Three Mainstream Pesticides for Rice Blast Control   

By Zhang Weinong, Nantong Pesticide Market Information Center

Rice blast is one of major diseases that can seriously threaten rice production. Without effective prevention and control, it can often lead to a substantial cut in rice output. Sometimes, the occurrence of panicle blast (a type of rice blast) can result in no rice harvest at all. In late May and early June this year, the temperature was high, and rain was plentiful in many places. This was very conducive to the incidence and spread of leaf blast (a type of rice blast). In Sichuan and other provinces, rice blast often occurs. It even becomes widespread in some areas. In China, there are many pesticides for rice blast control. This article will discuss the current market situation and the development prospects of three mainstream pesticides for rice blast control.

Tricyclazole

Tricyclazole is a very effective fungicide for rice blast control and features high efficiency, long duration and low usage. It has been applied in the large-scale rice production for many years. In 1985 and 1986, foreign companies officially registered tricyclazole formulations in China, with trade names like Beam 75WP (Beam 75% Wettable Powder) and Beam 25WP. The usage of this fungicide for rice blast control is relatively small - only 225-300 g/ha. In 1988, Dongyang Dongnong Chemical Co Ltd and Shanghai Dongfeng Pesticide Factory took the lead to launch 20% tricyclazole WP in the domestic market. So far, there are 10 licensed tricyclazole technical (TC) producers (see Table 1), nearly 80 single-component tricyclazole formulation producers and more than 170 multi-component tricyclazole formulation producers in China.
   In 2010, the actual output of tricyclazole TC in China was about 2 400 tons, of which nearly 60% was exported. Registered formulations include: 20%, 40% and 75% tricyclazole WP and 20% tricyclazole SC. Tricyclazole has been applied in rice production in China for 26 years and still has very excellent effects in rice blast control.
   In the first half of 2011, raw material prices rose, exports increased and some producers reduced production due to environmental protection, so tricyclazole TC prices went up significantly, even reaching RMB66 000/t in mid and late April. As tricyclazole formulation producers are completing their procurement of tricyclazole TC for their inventories, its demand is dropping, and its prices have now fallen to the normal level - RMB53 000 /t.

Table 1  Producers of tricyclazole TC in China
Producer    Capacity (t/a)
Jiangsu Fengdeng Pesticide Co Ltd    1000
Hangzhou Southern Suburb Chemical Co Ltd    800
Hangzhou Hexin Chemical Co Ltd    500
Sichuan Research & Design Institute of Chemical Industry     500
Jiangsu Frey Agrochemicals Co Ltd    400
Jiangsu Changqing Agrochemical Co Ltd    400
Jiangsu Liangmancang Agrochemical Co Ltd    300
Dongyang Dongnong Chemical Co Ltd    500
Sichuan Demetre Biological Sci-tech Co Ltd    200
Nantong Runhong Biochemical Co Ltd    100

Kasugamycin

In April 1963, Japanese scientists isolated a type of actinomycetes from soil in Nara Prefecture. This type of actinomycetes can produce a type of fungicide, called kasumin. In 1970, Chinese scientists at the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences successfully developed a biological fungicide, called kasugamycin, produced by streptomyces basugaensis. Later, it was confirmed that kasumin and kasugamycin are the same fungicide. After the fungicide was launched to the market, it received a warm welcome from farmers because of its special effectiveness in rice blast control.
   In the past, kasugamycin hydrochloride (technical grade) was only produced by Yanbian Chunlei Bio-Pharmaceutical Co Ltd (formerly Yanbian Pesticide Factory); and in foreign countries, only Japan's Hokko Chemical Industry Co Ltd produced it. In recent years, with the promotion of bio-pesticides and green pesticides, some Chinese enterprises have gradually begun to produce kasugamycin. Now, there are eight major kasugamycin TC producers in China (see Table 2).

Table 2 Major producers of kasugamycin TC in China
Producer    Capacity (t/a)
Yanbian Chunlei Bio-Pharmaceutical Co Ltd    1500
North China Pharmaceutical Group    1200
Zhangjiagang Beixing Chemical Co Ltd    900
Shaanxi Meibang Pesticide Co Ltd    800
Ganzhou Youtin Chemical Co Ltd    600
Guangdong Jiangmen Plant protection Company    600
Shanghai Shidai Biotech Co Ltd    500
Henan Sanpu Baicai Bio-engineering Co Ltd    300

   The total annual output of kasugamycin TC in China is about 6 000 tons. Every province except Tibet has some demand for kasugamycin every year, and some kasugamycin is exported to Japan, Southeast Asia and South America. Domestic and foreign demand for agricultural antibiotics is growing, and their current production cannot meet the market demand, so their market potential is huge. In particular, the global annual demand for kasugamycin TC and formulations is expected to reach 25 000 tons soon.
   As an agricultural fungicide, since kasugamycin was first marketed in 1966, it has been applied to an increasing variety of crops, such as rice, various vegetables and fruits, due to its low toxicity, high efficiency and strong systemic permeability. Tests show that its effectiveness in controlling rice blast can exceed 90%, slightly higher than that of kitazine, and it can increase rice yield by more than 25%. Kasugamycin is nontoxic to humans, livestock and crops. It is classified as a pollution-free pesticide by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and listed as one of the preferred fungicides by Shanghai Municipal Government for its vegetable production standardization project.
   Kasugamycin is produced with Chinese proprietary technology, so its production cost is constantly decreasing, but the purity of kasugamycin TC is increasing. The production cost of 80% kasugamycin hydrochloride powder is about RMB300-400 /kg, but its current market price is RMB600 /kg. The price of domestically made 2% kasugamycin formulation is RMB60-64 /kg, and the import price is RMB70 /kg. With the same product applicability and effectiveness, the prices of China-made kasugamycin and its formulation (tricyclazole + kasugamycin) are only about 55% of similar products from Japan, so they sell far better than the latter, fulfilling 20% of the total domestic demand for pesticides for rice blast control, and having good market prospects.

Prochloraz

Prochloraz is an efficient, low-toxicity, broad-spectrum and environment-friendly fungicide. Its production technology in China has continued to progress and has now reached the world advanced level. According to statistics, the annual demand for prochloraz for rice blast control is 3 954 tons in China. It can effectively control 23 types of pests for 16 types of crops.
   Since prochloraz was first used to control rice bakanae disease in China in 1993, its excellent pest control effectiveness has been recognized by the market, and its applications have continued to expand, and the production and consumption of prochloraz TC have been increasing. According to statistics, prochloraz occupies a market share of 10% -20% in the domestic fungicide market. In China, rice is the largest cro