Sumitomo Chemical has received U.S. regulatory approval for the registration of its new plant growth regulator (PGR) AccedeTM (active ingredient 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC)).

Accede is a fruit thinner*1 categorized as a PGR that Sumitomo Chemical has developed as one of the biorationals*2 in its A2020 pipeline-active ingredients and products the Company plans to submit for registration in the first half of the 2020s. Not only can Accede be used for stone fruit, including peaches and nectarines, for which only a limited variety of effective agents are available, but the thinner can be applied to apples in a wide range of cultivation periods, from the early to the late phase. Once Accede is applied to the crop, the active ingredient ACC is converted to ethylene*3, a substance that accelerates fruit drop, within the crop and does not remain in the fruit at harvest. Use of Accede will also replace the thinning operation, which heavily depends on manual work, and lead to labor saving in cultivation and improved fruit quality.

The registration of Accede in the U.S. is the culmination of more than a decade of global research and development collaboration in biorationals among Sumitomo Chemical, Valent BioSciences (VBC), which has global responsibility for the biorational business of the Sumitomo Chemical Group, and Valent U.S.A. (VUSA), a subsidiary of Sumitomo Chemical and the sister company of VBC. Accede is due to be launched in the U.S. within fiscal 2021 by the SSBU*4 in VUSA. In addition, the new Accede is under review for registration by the regulatory authority of Canada, and we plan to apply for registration in Europe, Latin America, and other countries.

Sumitomo Chemical will further advance the research and development of both biorationals and innovative crop protection products that help to significantly reduce environmental impact in order to contribute to sustainable agriculture that takes into consideration biodiversity. At the same time, the Company will continue to deliver new solutions to agricultural producers to contribute to the stable supply of safe and secure food, which is increasingly in demand worldwide.

*1 Fruit thinning is to remove excess fruit from each tree to give sufficient nourishment and sunshine to remaining individual fruits and thereby improve fruit growth and quality. Agents for fruit thinning are called 'fruit thinners.'

*2 The Sumitomo Chemical Group defines microbial pesticides, plant growth regulators and rhizosphere microbial products derived from natural sources, as well as solutions using these products to protect crops from pests and enhance crop quality and yield, as 'biorationals.'

*3 A natural bioactive substance widely found in plants.

*4 The 'SSBU (Sustainable Solutions Business Unit)' is a dedicated biorational sales and service organization established in subsidiaries that oversee crop protection businesses in North America, South America, and Europe.

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