AUSTRALIAN horticulturalists and cotton producers will get the world’s first crack at an insecticide product developed by BASF featuring a new mode of action.
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BASF will make the world launch of its Versys product at the Hort Connections conference in Brisbane in June.
The insecticide is designed for use in controlling aphids along with silverleaf whitefly.
Both pests are becoming increasingly resistant to insecticides currently registered for use in Australia.
The BASF product is based on the active ingredient Inscalis, a product derived from pyropene developed by BASF.
Officials from the crop technology giant say research showed Versys controlled aphids in as little as 15 minutes.
Other advantages include a shorter withholding period than other commonly used insecticides.
The current registration issued by the Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Medicine Authority (APVMA) is for use in vegetable and leafy brassicas, leafy brassicas, celery, cucurbits, fruiting vegetables, leafy vegetables, lettuce, potato, sweet potato, cotton, ginger and ornamentals.
However, the broadacre cropping sector, which also struggles with the control of aphids, especially in crops such as canola, a close relative of vegetable brassica species, also looks set to benefit.
A spokesperson from BASF said the company hoped to have the product registered for use in broadacre cropping systems, with the business targeting a registration by 2020 in that area.
Gavin Jackson, BASF head of agriculture Australia / New Zealand, said he felt Versys would become an integral part of pest management systems in Australia.
“It will offer Australian farmers an alternative mode of action for the control of key insect pests and will be an essential tool to farmers for use in insecticide resistance and integrated pest management programs,” Mr Jackson said.
He said it was a coup for Australian agriculture to be part of a world first launch.
“It is exciting that we have the first registration in the world for an Inscalis-powered insecticide, providing Australian farmers with faster access to new technology,” he said.
Mr Jackson said BASF would be releasing a number of new products in Australia over the next five years, with a pipeline of around 25
new products ready to hit the market across various crop protection areas.