Fungicide Partnership: ADAMA and BASF Combat Rising Disease Resistance in European Cereals
- Gauri Khanna
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
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ADAMA and BASF have partnered to develop fungicide formulations using Gilboa, a novel active ingredient with a new mode of action for cereal disease control
The collaboration addresses mounting resistance pressure and regulatory restrictions that have reduced available chemical options for European farmers
Gilboa-based products are expected to launch in Great Britain by 2027, with broader European availability planned for 2029
European cereal growers face a narrowing window. Fungal pathogens increasingly resist existing treatments whilst regulatory authorities withdraw older active ingredients from the market. Against this backdrop, crop protection companies ADAMA and BASF announced a strategic partnership in December 2025 to accelerate development of fungicide formulations based on a novel active ingredient called Gilboa.
A New Chemical Approach
Gilboa, chemically known as flumetylsulforim, represents a fresh mode of action for cereal disease management. The compound belongs to FRAC Group 32, a classification for fungicides that target nucleic acid metabolism: essentially disrupting how fungal cells copy and maintain their genetic material. This mechanism differs from most existing cereal fungicides, which typically interfere with fungal respiration or cell membrane formation.
The significance lies in disease resistance management. When farmers apply the same chemical mechanisms repeatedly, selective pressure favours resistant fungal strains. New modes of action allow rotation between chemically distinct approaches, slowing resistance development. FRAC, the Fungicide Resistance Action Committee, only recently recognised Group 32 as a distinct category, highlighting how uncommon this mechanism remains in commercial agriculture.
Johannes Weimer, vice president of global strategic marketing for fungicides at BASF Agricultural Solutions, noted the urgency behind the partnership. Increasing mutation of fungal pathogens in European cereal crops demands innovative, effective fungicide solutions. By adding Gilboa to the available options, growers will benefit sooner from much-needed tools to safeguard yields.
Partnership Structure and Timeline
Under the agreement, BASF will develop and commercialise new formulations containing Gilboa whilst ADAMA pursues its own product concepts using the same active ingredient. Both companies maintain independent control over pricing and market strategies which is an arrangement that preserves competition whilst pooling development resources.
The collaboration aims to expedite regulatory approval and market introduction. Pending authorisation, Gilboa-based formulations should reach wheat growers in Great Britain by 2027, with broader European launches planned for 2029. These timelines reflect the lengthy approval processes required for new active ingredients under European pesticide regulations.
Florian Wagner, executive vice president of portfolio and innovation at ADAMA, emphasised that farmers have clearly communicated their need for reliable, resilient protection against a broad range of diseases. The partnership combines BASF's market expertise with ADAMA's innovation in active ingredients and mixtures.
Market Context and Practical Implications
The partnership addresses genuine commercial pressure. European agriculture faces simultaneous challenges from climate change, which alters disease patterns and intensity, and regulatory frameworks that increasingly restrict synthetic pesticides. The European Union's Farm to Fork strategy targets a 50% reduction in chemical pesticide use by 2030, creating urgency around more effective, lower-dose alternatives.
Cereal diseases including septoria, rust, and fusarium can devastate yields when inadequately controlled. Septoria tritici blotch alone can reduce wheat yields by 30-50% in severe outbreaks. Growers require multiple modes of action not merely for resistance management but for basic crop protection as older products disappear from approved lists.
Whether Gilboa-based formulations deliver sufficient performance to justify their development costs remains to be demonstrated through field trials and commercial use. The 2027 launch date allows time for extensive testing under varied European growing conditions. Field trials conducted in Herefordshire during the 2025 season represent early steps in this validation process.
The collaboration between two major crop protection companies signals industry recognition that bringing new active ingredients to market increasingly requires shared risk and resources; particularly as regulatory hurdles grow higher and development timelines stretch longer.