Enkhuizen, Holland / Basel, Switzerland
28 February 2014
- Collaboration will allow the development of an innovative rice-seed coating technology to protect rice seeds from increasingly widespread and the economically important golden-apple snail pest
INCOTEC and Lonza, market leaders in molluscicides and seed-coating technology, respectively, announced today that they have entered a collaboration to develop, register and market metaldehyde-coated rice seeds for the control of the golden-apple snail pest on rice. Upon registration Malaysia is expected to be the first country in South East Asia where the product will be launched.
In order to assure income and guarantee productivity, rice producers need to protect their crops from pathogens and pests such as the golden-apple snail. To control this invasive species, growers use a number of products including off-label products. The collaboration between Lonza and INCOTEC offers a more efficient and target-specific solution, with a more positive environmental profile and of significant quality. This solution will help farmers protect their crops from this pest, which can cause considerable economic damage.
The goal of the SnailWise project is to provide rice farmers in South East Asia with an innovative tool that will allow them to control the golden-apple snail by combining INCOTEC’s leading seed-coating technology with Lonza’s leading market positions and lengthy experience in controlling slugs and snails.
In the context of the project, INCOTEC has developed a unique and patented technology for coating rice seed. Growers will get full protection from this specially designed seed coating treatment. The coating allows controlled release of the active ingredient, which is not affected by the required pre-sowing soaking process, and meets the requirements of modern pest management. SnailWise coated seed, can, in fact be applied locally and with limited human resources. The efficacy and specificity of metaldehyde is well demonstrated, and it has not been affected by the appearance of resistance genes in snail and slugs populations. This crop-protection technology will allow farmers to grow healthy crops while suppressing pest populations below the economic injury level and generally reducing the amount of active ingredient needed to control the pest without selecting for resistance genes.
Dr. Max Lauwiner, Vice President and Head of Lonza’s Agro Ingredients business said: “We are pleased that our leadership in the molluscicide business has been recognized by an innovative and leading company such as INCOTEC. We look forward to working together with INCOTEC to develop this new application method to control one of the most important and damaging invasive species, thereby helping to mitigate the loss of food sources and improve the farmer’s life.”
JanWillem Breukink, CEO and President INCOTEC Group B.V. said: “The golden-apple snail causes enormous damages to the rice production in many countries in South East Asia: yield losses of more than 20% are sometimes reported. We are very happy and proud that our unique technology in combination with the Lonza technology will give growers a tool for achieving higher rice-yield levels and to improve their income substantially. ”
About the Golden-Apple Snail
The golden-apple snail Pomacea canaliculata (Lamarck), native to South America, was introduced from Argentina to farmers in Taiwan in the 80s to increase farmers' income and enrich the protein in their diet, and also as an aquarium pet. Once released into the environment the golden-apple snail rapidly adapted to the Asian environment and is now spreading through Asia, threatening to invade Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and also Australia and significantly impact the life of local farmers and consumers.
The pest, listed as one of the world's 100 worst invasive alien species by the Global Invasive Species Program, has brought about significant economic losses to aquatic crops. These have been estimated to range between USD 55 and USD 245 million per annum globally1.
The golden-apple snail is also a vector of human pathogens as well as an environmental pest as in order to control this mollusk, resource-poor farmers resort to a "shot-gun approach", using toxic and non-specific agrochemicals and thereby aggravate ecosystem pollution, risking their health, and causing loss of aquatic biodiversity.
About INCOTEC
INCOTEC® was founded in 1968 and has been an independent company since 2002. INCOTEC's Coating and Seed Technology Companies around the world provide products and services for seed coating, pelleting, seed enhancement and analytical services for genetic analysis and quality inspection. INCOTEC Group contributes significantly to the development of sustainable agriculture worldwide by providing key solutions in the four business areas, vegetables, field crops, ornamentals and analytical services. INCOTEC’s head quarters are in the Netherlands and there are INCOTEC facilities in the USA, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Sweden, Brazil, Japan, India, Australia, China, South Africa and Malaysia. For more information go to www.incotec.com.
About Lonza
Lonza is one of the world’s leading and most trusted suppliers to the pharmaceutical, biotech and specialty ingredients markets. We harness science and technology to create products that support safer and healthier living and that enhance the overall quality of life.
Not only are we a custom manufacturer and developer, Lonza also offers services and products ranging from active pharmaceutical ingredients and stem-cell therapies to drinking water sanitizers, from the vitamin B compounds and organic personal care ingredients to agricultural products, and from industrial preservatives to microbial control solutions that combat dangerous viruses, bacteria and other pathogens.
Founded in 1897 in the Swiss Alps, Lonza today is a well-respected global company with more than 40 major manufacturing and R&D facilities and approximately 10,000 employees worldwide. The company generated sales of about CHF 3.6 billion in 2013 and is organized into two market-focused segments: Pharma&Biotech and Specialty Ingredients. Lonza’s stock is publicly traded on the Swiss and the Singapore stock exchanges. Further information can be found at www.lonza.com.
REFERENCES
Joshi R.C., 2005. Utilization of the golden-apple snail, Pomacea canaliculata (Lamark), in countries invaded. In: Lai, Chang, and Cowie (eds.) Proceedings of the APEC Symposium on the management of the golden-apple snail, September 6-11, 2004, Pingtung, Taiwan.
http://www.issg.org/database/species/search.asp?st=100ss
Hollingsworth R.G., and Cowie R.H. Apple Snails as Disease Vectors. In: Joshi and Sebastian (eds.) Global advances in ecology and management of the golden-apple snail. Nueva Ecija: Philippine Rice research Institute, 2006.
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