BASF launches new fungicide seed treatment to Australian canola growers for blackleg control

• ILeVO^® fungicide is now registered for use in Australia
• The active ingredient, Fluopyram, is a new sub-class of SDHI chemistry in Australian agriculture
• Unique mode of action highly effective on blackleg, plus supports even crop emergence and early plant vigour

Melbourne, Australia – October 2, 2019 – BASF’s new fungicide seed treatment, ILeVO®, is now registered and available to Australian canola growers. ILeVO is a highly effective seed treatment for the management of blackleg in canola.   

Blackleg, caused by the fungus Leptosphaeria maculans, is the most serious disease of canola in Australia. “We’re excited to deliver the alternative fungicide seed treatment growers have been searching for, as limited options have been available to manage the most important disease in canola,” explained Arturo de Lucas, Seed Technologies Portfolio Manager at BASF Australia and New Zealand.

ILeVO features a systemic ingredient, Fluopyram, that translocates to the roots, cotyledons and first true leaves of canola plants. These are the areas where blackleg infection first attacks, and ILeVO’s concentration in these parts of the plant means stopping early infestation before it reaches the vascular system, causing cankering and plant death.

“Results from trials that were run over five consecutive years show that ILeVO provides more efficient protection against blackleg, with significantly better management of early leaf infections, reduced plant lodging and internal stem infection compared to the current industry standard product,” said de Lucas.

“In addition to its disease-preventative abilities, ILeVO provides a number of benefits to growers,” said Rob Hall, Head of Seeds at BASF Australia and New Zealand. “It is compatible with a range of seeds, has a low application rate, supports even crop emergence and early plant vigour and is a novel fungicide that blackleg has never seen before. ILeVO is certainly a very welcome and much-anticipated addition to growers’ rotations.”

Not only does ILeVO demonstrate good crop safety with no effect on seed germination, it also has a high range of compatibilities, with the ability to mix with other fungicidal and insecticidal seed treatments for broader protection.

ILeVO complements BASF’s portfolio of solutions for canola growers, which will continue to grow with the launch of InVigor® R4022P to the Australian market in 2020. InVigor R4022P is the first variety to combine new TruFlex® technology with BASF’s unique PodGuard® trait technology to give growers greater yield potential through improving both flexibility around weed control and harvest timing.

About BASF’s Agricultural Solutions division

With a rapidly growing population, the world is increasingly dependent on our ability to develop and maintain sustainable agriculture and healthy environments. Working with farmers, agricultural professionals, pest management experts and others, it is our role to help make this possible. That’s why we invest in a strong R&D pipeline and broad portfolio, including seeds and traits, chemical and biological crop protection, soil management, plant health, pest control and digital farming. With expert teams in the lab, field, office and in production, we connect innovative thinking and down-to-earth action to create real world ideas that work – for farmers, society and the planet. In 2018, our division generated sales of €6.2 billion. For more information, please visit www.agriculture.basf.com or any of our social media channels.

About BASF in Australia and New Zealand

BASF serves key industries in the agriculture, coatings, construction, manufacturing and mining sectors, and posted sales of about €432 million in Australia and New Zealand in 2018. As of the end of 2018, the company had 552 employees and operated 12 production sites across agricultural solutions, performance products and functional materials and solutions. BASF has been active in Australia for more than 90 years, and for about 60 years in New Zealand. Further information is available on the Internet at www.basf.com/au.

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 122,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of around €63 billion in 2018. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.