Sumitomo Chemical to launch new fungicide in Italy

Sumitomo Chemical Company (Sumitomo Chemical) announced that it has developed a new fungicide, Prolectus®, for control of such diseases as gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) and sclerotinia rot (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) and Monilinia (Monilinia s.p.) in grapevines, stone fruit trees and vegetables and will launch it in Italy this autumn through its group company Sumitomo Chemical Italia Srl.

Prolectus® contains a novel active ingredient fenpyrazamine, which Sumitomo Chemical has discovered as a result of its comprehensive independent research. Fenpyrazamine is a chemical compound of a totally new structure and penetrates quickly into crops, providing an immediate effect on fungus infections. In addition, fenpyrazamine has higher safety in mammals and lower persistency in the environment. Because of this advantage, it can be used for a wide variety of crops until just before their harvest.

Gray mold, Sclerotinia rot and Monilinia are diseases commonly observed in various crops, such as grape vines, stone fruit trees, beans such as kidney beans and soy beans, and greenhouse vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplants, green peppers, cucumbers and zucchini, strawberries and flower bulbs like tulips. Accordingly, an effective means for controlling these diseases is much needed in many parts of the world.

In preparation for the scheduled world's first launch of Prolectus® in Italy, Sumitomo Chemical Agro Europe Sas., another Sumitomo Chemical group company in France that serves as the regional headquarters for the group’s agrochemicals business in Europe Middle East and Africa, obtained a provisional approval for fenpyrazamine-containing Prolectus® in Italy in July this year.

For geographical regions other than Italy, too, Sumitomo Chemical is working actively towards registering and launching fenpyrazamine-containing products globally. As far as European Union (EU) countries are concerned, Sumitomo Chemical has already applied for registration of Prolectus® in practically all countries, including France, Spain, United Kingdom, Austria, Germany, etc. with the aim of expanding sales of the product broadly across EU by 2015. In Asia, an approval has already been obtained in South Korea where sales will begin in 2013. Application for registration has been made in Japan under the product name of PIXIO®DF. Going forward, Sumitomo Chemical plans to obtain approval for the registration of the products also in South Africa, Australia, Brazil, Chile and the United States of America.