A domestic company makes its debut: Yaben Chemical has obtained registration for the technical-grade active ingredient of a new insecticide, tetrazole‑carboxamide.

Recently, Gansu Lanwo Technology Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Jiangsu Jiannong Holdings under Yaben Chemical, has obtained registration for the technical-grade active ingredient tetrazole‑carboxamide—a novel diamide insecticide—under registration number PD20252901. To date, this is the only product registration for tetrazole‑carboxamide granted to a Chinese domestic company, aside from the original developer, Bayer. Moreover, the technical‑grade material boasts a total active‑ingredient content of 93%, surpassing the 90% level achieved by Bayer in its 2020 registration.

Tetraniliprole is a novel, broad‑spectrum insecticide of the ortho‑formamidobenzamide class developed by Bayer. Compared with other diamide‑based insecticides, tetraniliprole’s unique chemical structure features a 5‑trifluoromethyl‑tetrazol‑2‑ylmethyl group substituted at the 3‑position of the pyrazole ring. By successfully incorporating the tetrazolyl moiety into this compound, Bayer has achieved a world first. The introduction of the trifluoromethyl‑tetrazolyl group endows tetraniliprole with superior overall performance, enabling highly effective control of a wide range of lepidopteran, coleopteran, and dipteran pests on rice, fruit trees, vegetables, and other crops even at low application rates. Notably, it demonstrates particularly strong efficacy against pests such as the stem borer, beet armyworm, and thrips.

Original research-driven global promotion, with a registered network that enables precise targeting of the global market.

Tetrazolinyl amide remains under patent protection, which will expire in 2029. The original developer, Bayer, is rapidly registering and commercializing the product worldwide. In line with its corporate strategy, the product is slated to cover more than 50 crops and control over 70 pest species, demonstrating significant market potential. To date, its registration network spans major agricultural markets including Canada, the United States, Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand, establishing a diversified product portfolio and a well‑targeted market positioning.

North America is one of the most systematically developed markets for tetraniliprole, with a particularly comprehensive and in-depth product portfolio in the United States. As a key market, the U.S. has registered 17 tetraniliprole‑based products, with registrants including Bayer Crop Science, FMC, and Envu U.S. Bayer Crop Science’s core offerings include Tetraniliprole SC 200 Insecticide AG (a foliar spray suspension) and Tetraniliprole ST 480 FS / ST 380 FS (seed‑treatment suspensions). Tetraniliprole SC 200 boasts a broad crop spectrum, covering fruit and vegetable crops, leafy vegetables, pome fruits, stone fruits, nut trees, soybeans, corn, and citrus, and targets pests such as the tomato hornworm, diamondback moth, codling moth, and leaf miners. Meanwhile, Bayer Environmental Science focuses on professional turf management, launching Tetraniliprole 200 SC and Tetraniliprole 43 SC to control grubs, cutworms, and sod webworms; following 2024, the U.S. Environmental Science company has also successively registered products like Tetrino MUP, GR 0.179, and GR 0.0446. In addition, FMC has registered two formulations—F4260‑1 and F4260‑7—both of which are applicable across a wide range of crops and target numerous pest species.

The Canadian market has also established a clear product portfolio, with nine registered products. Bayer Crop Science relies on VAYEGO 200SC and CL73507 200 SC as its core foliar treatments, widely used in fruits, vegetables, and field crops. Its seed treatment lineup includes REATIS 480 FS, ACCELERON I-374, and REATIS (380 g/L), providing early‑season soil pest protection for corn, soybeans, and cereals. Meanwhile, Bayer Environmental Science has introduced TETRANILIPROLE 200SC TURF and TETRINO to the turfgrass segment, further strengthening its presence in professional channels.

Bayer has been steadily expanding its market presence for tetrazole‑carboxamide in China. Since obtaining registration for the active ingredient and a formulated product—under the trade name Guoteng® (200 g/L tetrazole‑carboxamide suspension concentrate)—in September 2020, the portfolio has now been extended to crops including cabbage, citrus, rice, apple, tomato, pepper, and corn. The product targets key pests such as beet armyworm, stem borer, rice leafroller, and fall armyworm. To date, Bayer has registered three formulated products in China, including the recently approved 420 g/L spirotetramat–tetrazole‑carboxamide suspension concentrate—the first mixed formulation of this active ingredient in the Chinese market—further strengthening its application strategy.

