, also as combo-active, Clariant released its new high-efficiency and low-foaming (L)-glufosinate adjuvants solutions: Synergen^® GL, Synergen^® B, Synergen^® GA, and Synergen^® GFM.

To address the challenge of actives penetration, Stepan Agricultural Solutions developed STEPGROW^® GL 104 XTRA through years of laboratory and field trials. It is a proprietary surfactant blend designed for use in glufosinate ammonium soluble liquid (SL) formulations. This specially-formulated adjuvant provides excellent wetting and penetration properties to boost field performance against troublesome weeds.

Indorama Ventures: SURFOM^® 8963 – Novel In-can Adjuvant for Glufosinate 420 g/L Liquid Formulations Enhances Performance in the Field

Increasing the concentration of glufosinate in liquid formulations has been a challenge for several years, but formulators struggle as the proportion of surfactant to active in formulation is rather high – usually 240 g/L or more of anionic alkyl ether surfactants in the standard glufosinate loads – and increasing the load reduces greatly the space for water in the formulation.

In light of this, Indorama Ventures launched novel SURFOM^® 8963 adjuvant. This game-changing technology allows for significantly higher glufosinate concentrations of up to 420 g/L in the formulation.

SURFOM^® 8963 is an innovative solution based on a synergistic combination of an amphoteric surfactant that acts as an uptake enhancer and a hydrotrope that works as compatibilizer agent for the high electrolyte content ensuring the formulation’s stability and tank mix compatibility in association with water conditioners such as ammonium sulphate.

Its low viscosity, low foaming and GHS-friendly profile makes SURFOM^® 8963 a safe and easy to handle product for formulators, and its glufosinate formula is a great solution for farmers, delivering several key benefits, such as:

1. Enhanced weed control
Field trials in Brazil have demonstrated that SURFOM^® 8963 delivers an outstanding performance in weed control efficacy of up to 20% when compared to leading benchmarks. This translates to cleaner fields and higher crop yields.

 
2. Reduced logistics costs
The ability to use higher concentrations of glufosinate with SURFOM^® 8963 means lower formulation volume is needed to achieve the desired weed control as seen in the field trials. This translates to significant reduction in packaging volumes, transportation, storage, and consequently in cost savings for farmers, allowing them to stretch their resources further.

3. Sustainable practices
By requiring less formulation volume, SURFOM^® 8963 contributes to a smaller carbon footprint. Less packaging waste is generated, and transportation efficiency is improved due to the reduced volume required. This aligns perfectly with the growing focus on sustainable agricultural practices.

SURFOM^® 8963 represents a significant leap forward in glufosinate formulation technology. With its ability in helping deliver great weed control, reduce costs, and promote sustainable practices, SURFOM^® 8963 is a new tool for formulators worldwide. If you're looking to maximize your weed control and resistance management and contribute to reduce environmental impacts in agriculture, contact Indorama Ventures today to learn more about this new formulation technology.

Clariant: (L)-Glufosinate performs as an environmentally friendly herbicide under the Synergen^® range of powerful low-foaming moisturizing solutions

(L)-Glufosinate is a highly active broad-spectrum contact herbicide with low toxicity and good environmental compatibility. To depress its high foaming tendency and boost its performance as a single and, also as combo-active, Clariant has released its new high-efficiency and low-foaming (L)-glufosinate adjuvants solutions: Synergen^® GL, Synergen^® B, Synergen^® GA, and Synergen^® GFM.

The Synergen^® series offers low toxicity and environmental friendliness paired with strong wettability and good spreadability. It greatly enhances the permeability and field efficacy of (L)-glufosinate and ensures robust crop growth.

STEPGROW^® GL 104 XTRA, a Premium Adjuvant for Enhanced Glufosinate Ammonium Performance

Three main factors that affect the efficacy of glufosinate ammonium are:
•    the concentration of L-glufosinate;
•    targeted weeds’ absorption rate of the active ingredient; and
•    the weather and environment.

Improving the absorption rate is critical to glufosinate ammonium herbicide performance and easiest of the three main factors to control. This can be done by using a synergistic adjuvant to improve the active’s penetration.

To address the challenge of actives penetration, Stepan Agricultural Solutions has developed STEPGROW^® GL 104 XTRA through years of laboratory and field trials. It is a proprietary surfactant blend designed for use in glufosinate ammonium soluble liquid (SL) formulations. This specially-formulated adjuvant provides excellent wetting and penetration properties to boost field performance against troublesome weeds.

GOOD FORMULATION STABILITY
STEPGROW GL 104 XTRA exhibited good formulation stability across all conditions in Stepan’s internal laboratory studies.

SUPERIOR FIELD PERFORMANCE
Glufosinate ammonium 200 g/L SL formulated with STEPGROW GL 104 XTRA showed excellent performance against goosegrass (Eleusine indica) and barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli) in citrus field trials conducted in China.

 
A PREMIUM SOLUTION TO IMPROVE YOUR GLUFOSINATE FORMULATIONS
Using STEPGROW GL 104 XTRA in glufosinate formulations reduces the use of chemicals that are harmful to the environment, enhances performance and differentiates the product from the rest of the generic glufosinate ammonium market.

If you'd like to share your company's solutions or have any promotion demands, please contact Grace Yuan: grace@agropages.com