Combat fungal disease with confidence using Belanty

• BASF launches Belanty^®, an innovative fungicide to deliver rapid and lasting protection from powdery mildew in grapes and black spot in apples
• Belanty’s active ingredient, Revysol, (mefentrifluconazole), is a new molecule first discovered by BASF
• New DMI chemistry provides much stronger cellular binding than other DMIs

Melbourne, Australia – June 18, 2020 – Grape and apple growers across Australia have a new global DMI standard in fungal disease control and resistance management this season, thanks to novel formulation chemistry from BASF.

Being fast-acting and long-lasting, Belanty is a breakthrough DMI fungicide with a unique chemical structure that gives excellent control against powdery mildew in wine and table grapes. It has also been approved for use against black spot in apples, with a powdery mildew registration coming soon.

“Belanty is an exciting advance in crop protection, giving growers more confidence and flexibility in producing top quality fruit that meets strict market specifications,” said Serge Usatov, Horticulture Portfolio Manager at BASF Australia. “So many factors are beyond our control, but Belanty not only does everything an old DMI would do but has also been formulated specifically to meet today’s consumer and environmental expectations.”  

The fungicide has fast plant uptake, resulting in excellent rainfastness, then the active ingredient is slowly released into the leaf tissue, which gives longer residual activity. Importantly, Belanty has a broader application window than other DMIs, and maximum residue limits (MRLs) have already been approved for export to the EU.

“Belanty is the only DMI fungicide of its type and features innovative chemistry that enables it to bind tightly to fungal pathogens within the plant cells. You only get one chance a year at growing a profitable crop, so you want to get it right,” added Usatov.

The active ingredient in Belanty is Revysol (mefentrifluconazole), a new molecule first discovered by BASF, and subsequently registered in major markets worldwide, including North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

“The molecule’s ability to change shape once inside the plant tissue means it can control pathogen strains that are resistant to traditional DMI fungicides,” said Mark Dicks, Senior Technical Services Specialist, BASF Australia. “All other DMI molecules to date have been rigid. Revysol is flexible and adaptable. With DMI resistance developing worldwide, this is a critical characteristic that will help producers better manage their spray programs to reduce the risk of resistance and assist in prolonging the efficacy of existing chemistry.”

For grapes, up to three alternating or two consecutive applications per season of Belanty at 80 mL/100 L water are recommended as part of a complete disease control program for powdery mildew.

Belanty must be applied to grapes as a preventative disease spray program, prior to disease infection periods. The label rate is the same (80 mL/100L water) for use against black spot in apples, with applications commencing post spurburst . 

As with any Group 3 fungicide, it is important to rotate chemistry groups to reduce disease resistance in the crop, per the Croplife Australia Resistance Management Strategy.

For more detail, contact your crop protection advisor or visit crop-solutions.basf.com.au.
 

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 2019, our division generated sales of €7.8 billion. For more information, please visit www.agriculture.basf.com or any of our social media channels.

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 117,000 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 €59 billion in 2019. 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.