Syngenta, Kyoyu Agri Co Ltd announces strategic collaboration

Syngenta and Kyoyu Agri Co Ltd, a Japanese agrochemical manufacturer, announced a strategic collaboration on Tuesday to offer rice growers in selected Asian markets herbicides built on Cyclopyranil. The novel active ingredient was developed by Kyoyu Agri, and Syngenta will market products containing it across several countries in the region, according to Business Recorder.

Syngenta calls Cyclopyranil its first rice herbicide based on the PPO-inhibiting mode of action, known as Herbicide Group 14. The compound is effective at low application rates and kills a wide range of broadleaf and grass weeds on contact, including those resistant to AC Case and ALS products. Growers can use it before or after weeds emerge, which gives them more flexibility in the field.

Researchers have logged more than 190 documented cases in which weeds resisted herbicides in rice fields around the globe. Barnyard grass is among the toughest weeds to manage, since it competes hard for nutrients and imitates rice, which delays identification and removal. Ioana Tudor, who leads marketing for Syngenta Crop Protection, said resistance is narrowing the options open to rice growers. Kyoyu Agri's president, Masakazu Yamada, called the tie-up a key milestone for bringing the company's proprietary technologies to a global audience.