The UN FAO is leading a locust control programme involving the application of pesticides across 300,000 ha of Madagascar. A build up of locusts in the south-west of the island threatens the livelihoods of 13 million people, the FAO says. The Organisation is calling for funds and materials. Locust-infested territory is to be treated from November this year until May 2012 at an estimated cost of $7.6 million. An upsurge in March last year was met with the aerial spraying of some 200,000 ha ...

BASF is to launch two new biorational pesticides in Brazil as it seeks to widen its offering in the sector, the company’s marketing director for crop protection in Latin America Fabio Del Sistia told the business newspaper, Valor Economico, this month. The products include a biofungicide and a pheromone. The company is in the “investigation phase” to bring more such products onto the Brazilian market. “BASF sees IPM as the preferred pest control solution,” Mr Del Sistia told the newspaper. BASF ...

BASF and the Brazilian agricultural research corporation, the Embrapa, have agreed a five-year deal to develop crop protection and biotechnology products among other products. The partnership’s two initial projects will involve biological products. One will be a biofungicide for use on soybeans, and a nitrogen-fixing bacterium for use on sugar cane, the companies say. BASF is launching two biopesticide products in Brazil and is seeking to take advantage of moves in the country towards greater ...

Brazil is to prioritise the registration of “less toxic” pesticides, the Ministry of Agriculture says. The country classifies products in four classes, and will give precedence to those products ranked as the two lower risk levels, Class III and IV. The Ministry notes that of 1,468 approved formulated products in the country, some 61% are in those classifications. Furthermore, biopesticide registrations are assessed more quickly, at around 8-15 months, rather than up to three years for ...

This is a test story intended to test the automatic loading procedure of each required mapping to the relevant section on Escenic. The stories are based on different styles of tagging, which should load to the correct area on the site. The title of

The US EPA is to allow more new production and imports of the fumigant, methyl bromide, for critical uses this year than originally proposed. The Agency has reduced the amount to come from existing stocks following a reassessment of inventory levels. In December 2008, the EPA proposed that 4,194.9 tonnes of methyl bromide should be available, with 1,617.9 tonnes coming from new production or imports and 2,577 tonnes from stocks (Agrow No 558, p 14). The EPA’s final rule on 2009 critical use ...

The US EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs has received more applications to register new biopesticides or plant incorporated protectants. They are from the following companies: * 4260864 Canada Inc (Perrot, Quebec, Canada) for the mycoherbicide, Sarritor (Sclerotinia minor strain IMI 3144141 64.24%). The company received Canadian approval for commercial and domestic use of Sarritor for the suppression of dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) in turf in 2007 (Agrow No 531, p 17). * Bayer CropScience ...

The US biopesticide company, AgraQuest (Davis, California, has entered into a licensing, supply and distribution agreement with BASF for AgraQuest’s biofungicide, Serenade (Bacillus subtilis strain QST 713). The deal gives BASF rights to foliar and drench applications of Serenade in agricultural crops in many countries throughout Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia and Latin America. The rights included exclusive distribution in countries not covered by existing AgraQuest partnerships. BASF’s ...