Pyroxasulfone is a new herbicide developed by Kumiai Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. It has been registered in several countries for use in corn, soybeans, cotton, and wheat. Growth inhibition tests, greenhouse tests, and a field trial were conducted to evaluate the herbicidal efficacy of pyroxasulfone. Pyroxasulfone exhibited an excellent herbicidal activity at lower application rates as compared to S-metolachlor and has shown sufficient residual activity. Pyroxasulfone is one effective tool for the weed management programs.

Pyroxasulfone, which was discovered and developed by K-I Chemical Research Institute Co., Ltd.; Kumiai Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.; and Ihara Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., is a novel pre-emergence herbicide for wheat, corn, and soybean. Pyroxasulfone inhibits the biosynthesis of very-long-chain fatty acids in plants and has shown excellent herbicidal activity against grass and broadleaf weeds at lower application rates compared with other commercial herbicides. This pesticide has been registered in Japan, Australia, the USA, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa, and we sell pyroxasulfone products through domestic partner companies in each of these countries. With its high efficacy and relatively low application rates, we believe that pyroxasulfone will contribute to efficient global food production in the future.

Pyroxasulfone inhibits very-long-chain fatty acid elongase in susceptible weeds and facilitates preemergence weed control. Pyroxasulfone showed 98% control of Echinochloa crus-galli (ECHCG) for up to 63 days at a use rate lower than that of chloroacetamide herbicides. ED 90 of pyroxasulfone against ECHCG in soil with high organic matter (OM) content did not differ significantly from that in lower OM soils. The low water solubility and the low vapor pressure of pyroxasulfone resulted in limited horizontal diffusion on the soil surface and low risk of volatilization, respectively. The herbicidal efficacy of pyroxasulfone was affected by clod size and improved with smooth soil surface preparation.