Wilmington, Delaware
May 22, 2003

ET™, a cotton defoliant, potato dessicant, and broadleaf herbicide in corn, soybeans, and cotton, has been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, officials at Nichino America announced today.

The new-generation PPO (Protoporphyrinogen IX Oxidase inhibitor) will be a major player in American agriculture for several reasons:

• It has a wide variety of uses, as it is labeled as a cotton defoliant; a potato preharvest desiccant; a preplant, burndown broadleaf herbicide in corn, soybeans, and cotton; a nonselective broadleaf control in noncrop areas; and an in-season broadleaf herbicide under hooded sprayers in cotton;
• It has an extremely high unit activity, so only a small amount of active ingredient is needed per acre;
• It tank mixes well with other products, and its unique chemistry enhances the effectiveness of those products;
• Its expected price range of $1.25 to $2.50 per acre “is a small price to pay for control of tough broadleaves like morningglory, velvetleaf, pigweed, cocklebur, and lambsquarters,” notes Jim Adams, marketing manager at Nichino America.

“Initially, the primary use of ET will be as a cotton defoliant,” explains Adams. “We have a wealth of data showing that ET is a fast-acting defoliant even at low rates of active ingredient, and that it tank mixes well with other late-season products. It can be used under a wide range of temperatures, has
little odor, and does not cause leaf-sticking. We expect cotton defoliation to be a major market for us.

“However,” Adams continues, “we’ve also learned that ET is an outstanding herbicide for broadleaves. Even at rates as low as one fluid ounce per acre, we see outstanding control of even the toughest broadleaves.”

For the 2003 growing season, the herbicide will most likely be used in noncrop areas in the West and in double-crop soybeans in the East and South. For 2004, the product will be used anywhere a preplant burndown herbicide is part of a grower’s operation, explains Adams.

“The approval came too late for early-season burndown, but we expect to see it used in 2003 for preplant, burndown in double-crop soybeans and under hooded sprayers in cotton,” said Adams. “Next
year, we would expect widespread adoption of ET. It is labeled as a preplant, burndown herbicide in corn, soybeans, and cotton, and as a nonselective broadleaf control in many noncrop areas.”

ET’s new label also allows it to be used during the season under hooded sprayers in cotton.

Adams expects ET to be used most often in tankmixes. The herbicide is most effective against
hard-to-control broadleaves, “so a grass herbicide like glyphosate will be needed as well,” he explains.

“But the biggest reason we believe ET will be tank mixed,” said Adams, “is that in trial after trial,
we have seen that ET enhances the effectiveness of other herbicides applied at the same time, even
broad-spectrum products like glyphosate.”

ET’s price also makes it attractive as a tankmix, said Adams.

“ET has extremely high activity, so very little active ingredient is needed per acre. At the recommended tankmix rate, we expect that ET will add as little as $1.25 to $2.50 per acre to a grower’s cost. That’s a very attractive bargain for control of tough broadleaves like morningglory and kochia, especially when you see the enhanced control of the rest of your weed spectrum.”

ET’s label includes control of morningglory, velvetleaf, redroot pigweed, chickweed, bedstraw, henbit, shepherdspurse, common ragweed, cocklebur, lambsquarters, prostrate knotweed, wild radish, tall waterhemp, Pennsylvania smartweed, ladysthumb, wild buckwheat, kochia, black nightshade, wild mustard, common purslane, curly dock, annual sowthistle, common sunflower, hairy beggartick, and
hemp sesbania.

ET herbicide/defoliant 2.5% EC is not a restricted use chemical, although growers should follow
all label directions regarding use and safe handling of the product. It has a Restricted Entry Interval (REI) of 12 hours and is rainfast within one hour of application.

ET is manufactured by Nichino America, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nihon Nohyaku Ltd.,
Japan’s oldest agricultural chemical company and a manufacturer of agricultural, pharmaceutical, and fine chemicals.