Agriculture Research: Pesticides to Increase Rice Yields

With the introduction of two fungicides and a herbicide, German chemicals major BASF has forayed into products for rice in India. The Crop Protection Division of the company unveiled the products.

President of the Division Markus Heldt said that, over the next three years, BASF plans to introduce 26 new products in India, including two more for rice.

The three products will help manage major rice parasites, weeds and pests thereby contributing to an improvement in the average rice yield, which is at a relatively low 3.6 tonne/hectare in the country.

The target is to help increase the yield to 5.8 tonne/hectare, Senior Vice President-Crop Protection for Asia Pacific said Gustavo Palerosi Carneiro.

Fungicides Seltima and Adexar would address rice blast fungus and sheath blight. Herbicide Basagram is for controlling weeds, said Rajendra Velagala, Business Director-South Asia (Crop Protection).

The existing crop protection solutions of BASF are focused on soyabean, fruits and vegetables. For cotton, chilli and wheat, the products proposed to be introduced by 2020. The company has submitted dossiers pertaining to the government of India, to the products it sought to introduce.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/