Sumitomo Chemical launches Pladius fungicide in Brazil

Sumitomo Chemical introduced its latest fungicide, Pladius, at the 14th Brazilian Cotton Congress (CBA), which received special coverage from AgroPages in Brazil.

Pladius is a systemic action solution formulated with active ingredients from three different chemical groups: Pyrazole-4-carboxamide (Inpyrfluxam), Triazole (Difenoconazole), and Strobilurin (Picoxystrobin). 

According to the manufacturer, this is an "exclusive triple mixture from Sumitomo Chemical," recommended for controlling Ramularia (Ramulariopsis pseudoglycines), a severe disease that causes lesions on cotton plants and defoliation, compromising flowering and fiber quality.

According to studies conducted by the Goiano Institute of Agriculture (IGA) during the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons, losses of up to 15% were recorded in susceptible cultivars, with an average reduction of 50 arrobas/ha of seed cotton. These studies show losses of up to 70% of the crop's productive capacity in more severe conditions.

"Pladius reinforces the company's robust portfolio for cotton, already established by products such as the acaricide Smite, the herbicide Resource—recommended for eliminating volunteer cotton (regrowth) in soybean fields following cotton cultivation—and Legion, an insecticide that delivers high performance in controlling the boll weevil," stated Sumitomo Chemical.

The company also highlighted the herbicide and growth regulator Punto, which is considered the leading defoliant recommended for pre-harvest cotton application. "Sumitomo Chemical is a company that provides both chemical and Biorational solutions that complement each other. The platform offers sustainability and crop protection and allows the cotton grower to enhance fiber quality," said Suellen Drummond, insecticide manager and leader of the cotton crop at Sumitomo Chemical.

Brazil achieved a historic milestone by becoming the world's largest cotton exporter in the 2023-2024 season, surpassing the United States for the first time. The season, which ended in June, saw a harvest of approximately 3.7 million tons of processed cotton, with about 2.6 million tons destined for export.

Traditionally, Sumitomo Chemical operated in the Brazilian market through a business-to-business (B2B) model, supplying its innovations (molecules) to other industries. However, this scenario changed over the past four years with a shift in the company's operations and strategy. Since 2020, Sumitomo Chemical has been expanding its operations in Brazil and intensifying its business-to-consumer (B2C) model.

"Sumitomo Chemical's proprietary brands for cotton are gaining increasing recognition and adoption in Brazil, with sales driven by a business plan centered on customer satisfaction. We consider ourselves a strategic partner for producers who want to innovate and produce superior quality cotton," Drummond said in conclusion.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)

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