Bayer CropScience has received European approval for its biological insecticide Requiem. The active ingredient Terpenoid Blend QRD 460 was recently approved by the European Commission under its plant protection products legislation. ”This is the first time a Bayer active substance gains approval under the new EU regulation 1107/2009”, said Nick Wright, global regulatory manager biologicals at Bayer CropScience.

The insecticide controls sucking pests in a wide range of fruits and vegetables, and some row crops, and extends the quality of harvested produce. First registrations of Requiem are expected in some European countries before the end of 2016 with market launch in the region planned for 2017.

Gilles Chevallier, global product management biological insecticides at Bayer CropScience, said that Requiem was an important addition to integrated pest management programs in greenhouse vegetables. “Its mode of action is effective against sucking pests, especially thrips, whiteflies, aphids and mites, leading to healthier crops and better-quality produce,” he said.

Requiem can be used in spray programs, as a standalone treatment, or with other chemical crop protection products. It is based on an optimized blend of terpenes intended to mimic the naturally occurring extract of a flowering plant commonly known as Epazote and American Wormseed.

The blend has also been approved in the US as a single active substance.