BASF innovative chemistry shines at industry awards

BASF's innovative potato blight fungicide Initium won the prestigious Agrow Award for the Best New Crop Protection Product at the 2012 Awards held in London on 7 November.

Whilst the company’s Xemium cereal fungicide active ingredient was runner up in the Most Innovative Chemistry category.

Dr. Monika Roth, BASF global regulatory manager for Initium

The judges’ citation for Initium’s win was that this highly selective, effective fungicide for controlling oomycete fungal diseases such as late potato blight, tomato blight and downy mildew in vines, was a worthy winner.

Initium’s recognition as New Crop Protection winner was in an award category which sought to recognise “the most important new crop protection active ingredient or trait launched since January 2011.

Judges were looking for a product or trait that has “demonstrated immediate commercial success, that has long term potential and that stands ahead of its competitors in terms of efficacy, environmental or user safety, and that has had demonstrable effect on the ability of farmers and growers to protect their crops.”

Xemium – BASF’s new carboxamide fungicide cited for its excellent disease activity and plant mobility – was selected as runner up in the Most Innovative Chemistry category. This category was open to organisations undertaking original research into novel pesticide chemistry. Judges were looking for new pesticide chemistry with unique structures and mode of action. The winner was DuPont’s new class of chemistry developed for use in the control of oomycete diseases in speciality crops.