Syngenta is launching the herbicide Axial (Pinoxaden) in Brazil to control ryegrass and oat grass

Syngenta is rolling out Axial, a new herbicide used in Brazil to combat weeds, particularly ryegrass and oat grass, that affect winter grains. The product is made from Pinoxaden, an active ingredient unique to Brazil, which has post-bud action and can be used in wheat and barley.

 Weeds can cause a huge loss of productivity. Ryegrass alone can reduce the overall wheat yield by as much as 30 percent. Axial is a new alternative to weed control. The main advantages of Axial are its rapid penetration of the surface layer of weeds, its selectivity for wheat and barley, and its high efficiency against oat and ryegrass.

Rafael Berta, Syngenta's herbicide marketing Manager, said: "The weed environment for winter cereals is very complex and weed resistance increases. Red tail and oat grass are extremely persistent weed types that occur every year, often with sudden emergencies that make control difficult. Axial herbicide will take weed control to new levels and become a partner for farmers’ weed control strategies."

About 3 million hectares of land in Brazil are used to grow wheat and barley. The main producing areas are Rio Grande do Sul, Parana, Sao Paulo and Santa Catarina. At present, the planting area of these two crops in desert steppe area is on the rise. According to a Syngenta survey, about 61% of wheat and barley growers in Brazil use post-sprout herbicides on their crops. However, the increase in weed resistance is one of the major challenges facing winter grain growers.

Axial, which will be widely used by growers in Europe and beyond, is one of the major innovations of Brazil's Syngenta Plant Protection in 2023 and one of the most anticipated products in the grain industry. Brazil will harvest 10.5m tonnes of wheat this year, about 10 per cent more than last year, according to CONAB, the national supply company.

Berta: "formulations containing Pinoxaden and Axial under the brand name are being sold in several countries, including Spain and Canada, and are achieving positive marketing results." We look forward to the same success in Brazil, helping farmers meet the challenges ahead. Weed control is fundamental, and new technologies will not only help farmers increase productivity, but also improve the future yield and quality of their crops.”