Bayer CropScience has launched its new class of herbicide formulations named ODesi in Poland and the Ukraine as the first markets worldwide. Poland is the first country where Alister, the new state-of-the-art autumn herbicide, is placed on the market. This year the company also started marketing Grodyl maxi in the Ukraine, which is also using the innovative ODesi formulation technology.

This new class of herbicide formulations allows formulation of sulfonylurea-based herbicides as liquids. ODesi stands for “OD (oil dispersion) technology” and “easiness” of use. The oil may also carry additives, a safener or other dissolved active ingredients, intended for dilution with water before use, states a company release.

Commenting on the introduction of the first ODesi-formulated herbicides in Poland and Ukraine, Dr. Rüdiger Scheitza, member of the board of management of Bayer CropScience said: “The patented new liquid formulation is a breakthrough technology in this substance class and we expect our ODesi technology to become an important value driver for our cereal herbicide business in the forthcoming years.”

The ODesi fluid power formulation combines the advantages of solid and liquid formulations. This represents a triple leap forward: the formulation simultaneously improves retention, spreading and uptake on the plant leaves. The clear benefits for farmers are better performance also under critical weather conditions and greater convenience. Farmers can handle ODesi-formulated herbicides easily because they are pumpable and simple to dose. From 2006 onward Bayer CropScience plans to launch step-by-step more products with the ODesi technology.

Bayer CropScience, a subsidiary of Bayer AG with annual sales of about EUR 6 billion, is one of the world’s leading innovative crop science companies in the areas of crop protection, non-agricultural pest control, seeds and plant biotechnology.