It takes approximately 11 years to bring a new product to market, and costs approximately $286 million to take one molecule from discovery all the way to the field.
That’s according to BASF Canada, which is investing $4 million per day in agricultural research and development, globally, the company says in its year-end message reflecting on a year that saw 10 new crop protection products and two new InVigor canola hybrids brought to Canadian farmers in the 2021 and 2022 season.
Between the 2021 and 2022 growing seasons, BASF Canada Agricultural Solutions (BASF) significantly expanded its portfolio with the launch of 10 new crop protection solutions, and the introduction of two new InVigor canola hybrids to its seed offering.
“Now, more than ever, growers are under increased pressure to produce strong, quality crops in a profitable and sustainable way,” said Mark Shillingford, Director, Marketing BASF Canada. “To do so, growers depend on access to the right resources and tools for their fields; but this innovation doesn’t happen overnight.”
Plant science innovation plays a critical role in helping growers achieve higher yields. According to CropLife Canada, these innovations have driven a 50 percent increase in crop productivity over the last century, contributing significantly to the Canadian economy, BASF said.
The company says it is committed to furthering this innovation by investing an average of $4 million daily in agricultural research and development globally and is celebrating the following hybrid launches and product registrations for the 2021 and 2022 seasons:
- Canola:
- InVigor L343PC and InVigor L356PC join the InVigor hybrid canola line-up, in time for InVigor’s 25th anniversary season in 2022. InVigor L343PC merges patented Pod Shatter Reduction and second-generation clubroot resistance, while InVigor L356PC delivers strong yield potential for growers targeting an extra bushel or two.
- Vercoras is BASF’s new seed treatment for InVigor, delivering broad-spectrum protection against key seed and soil-borne diseases like blackleg, and frontline protection against flea beetles. It is available for purchase on InVigor hybrid canola for the 2022 growing season.
- Certitude herbicide provides canola growers with a new option for weed control as the first group 27 for pre-seed use in canola. Available for the 2021 season, it offers industry-leading control of kochia and volunteer canola.
- Cereals & Pulses:
- Smoulder herbicide offers wheat and barley growers residual control of volunteer canola, superior burndown of group 2, 4 and 9 resistant weeds and improved perennial and winter annual control for the upcoming 2022 growing season.
- Sphaerex fungicide, available to Western Canadian cereal growers for the 2022 season, combines two active ingredients (AI), Sphaerex helps cereal growers manage Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) and leaf diseases for improved yield and quality.
- Voraxor herbicide, available for 2022, contains the new AI Tirexor to help provide pre-seed burndown and residual control of broadleaf weeds in peas, lentils, corn, soybean, and more.
- Teraxxa F4 became available to cereal growers in the 2021 season, using a new mode of action for eliminating wireworms with the unique AI Broflanilide, and was awarded one of 10 Most Innovative Products of 2021 by Seed World magazine.
- Corn, Soy & Potato / Horticulture:
- Veltyma, a fungicide containing Revysol, is available for 2022 and helps provides broader, stronger and longer control against leaf diseases in corn and protection against foliar diseases in potatoes.
- Merivon fungicide receives registration in time for the 2021 growing season to help address key diseases, including black rot and bitter rot in apples, and diseases in a range of horticulture crops.
- Professional & Speciality Solutions:
- Habitat Aqua providing municipalities, associations and homeowners help with control over invasive species like phragmites that threaten natural habitats across the country.
- Xzemplar fungicide received registration for the 2021 golf season to give superintendents a potent tool that combines the fast-stopping power of a contact fungicide with long-lasting preventative action to help control the critical turf pathogen, dollar spot.
“From resistance to the presence of tough-to-control pests and diseases, providing growers with access to the right solutions for their fields plays a critical role in helping them achieve the best yield possible,” said Shillingford. “Growers’ livelihoods depend on producing successful crops year over year, which is why we’re committed to developing and equipping them with a robust portfolio of options. BASF continues to support Canadian growers’, and these new products are just one example of how we’re here to help.”
