Problad, a new, innovative addition to the portfolio of Certis Belchim, is a versatile biological fungicide of natural origin that delivers good, reliable control of a wide spectrum of fungal diseases such as powdery mildew, botrytis, monilia and pyricularia on a broad range of crops. For the first approved label, major uses across all countries are in grapevine and table grapes, strawberry, stone fruits, tomato, rice and aubergine. Minor uses, currently registered only for Netherlands, include, nuts, kiwi, beans with pod, dry-harvest beans, peas with and without pods, cucurbitaceae fruiting vegetables with edible and non-edible skin (protected), Chinese cabbage (protected) and herbs fresh or dried (protected).

Problad was registered on 26th July for 15 years for protected and open field uses, including minor uses in the Netherlands, the zonal and interzonal Rapporteur Member State. After having obtained the product authorization in Malta as zonal Rapporteur Member State for the Southern Zone, this important milestone opens the registration process across the Central and Southern Zones’ countries with further product authorizations expected in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Spain in the course of 2023 and 2024. The product is already registered in France, Malta and Portugal.

The product, manufactured by CEV, S.A. in Portugal, is based on a concentrated plant extract from the germinated seeds of Lupinus albus sweet varieties with a novel and unique multi-site mode of action. This makes it a key tool for resistance management and, because it is listed as MRL exempt, enables specialty growers to address increasing food chain requirements. Problad is selective in all crops and particularly well suited for Integrated Pest Management programs due to its broad compatibility with other plant protection products and the reduction it allows in the use of conventional fungicides. Use will also be permitted in organic farming.

The European launch of Problad is planned in 2024.

Pedro Michelin, Product Portfolio Manager Fungicides for Certis Belchim is delighted with this important progress towards full registration across the EU and comments,

“Problad is an important addition to our portfolio of Biorational products, especially given its broad spectrum of fungicidal activity and the wide range of crops on which it can be used. We are now a major step closer to making it available to farmers and growers across the EU.”

Hugo Baptista, CEO of CEV, S.A., welcomes the product authorization and affirms,

“This is a key milestone that will help growers add value to their crops. We are very proud to have Certis Belchim as our partner for the marketing and support of Problad. My thanks go to both the CEV and Certis Belchim teams, who have worked hard and closely together to achieve this important goal