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Sumitomo Chemical Obtains Registration for New Herbicide RapidicilTM in the United States
Unlocking Its Potential to Become a Blockbuster Product Contributing to Regenerative Agriculture
Jul. 2, 2026
Sumitomo Chemical has obtained registration in the United States for its new herbicide RapidicilTM (the trademark for the active ingredient commonly named epyrifenacil) and crop protection products containing RapidicilTM. This is the fourth country in which these products have been registered, following Argentina in 2024 and other countries.
RapidicilTM is a proprietary novel herbicide active ingredient developed by Sumitomo Chemical. The Company has positioned RapidicilTM as a compound that has the greatest market potential among its “A2020” pipeline products, new crop protection products under development for which the Company plans to begin the application for registration in the first half of the 2020s. RapidicilTM is a type of herbicide that is known as a PPO inhibitor*1, and compared to existing PPO inhibitors, it acts faster and is effective against a wider range of broadleaf and grass weeds. In addition, RapidicilTM can be used in low doses, while it is also particularly suitable for no-till farming*2, which is garnering global attention as a regenerative agricultural practice. Accordingly, it is expected to contribute to soil conservation and carbon neutrality by reducing of carbon dioxide emissions.
Profile of RapidicilTM
- A compound that has the greatest market potential among the proprietary active ingredients developed by Sumitomo Chemical in recent years
- Particularly suitable for no-till farming, which is garnering global attention
- Sumitomo Chemical aims to achieve annual revenue of 100 billion yen from the sale of herbicides for no-till farming, including RapidicilTM
The United States has the world’s second largest*3 crop protection products market after Brazil, accounting for about 15% of the global market, and demand in the country is expected to continue to grow. Going forward, after obtaining state registration, Sumitomo Chemical plans to begin the sale of RapidicilTM-based products in the country through its U.S. subsidiary, Valent U.S.A., in the second half of fiscal 2026. The Company is also working to register RapidicilTM in Brazil, the world’s largest crop protection products market, as well as Canada, further advancing global expansion. In addition, under a global collaboration with Bayer AG, Sumitomo Chemical will strive to provide agricultural producers with a next-generation weed control system*4 combined with the PPO-inhibitor tolerant crops currently being developed by Bayer.
Sumitomo Chemical aims to achieve annual revenue of 100 billion yen from the sale of herbicides for no-till farming, including RapidicilTM.
Sumitomo Chemical will continue to develop innovative crop protection products to help reduce environmental impact, advance sustainable agriculture, and contribute to stable food supplies for people around the world.
*1 A herbicide that has the function of inhibiting the activity of protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO), an enzyme involved in chloroplast biogenesis.
*2 A practice of planting crops without tilling the soil before sowing, leaving dead leaves and cut stalks of the crop on the farmland. In addition to being able to mitigate soil erosion due to wind and rain, it is considered to have the effect of increasing the number of organisms and microorganisms in the soil.
*3 Source: The Crop Protection Industry Report, November 2025, by AgbioCrop.
*4 A new weed control system following glyphosate, dicamba, and other existing herbicides.
Reference
Features of RapidicilTM
- Effective against a wider range of weeds compared to existing PPO-inhibiting herbicides
- Takes effect faster
- Effective at a lower dosage compared to other types of herbicides
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Application timing
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Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.
Corporate Communications Dept.
https://www.sumitomo-chem.co.jp/english/contact/public/