- Offers protection and greater flexibility right up to harvest
- Tool for residue optimization in apples, onions and strawberries
- Ambitious further label expansions planned for Brazilian market

LIMBURGERHOF, Germany, July 7th, 2011 – BASF announced that the biological fungicide Serenade was granted registration for apples, onions, and strawberries in the key agriculture market of Brazil. Serenade, the company’s first biological fungicide licensed through US based biopesticides company AgraQuest, will arrive just in time to support Brazilian growers in the 2011/12 season. With this new solution, farmers will enjoy enhanced quality and better yields combined with a higher degree of flexibility regarding pre-harvest and re-entry intervals. BASF expects registration for grapes, carrot, tobacco, in 2012/13 and other fruits and vegetables within the next years.

Serenade will be a complement to BASF’s crop protection offer, allowing growers to combine traditional fungicide treatments with bio-fungicide applications during the critical pre- and post-harvest periods . “ Farmers told us that they were having a hard time protecting their crops during these important times,” says Philip Lane, Head of fungicide research at BASF. “So three years ago, a team of our scientists and agronomists set to work to design a system to maximize disease control and application flexibility. With Serenade, growers can take advantage of optimum planting and harvesting conditions”.

Serenade contains a unique strain of the bacterium Bacillus subtillis that is produced through a natural fermentation process. Due to Serenade unique properties, it has a favorable toxicological and ecotoxicological profile that makes it an ideal tool for integrated pest management.

The commercialization of Serenade in Brazil is a result of the agreement between BASF and AgraQuest for the license, supply and distribution of the product in some countries in Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia, and Latin America. The deal allows BASF to exclusively distribute existing Serenade products in these markets.

About AgraQuest Inc
As a leader in innovative biological and low-chemical pest management solutions, AgraQuest is at the forefront of a shift in how food is grown. Through its Agrochemical and BioInnovations Divisions, AgraQuest focuses on discovering, developing, manufacturing and marketing highly effective biological and low-chemical pest, disease control and yield enhancing products for the agricultural, home & garden and food safety markets. AgraQuest has its own direct sales force in the NAFTA crop protection markets, and sells its products through a network of distributors and partners in other global regions as well as in several non-agriculture related markets.

AgraQuest has been recognized as a global innovator in the biochemical and clean-tech industries, having received several environmental awards including the Presidential Green Chemistry Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the discovery and commercialization of the biofungicide SERENADE® and the World Technology Award for the Environment. For more information about AgraQuest, please visit www.agraquest.com.

About BASF Crop Protection Division
With sales of €4.0 billion in 2010, BASF’s Crop Protection division is a leader in crop protection and a strong partner to the farming industry providing well-established and innovative fungicides, insecticides and herbicides. Farmers use these products and services to improve crop yields and crop quality. Other uses include public health, structural/urban pest control, turf and ornamental plants, vegetation management, and forestry. BASF aims to turn knowledge rapidly into market success. The vision of BASF’s Crop Protection division is to be the world’s leading innovator, optimizing agricultural production, improving nutrition, and thus enhancing the quality of life for a growing world population. Further information can be found on the web at www.agro.basf.com or follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/basfagro