BASF and Nissan form strategic partnership to bring BASF’s novel insecticide, Prexio^® Active, to rice growers in Japan

• Prexio^® Active offers powerful and flexible control of rice planthoppers, green rice leafhopper, and key chewing pests
• Prexio^® Active supports diverse rice farming practices with flexible application methods that deliver exceptional, long-lasting efficacy
• BASF and Nissan are joining forces to deliver tailored, effective solutions with Prexio^® Active, addressing the diverse needs of Japanese rice growers

BASF and Nissan Chemical Corporation (Nissan) today announced a strategic partnership to develop and commercialize BASF’s innovative insecticide active ingredient, Prexio^® Active, for rice growers in Japan.

Prexio Active (active ingredient: Fenmezoditiaz) delivers exceptional, long-lasting control of key rice pests, including rice planthoppers, green rice leafhopper, and chewing insect pests such as rice water weevil, rice leaf beetle, rice stem borer, and rice skipper.

“Prexio Active is the result of years of targeted research into effective and sustainable pest control,” said Harold Bastiaans, Vice President Global Insecticide Research and Seed Solutions at BASF Agricultural Solutions. “With Prexio Active, we can safeguard rice while limiting the effect on non-target species when applied according to label instructions.”

“Prexio Active helps effectively manage most of the key pests in rice and offers great operational flexibility, allowing growers to readily adapt it to various rice farming practices that support sustainable rice production in Japan,” said Stephanie Jensen, Vice President Crop System Rice and Portfolio Solutions Insecticides and Seed Treatment at BASF Agricultural Solutions. “Designed for flexibility and ease of use, Prexio Active supports a wide range of rice farming practices, including granular application for traditional nursery box farming and foliar application for both transplanted and direct-seeded rice.”

“This collaboration reflects our commitment to supporting sustainable growth of  Japanese agriculture with locally relevant innovations,” said Yuji Sato,  Head of Agricultural Chemicals Div. at Nissan Chemical Corporation. “Prexio Active provides growers with a new option to manage pest resistance and improve productivity in rice.”

Through this partnership, BASF and Nissan will each develop tailored formulations and mixtures with Prexio Active, which will be offered to rice growers in Japan.

Globally, Prexio Active was succesfully launched by BASF in India in 2025 and reflects the company’s continued investment in agricultural innovation across Asia Pacific.

About BASF’s Agricultural Solutions Division

Everything we do, we do for the love of farming. Farming is fundamental to provide enough healthy and affordable food for a rapidly growing population, while reducing environmental impacts. That’s why we are working with partners and experts to integrate sustainability criteria into all business decisions. With €919 million in 2024, we continue to invest in a strong R&D pipeline, combining innovative thinking with practical action in the field. Our solutions are purpose-designed for different crop systems. Connecting seeds and traits, crop protection products, digital tools and sustainability approaches, to help deliver the best possible outcomes for farmers, growers and our other stakeholders along the value chain. With teams in the lab, field, office and in production, we do everything in our power to build a sustainable future for agriculture. In 2024, our division generated sales of €9.8 billion. For more information, please visit www.agriculture.basf.com or our social media channels.

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. Our ambition: We want to be the preferred chemical company to enable our customers’ green transformation. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 112,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises, as core businesses, the segments Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, and Nutrition & Care; our standalone businesses are bundled in the segments Surface Technologies and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €65.3 billion in 2024. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com.