New registration requirements issued in China for sterilant herbicides mixed formulation, such as Glyphosate or Glufosinate-ammonium

On Oct 25, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, PRC released “Pesticide Registration Information No. 29, 2022”.

(1). Registration of mixed formulation of sterilant herbicides containing Glyphosate or Glufosinate-ammonium.

In view of the fact that there are many non-selective herbicides applied for non-arable land and selective herbicides applied for farmland, however, there are risks of drifting, misuse and overdosing in actual use. The committee recommended that the registration trials for mixed formulation of non-selective herbicides and selective herbicides for field should be discontinued. At the same time, it is suggested to standardize the labeling content of non-selective herbicides, and prohibit the use of such herbicides in agricultural and forestry areas such as field roads, ridges, fallow land, forest farm and woodland, so as to prevent the spray drift from causing damage to surrounding crops.

(2). Registration management of herbicide products for herbicide tolerant crops

The committee think that the herbicide tolerant crops are not created by genetic modification or gene editing methods, mainly through the light induced way. Its characteristics are unstable, and there are some safety risks in the herbicide registration for conventional breeding of herbicide tolerant crops, which may cause damage. Therefore, it is necessary to be cautious in the registration of herbicides.

In order to further standardize the herbicide registration of conventional breeding herbicide tolerant crops, the Committee suggested that for conventional breeding of herbicide tolerant crops, it should refer to the method of 4 times dose of transgenic herbicide-tolerant crops to evaluate the drug resistance of this crop variety and the safety of herbicide on crops.

(3) Requirements for approval of pesticide labels

According to the Measures for the Administration of Pesticide Labels and Instructions, to further refine the examination of the technical requirements for use, product performance, precautions, first aid measures for poisoning, storage and transportation methods, quality guarantee period, and better guide farmers to use pesticides in a scientific and rational way, The Committee deliberated and approved the "Opinions on Further Refining the Approval Requirements for Pesticide Labels", which was used as a reference for pesticide registration applicants and pesticide registration certificate holders when making pesticide labels.