New mode of action classification for BASF herbicide Luximo

Date:06-03-2020

- First new mode of action classification from the Herbicide Resistance Action Committee (HRAC) since 1985
- Luximo^® soon to provide farmers in the EU and UK a much-needed tool against grass weed resistance

In the ongoing effort to combat weed resistance, unique modes of action are critical to protecting crops and the food sources of a growing population. Researchers at BASF dedicated to finding viable solutions to this challenge arrived at Luximo^®, a herbicide which has received the first new mode of action classification from the Herbicide Resistance Action Committee (HRAC) since 1985. Already approved for sale in Australia in 2019, BASF also expects farmers in the EU and UK to benefit from this much-needed herbicide in the future.

“Providing farmers with a new tool like Luximo – the first new herbicide mode of action in nearly 35 years – is an exciting moment for the whole industry and will offer growers the opportunity to overcome resistance of the most troublesome grass weeds in their cropping systems,” stated Rex Liebl, Global Product Development Herbicides at BASF’s Agricultural Solutions division. “Luximo is an essential complement to the weed management toolbox. It is designed to become the backbone of effective and sustainable grass weed management programs, where rotating multiple modes of action is essential to fight resistance.”

Due to its novel mode of action, Luximo has no known cross-resistance. It provides soil residual control against a broad range of grasses in cereal crops, including resistant and difficult to control black-grass and ryegrass.

Luximo is the first active ingredient in the new HRAC mode of action class

“Group Q” or “30”, which stands for the inhibition of the enzyme family Fatty Acid Thioesterase (FAT). These enzymes are vital for plant cell membrane development and function. Their inhibition disrupts germination and thus the emergence of grass weeds.

The HRAC is an international body founded by the agrochemical industry, helping to protect crop yields and quality worldwide by supporting efforts in the fight against herbicide-resistant weeds. By collecting, assessing and sharing information on weed resistance, the HRAC acts as a comprehensive and reliable source for those who feed a growing population.