Discovery and development of a new herbicide, benzobicyclon

Benzobicyclon is a novel paddy-bleaching herbicide that was discovered and developed by SDS Biotech K.K. It was registered in Japan in 2001 and launched in various combinations with excellent formulations. The compound is characterized by a unique bicyclooctane skeleton with a phenylthio-enol ether structure acting as a chemical slow releaser of the triketone system during p-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) inhibition. Benzobicyclon shows broad-spectrum activity against annual grass, sedge, and broadleaf weeds without causing phytotoxic injury to transplanted/direct-seeded rice. At doses of 200–300 g a.i./ha, benzobicyclon has a wide application window and exhibits long residual activity against Scirpus juncoides. Benzobicyclon has favorable toxicological, ecotoxicological, and environmental profiles.