Euralis Semences and BASF sign Clearfield Plus sunflower licensing agreement

Euralis Semences and BASF announced recently the signing of a global, non-exclusive agreement in which BASF will license Clearfield® Plus herbicide tolerance for sunflowers to Euralis Semences in certain countries in Europe and South America. The agreement allows Euralis Semences to be one of the first seed companies to develop seed hybrids that are tolerant to the new line of BASF Clearfield Plus herbicides.

The Clearfield Plus Production System for sunflowers, developed using traditional plant breeding, delivers improved, season-long weed control and greater crop tolerance across environmental stresses as well as the potential for increased oil content and grain yield.

Jacques Rabayrol, Markets Director for Euralis Semences, said: “We are pleased to work with BASF in delivering important weed control solutions to growers. In addition, the Clearfield Plus production system will help growers in Europe control broomrape (Orobanche ssp.) – a yield-robbing weed, in sunflower.”

“Combined with Euralis Semences’ innovative portfolio of high-yielding, disease-tolerant sunflowers, the Clearfield Plus production system for sunflower will give growers a greater range of options to maximize their yield sustainably,” said Jonathan Bryant, Vice President Global Strategic Marketing, Herbicides, for BASF Crop Protection.

The new line of Euralis Semences Clearfield Plus hybrids and BASF’s Clearfield Plus herbicides will be available in Romania and Bulgaria in 2014, followed by other sunflower producing countries in Europe and South America in 2015.

The financial terms of the agreements have not been disclosed.