HELM AGRO US AND ISK BIOSCIENCES ANNOUNCE COLLABORATION ON THREE NEW HERBICIDES

RODUCTS INLCUDE A NEW GROUP 14 (PPO INHIBITOR) HERBICIDE.

Helm Agro US, Inc, a global manufacturer of crop protection and fertilizer products, and Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha, Ltd (ISK) have entered into a long-term collaboration to commercially develop three novel crop protection herbicides.

Under the initiative, Helm will partner with ISK Biosciences Corporation (ISKBC), Concord, Ohio, a subsidiary of Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha Ltd. of Osaka, Japan, in the commercial development of the new market offerings beginning in 2020.

They include:

A new PPO inhibitor (Group 14) herbicide developed from a new ISK molecule for rapid and effective preplant burndown of broadleaf and grass weeds. Company officials say this new technology receives high performance ratings in controlling a broad spectrum of weeds across a wide variety of crops and geographies, including weeds that resist ALS (Group 2), triazine (Group 24) and glyphosate (Group 9). Additional characteristics include an ultra-low use rate, broad tank mix compatibility and expanded use as a desiccant for cotton, say company officials. The Group 14 product will be formulated as a suspension concentrate with EPA registration expected in 2020.

A co-formulation of the active ingredients tolpyralate (Group 27, HPPD inhibitor) and nicosulfuron (Group 2, ALS inhibitor) for selective postemergence broadleaf and grass control in field corn and seed corn. Product highlights include a low use rate, superior crop safety features, and a wide application window, say company officials.

A nonselective burndown herbicide for specialty crops featuring a new active ingredient from the ISK development pipeline. Grapes will be the first high-value crop to garner access to the technology for broad spectrum control of grass and broadleaf weeds, including many resistant to other herbicide classes. EPA and state registrations for the new herbicide are anticipated for later this year. Further registrations for citrus, pulse crops, and tree nuts are expected in 2022. To accommodate grower preference, the product will be developed in a water dispersible granular (WDG) formulation.