Wedoany.com Report-Dec.2, BASF and Anhui Winall High-Tech Seed Co., Ltd. (Winall) have jointly introduced the Provisia® Herbicide-Tolerant Rice System in China. The system combines BASF's post-emergence herbicide Provisia (300 g/L quizalofop-p-ethyl) – the first quizalofop-p-ethyl product registered for use on herbicide-tolerant rice varieties in the country – with two tolerant hybrid rice varieties, Quanyou 822 and Huiliangyou 898, co-developed by BASF and Winall.

BASF and Winall jointly introduce Provisia® rice system in China

These varieties, originally bred by Winall in cooperation with Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Anhui Wannong Seed Industry, are nationally registered and have been commercially available for over a decade. They are recognised for high yield potential, good grain quality, strong lodging resistance, and wide adaptability. The new versions retain all original advantages while gaining tolerance to quizalofop-p-ethyl, enabling safe and effective control of difficult gramineous weeds, including weedy rice, in direct-seeded fields.

The Provisia system addresses a major challenge in China's expanding direct-seeded rice cultivation: competition from weedy rice that traditional herbicides cannot selectively remove without damaging the crop. By allowing targeted post-emergence application, the system reduces labour requirements for manual weeding and supports transition from traditional transplanted wet paddy to more water- and carbon-efficient direct-seeding practices. Provisia also has a short residual period, ensuring safety for subsequent rotational crops.

Jackson Wang, Vice President, Agricultural Solutions Greater China, BASF, stated: "China is a globally important rice-producing country. The launch of the Provisia Herbicide-Tolerant Rice System is a crucial step for BASF to deepen its presence in the Chinese agricultural market and accurately respond to farmers' needs. We are grateful to have the collaboration and support of our partners Winall as we work together to seek out ways to better help farmers achieve better yields, reduce water usage and safely control weeds. Together through such collaborations, we are able to support China’s national aim of enhancing agricultural productivity and self-sufficiency."

Ms. Qin Zhang, Vice Chairman and General Manager of Winall, added: "The launch of Provisia Herbicide-Tolerant Rice System effectively addresses the core challenge of weed control in rice growing. Coupled with the water-saving and emission-reduction benefits brought by direct-seeding, this rice system perfectly aligns with the development needs of green agriculture. As a leading enterprise in China’s seed industry, we will leverage Winall's domestic seed industry network to rapidly deploy this efficient and green solution to farmlands, supporting the green upgrading and sustainable development of China's rice industry."

The partners plan to expand availability of the Provisia Rice System through additional collaborations, contributing to higher productivity and more sustainable rice production across China.