Syngenta Crop Protection and FMC Corporation announced an agreement on Wednesday to bring a breakthrough technology to control grass weeds in rice in Asia.

The new active ingredient Tetflupyrolimet, discovered and developed by FMC with support from Syngenta for the development of rice, marks the first major herbicide with a novel mode of action (DHODH-HRAC Group 28) in over three decades, promising relief to farmers challenged by weed resistance to existing herbicides, Syngenta said in a statement.

Yield and quality

Tetflupyrolimet boosts the yield and quality of rice production by delivering season-long control of the most significant grass weeds, which compete with the crop for water, fertiliser, light, and space and host pests and diseases that impact rice farming.

Under the agreement, Syngenta and FMC will bring tetflupyrolimet-based products to key rice markets in Asia. Syngenta will register and commercialise Tetflupyrolimet in China, the world’s largest rice market. In addition, Syngenta will commercialise products containing mixtures of Tetflupyrolimet for rice in India, Vietnam, and Indonesia, as well as in Japan and South Korea. FMC will register and commercialise Tetflupyrolimet and an array of products in all these countries, except in China, where it will focus on rice mixtures.

A further benefit of Tetflupyrolimet is that it can be used at low rates with good crop safety. In addition to being easy to apply to traditional transplanted rice, the herbicide is also highly suited to direct-seeded rice, paving the way for the greater adoption of modern and more environmentally friendly cropping systems.

“This innovation will drive a step-change in the yield and quality of rice harvests, address the growing challenge of weed resistance, and could transform the lives of millions of rice farmers,” said Ioana Tudor, Global Head of Marketing at Syngenta Crop Protection. “At Syngenta, we are excited by the potential of this new technology to elevate the sustainability of global rice production.”