21 February2023, New Delhi: Best Agrolife Limited (BAL) announced that it had been granted a patent for its invention titled “Synergistic Herbicidal Composition of Triazine and Sulfonylurea Herbicides with Phenoxyacetic Herbicide” for a term of 20 years. This new patent is a combination of Ametryn+2 and 4D+Halosulfuron methyl. It is used as a pre, early post, and post-emergent herbicide to control weeds in sugarcane.
“Sugarcane is of paramount importance to Indian agriculture and economy. India is the world’s largest producer and consumer of sugar, as well as the second-largest exporter of sugar. Unfortunately, due to the lack of efficient and safer herbicides, the country experiences a total loss of around 25 million tonnes of cane yield annually (equivalent to 2.5 million tonnes of sugar) valued at approximately INR 1500 crores. Therefore, there is an urgent demand for more sustainable herbicides to control even the toughest weeds at all stages,” explained Vimal Alawadhi, Managing Director, Best Agrolife Ltd.
“Conventional herbicides could control weeds at certain growth stages by targeting only the leaf part of weeds and not the root. Furthermore, issues such as residue, volatility, and quick regrowth of weeds have been long-standing problems for sugarcane growers. With this new patent, we will be able to provide sugarcane growers with a more effective, efficient, and sustainable solution for all the aforementioned weed-related problems,” he added.
Halosulfuron-methyl, a sulfonylurea herbicide, can be absorbed by leaves and transferred to the underground parts of the plant, allowing it to kill both the overground leaves and the underground roots. In contrast, Ametryn is a triazine selective systemic herbicide for controlling annual grass weeds like crabgrass and green bristle grass and part of broad-leaf weeds in sugarcane fields. The halosulfuron-methyl and Ametryn mixture can kill grass weeds, broad-leaf weeds, and other stubborn weeds in pre, early, post, and post-emergent stages, resulting in improved sugarcane yield with high sugar content.
