Bayer has submitted European Union registration applications for what it says is agriculture’s first new mode of action herbicide for post-emergent weed control for broadacre crops in over 30 years. The herbicide, icafolin-methyl, has seen registration applications completed in Brazil, Canada and the US.
Icafolin belongs to a new chemical class which Bayer says allows for lower dose rates and more targeted application. The company added that the product is complementary to existing herbicides, such as glyphosate, "adding a novel solution for mitigating weed resistance."
Weed resistances have increased globally over the last years and are a threat to food security as resistant weeds compete with crops on sunlight and nutrients and reducing yield and harvest quality, Bayer said.
Developed for initial uses in soybean, cereals, pulses and oil seed crops, as well as stone fruits, tree nuts, grapes and citrus crops, Icafolin will initially be launched in Brazil in 2028. Bayer estimates a peak sales potential of some €750 million.
Bayer said that treated weeds become “frozen” in the fields, and stop competing with crops for water, nutrients and sunlight. But because the dead weeds remain in the field longer because they largely maintain their structure this creates a mulch layer that helps prevent erosion and trap moisture in the soil. “By providing effective weed control it reduces the need for tillage, supporting regenerative practices in agriculture that can improve soil health,” Bayer said.
Following the first expected launch from 2028 onward in Brazil, Bayer anticipates selling Icafolin in the U.S, Canada, EU and other geographies “over subsequent years”.
Mike Graham, Head of Research & Development for the Crop Science division of Bayer said: “Access to an entirely new herbicide class that complements the existing toolbox not only helps farmers combat and prevent weed resistance, but it also helps farmers adopt and maintain no-till and reduced tillage practices that improve soil health, which is a cornerstone of regenerative agriculture.”
- In separate news, research by Australia’s national science agency CSIRO has found that weeds cost the grain and cotton industries some AUS$4.43 billion and $145 million respectively. For grain growers this increases their costs by 7%. However, better weed management means that the impact of weeds on grain crop yields has fallen from 2.8 billion tonnes in 2016, when the last national estimate on the impact of weeds was carried out, to 1.2 million tonnes in 2025. Particularly strong gains have been seen where improvements have been made in summer fallow weed control, which helps conserve soil moisture and supports crop establishment in drier seasons.
Further reading:
• Researchers investigate impacts if glyphosate were banned
• Bayer invites researchers to submit novel molecules for testing
• Syngenta and agriculture's sustainable future
• Bayer and Silal extend sustainable agriculture partnership
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