Adama announced the registration of Sierra, an herbicide based on saflufenacil produced in-house, the first off-patent product based on this active ingredient, in Australia. Revista Cultivar had mentioned this record some time ago (here).
According to the company's release, Sierra, powered by the company's proprietary formulation technology platform, "provides farmers with a critical resistance management tool to improve felling of annual grasses and broadleaf weeds in a variety of cultivation and non-cultivation, maximizing efficiency and minimizing the loss of valuable soil moisture.”
Saflufenacil (CAS 372137-35-4, HRAC E) is an organic compound of the pyrimidinedione chemical class used as a herbicide. It works by inhibiting protoporphyrinogen IX oxidase (PPO), preventing the formation of chlorophyll and resulting in the accumulation of protoporphyrin IX, which is a potent photosensitizer. This activates oxygen, causing lipid peroxidation with rapid loss of membrane integrity and function. The visible effects on whole plants are chlorosis and necrosis.
According to scientific literature, development of the product's precursors began in 1985. Later, with additional esters, patent claims were published, including butafenacil, marketed in 2001. BASF scientists investigated the chemistry and patented an analogue where the ester carboxylic acid of butafenacil was replaced by a sulfamoyl carboxamide. It was developed under the code number BAS800H and first marketed in 2008 under the Kixor brand.
In Brazil, to date, there are only registrations of products with this active ingredient in the name of BASF.
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