In Japan and South Korea, tetrazole‑carboxamide is characterized by a diverse range of formulations and a robust pipeline of formulated products. In South Korea, Bayer’s 18.18% tetrazole‑carboxamide suspension concentrate was registered early on for use on fruit trees, vegetables, and rice. Additionally, Samgong Co., Ltd. has registered a 21.6% cypermethrin–tetrazole‑carboxamide combination product. In the Japanese market, in addition to the standard 18.2% tetrazole‑carboxamide suspension concentrate for various vegetables and fruit trees, the most distinctive feature is the development of an extensive portfolio of granular formulations for rice. For example, a 40.3% tetrazole‑carboxamide seed‑treatment suspension concentrate is used for rice seed soaking, while 1.5% tetrazole‑carboxamide granules, along with a series of compound granular products such as 3.5% tetrazole‑carboxamide–isoprothiolane and 5.5% tetrazole‑carboxamide–isoprothiolane–fluazinam, enable single‑application control of rice pests, diseases, and even planthoppers, delivering multi‑target protection.

In the Australian and New Zealand markets, product positioning is highly focused on high-value cash crops. In Australia, Vayego 200 SC Insecticide is registered for use on apricots, macadamia nuts, mangoes, pears, and grapes to control weevils, fruit flies, and leafrollers, among others; Vayego Forte Insecticide is specifically formulated for banana cultivation to manage weevils. Meanwhile, Bayer Environmental Science has introduced Tetrino Turf Insecticide, designed to address turfgrass pest management. In New Zealand, Bayer’s Vayego (a 200 g/L tetrazole‑carboxamide suspension concentrate) has been approved, offering a new solution for controlling codling moths and leafrollers in the local apple, pear, grape, and stone fruit industries.

China’s market‑driven R&D is centered on formulation development, with patent strategies evolving in a diversified manner.

At present, Chinese research institutions’ patents on tetrazolyl‑carboxamide remain at an early stage of development, limited primarily to innovations in formulation combinations (patent application information for tetrazolyl‑carboxamide as the principal active ingredient is provided in the table below). Analysis of the component formulations in these combination patents reveals extensive incorporation of multiple classes of agrochemicals, such as pairing tetrazolyl‑carboxamide with neonicotinoids, pyrethroids, antibiotics, and other distinct chemical classes.

In the area of innovative compound formulations involving amide‑based active ingredients, although all are ryanodine receptor modulators, different compounds exhibit variations in molecular structure, binding sites, transmembrane permeability, and systemic translocation. This structural diversity opens up possibilities for synergistic efficacy enhancement and resistance‑management strategies. The Institute of Plant Protection and Agricultural Product Quality Safety at the Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CN108782571A) has combined tetrazolinamide with chlorantraniliprole or cyantraniliprole to control the rice stem borer; meanwhile, Jiangsu Longdeng Chemical Co., Ltd. (CN114041468A, CN110150292A) has developed a formulation combining thiothiophene‑carboxamide with tetrazolinamide to improve overall control performance.

Furthermore, some applicants have sought to combine tetrazolinamide with structurally novel diamide‑type active ingredients in a “powerful synergy” to address highly resistant pests. China Agricultural University (CN113812407B) formulated tetrazolinamide together with bromcyhalin‑diamide, not only achieving the combined action of two ryanodine receptor modulators but also integrating both rapid mortality and growth‑inhibition modes of action, thereby demonstrating strong potential for precise control of major resistant pests such as the fall armyworm and the diamondback moth. Meanwhile, Qingdao Tengrunxiang Testing & Evaluation Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Hailir (CN115299451B), paired tetrazolinamide with indoxacarb, confirming its significant synergistic efficacy against a broad spectrum of lepidopteran and coleopteran pests. In addition, tetrazolinamide has also appeared as one of the compatible components in multiple compound‑formulation patents filed by companies under the Hailir Group.

In addition to conducting combination studies with novel patented amide‑type molecules such as bromoxynil and indoxacarb, Anhui Huilong Group Yinshan Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (CN112772660A) has formulated a formulation combining tetrazolinamide with the novel heterocyclic insecticide triflumezopyrim for the control of crop pests, particularly targeting diamondback moth, rice planthoppers, leafhoppers, rice stem borers, second‑generation stem borers, and third‑generation stem borers.

In addition, some patent applicants have combined tetrazolinyl amide with plant‑derived or microbial pesticides to explore diversified and integrated technological approaches. For example, the Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences formulated tetrazolinyl amide with oxymatrine (CN118058293A, CN116172006B) for the control of the melon fruit fly on bitter gourd; Hefei Juzhuo Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. (CN113057174A) achieved a marked synergistic effect against the beet armyworm and the small cutworm by optimizing the ratio of ivermectin to tetrazolinyl amide; meanwhile, the Guizhou Provincial Tobacco Science Research Institute (CN119331735A) combined tetrazolinyl amide with Beauveria bassiana, demonstrating a significant synergistic enhancement.

Source: AgroPages (World Agrochemical Network)