Kumiai and Valent U.S.A. Partner to Develop Effeeda Herbicides for U.S. Rice Producers

SAN RAMON, Calif. — Kumiai Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. and Valent U.S.A. LLC have signed an exclusive agreement to jointly develop Effeeda for rice in the United States, bringing new technology designed to manage problematic, resistant weeds affecting rice producers. This partnership builds upon the longstanding relationship between Kumiai and Valent to drive innovation in crop protection, said the two companies, and aims to advance the tools available to growers to maximize crop health and on-farm sustainability efforts.

"Kumiai and Valent have been long-standing partners, and we are very pleased to be able to jointly develop our novel active ingredient in the United States," said Masaru Yokoyama, president and representative director, Kumiai Chemical. "This initiative is part of our ongoing overseas development of Effeeda, and we plan to further expand its presence in the future."

Effeeda, the trademark name for fenquinotrione, is a novel active ingredient and triketone herbicide with HPPD inhibitor mechanism of action discovered by Kumiai. It is a herbicide effective against a range of weeds in water seeded rice and dry seeded rice, including ALS inhibitor herbicide resistant weeds and difficult-to-control broadleaf weeds. In laboratory and field trials, Effeeda has shown fit for resistance management strategies in rice herbicide programs, said Valent U.S.A. and Kumiai Chemical.

"We are pleased to extend our partnership with Kumiai to enhance the trusted portfolio of rice herbicides we provide to our customers with this next generation of innovation," said Matt Plitt, president and CEO of Valent U.S.A. "We are steadfast in our commitment to sustainability and the future of food production, and this collaboration marks a key step forward as we expand on the solutions to complement our current herbicide portfolio, including Regiment and Bolero."

Valent and Kumiai will collaborate on additional research and regulatory reviews throughout the registration process and said they look forward to bringing products featuring Effeeda to U.S. rice producers.