BASF begins the global registration of a new insecticidal active ingredient. The company has submitted regulatory dossiers for Axalion insecticide in Australia and Korea, which marks a milestone in the process of expanding BASF's global insecticide portfolio and in the company's goal of providing sustainable solutions for agriculture. In 2021 the regulatory dossiers will also be presented in the European Union, Brazil and India and, in the coming years, also in other key markets.

“The discovery and development of the new active ingredient Axalion reaffirms our commitment to offer farmers sustainable solutions that help them find the balance between agricultural productivity, protection of the environment and the needs of society”, says Harold Bastiaans, Vice President of the Insecticide Research Department of BASF's Agricultural Solutions Division. “Axalion is an effective insecticide against pests that are harmful to crops. At the same time, this active material is highly compatible with auxiliary insects, including pollinators, and represents another example of how we can successfully integrate sustainability criteria into our entire research and development process ”.

Axalion is the only representative of a new chemical class discovered by BASF. Thanks to its new mode of action and its ability to distribute within the plant, this insecticide will offer farmers highly effective control of many troublesome pests caused by thrips, whiteflies, aphids and aphids, which can cause devastating crop losses and low profitability. Axalion quickly controls pests by preventing insects from feeding. This reduces the loss of nutrients for the plant and also prevents the pest from transmitting diseases, which translates into healthier plants and crops with better performance and high quality.

At the same time, extensive tests carried out by BASF have shown that the proposed uses for Axalion are safe for the environment, both at ground level, and for aquatic organisms, as well as for insects, including pollinators, and birds.

"With this new insecticide, developed jointly with our customers, we can provide answers to what are truly challenges for the farmer: the need for effective solutions, implement environmentally friendly models and effectively manage resistance", says Neil Bentley , Vice President of the Strategic Marketing Department for Insecticides of BASF's Agricultural Solutions Division globally. “Thanks to its robust and reliable results, Axalion will become an essential tool in integrated pest control for farmers around the world. It will help them successfully protect their crops while extending the shelf life of already available solutions, allowing for comprehensive pest management programs. "

Axalion will be registered in a wide range of horticultural and fruit crops, including vineyards and potatoes, as well as soybeans and other legumes, cotton and cereals. This excellent insecticide will also be available for flowers and ornamental plants.

Depending on the relevant records, BASF experts expect to launch the first Axalion-based products in 2023 in Australia and Korea, and in 2024 in India. The introduction in the European market is planned for 2026.

“Although we will have to wait a few years to have this new and valuable tool in Spain, with this news we want to inject optimism into the minds of our farmers at a time when the use of various phytosanitary products is limited and highlight once again our commitment to offering innovative and sustainable solutions for Spanish agriculture ”, remarks Konstantin Kretschun, the recently appointed head of BASF's Agro business in Spain. "In addition, it seems important to us to emphasize, on the one hand, how long and extensive is the process of development and registration of a new active material, which before being commercialized is subjected to many tests and studies, as well as controls and authorizations. On the other hand, this long process highlights the importance and the need to make an adequate use of phytosanitary products, so that they remain effective in the long term and sustainable for the environment."