Bayer has signed an agreement with UK-based company AlphaBio Control to secure an exclusive license for a new biological insecticide.

The new product will be the first available for arable crops, including oilseed rape and cereals.

Targeted for initial launch in 2028 pending further development and registration, this new insecticide was discovered by AlphaBio (a company of De Sangosse group) with whom Bayer distributes FLiPPER a bioinsecticide-acaricide.

The as-yet-unnamed bioinsecticide has potential for use against Coleoptera insects such as the cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB), a pest insect that can damage oilseed rape crops and cause seedling death. The beetle is widespread in the United Kingdom and throughout much of Europe, and damage caused by adult CSFB feeding gives rise to ‘shot-holing’ symptoms which affect young plants and early leaves, resulting in stunted growth and poor plant health.

“With increasingly strong demand from farmers and changing consumer preferences, we see major growth potential for biological crop protections like this one,” said Ralf Glaubitz, head of global asset management for Seed Growth & Biologics at Bayer’s Crop Science Division. “We’re working to outgrow the market and achieve more than 1.5 billion euro in biological sales by 2035. That’s only going to happen if we innovate to solve the challenges that farmers face in all fields.”