Brazil Registration Watch: Six biopesticides and two herbicides based on tiafenacil registered in Brazil

Date:04-11-2023

The Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture (MAPA) announced the registration of 22 formulated agri-input products in Act No. 5 published in the Official Gazette of the Union in February. Eight were products with low environmental impact, including those based on biological materials that are harmless to humans and other animals.

Six biological products are based on Beauveria bassiana, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus subtilis, Metarhizium anisopliae, Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma viride and Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (SfMNPV) which is specific to fall armyworm. Check the table below to see all products approved.

Andermatt Brazil's bioinsecticide SPODOVIR PLUS, designed specifically for the control of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), is worth mentioning. Fall armyworms are found throughout Brazil, as the species has multiple alternative hosts, allowing them to maintain populations throughout the year in different crops. Farmers have reported an increase in the number of fall armyworms in Brazil in recent years, mainly attacking soybean and cotton crops. Controlling the pest is a real challenge because it can develop resistance to chemical pesticides and Bt toxins.

In Brazil, a growing number of companies have developed biopesticides to control fall armyworm in recent years. Products based on Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (SfMNPV) are a relatively popular one. Isolates of SfMNPV have been shown to be effective against fall armyworm and can be interchanged with chemical insecticides to manage pest resistance. The product works when caterpillars swallow leaves sprayed with baculovirus. Caterpillars infected with baculovirus reduce their food intake by up to 90% and die after some time. There are currently 11 SfMNPV-based products registered in Brazil.

With regards to chemical products, two herbicides: TERRAD'OR 300 WG and BARUS 300 WG with the active ingredient, Tiafenacil, were registered, which is unprecedented in Brazil. The registration holder of these products is ISK Biosciences do Brasil Defensivos Agrícolas.

Tiafenacil (trade name: Terrad’or^Ⓡ), developed by FarmHannong, is a non-selective herbicide controlling broadleaves and grasses. It is a new group 14 herbicide, PPO inhibitor, in the N-phenyl-imides chemical family. It is a contact herbicide that provides fast-acting control of weeds and degrades rapidly in the soil. This product is widely used in procedures adopted for direct planting, especially pre-planting and pre-harvest desiccation in cotton, bean, corn and soybean crops. It also demonstrated outstanding performance against glyphosate resistant weeds: amaranth, ragweed, copperleaf and dayflower. Tiafenacil is now approved in Sri Lanka, the United States, Canada and Australia.

Also of note is the insecticide ELESTAL NEO (Spiropidion + Acetamiprid). It is the first spiropidion-based mixture registered by Syngenta in Brazil. In 2022, Syngenta’s Elestal 300 SC (Spiropidion) debuted in Brazil.

Spiropidion is the fourth tetramic acid insecticide developed and marketed by Syngenta. Spiropidion has a favorable toxicological and environmental profile, and owing to good safety to pollinators and other nontarget organisms, it is perfectly suitable for IPM practices. This new insecticide provides excellent control of aphids, whiteflies, psyllids, scales, and mites in vegetables and specialty crops. 

Spiropidion is currently registered in Guatemala, Australia, Paraguay, Brazil, Pakistan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia and other countries. Syngenta plans to launch the product in more than 60 countries and expects peak sales to reach $400 million.