OREANDA-NEWS. With the opening of its expanded Littlehampton, UK production site, BASF is strengthening its ability to sustainably meet the growing global demand for biological solutions for agriculture and horticulture. At this site, BASF increases its production volumes of beneficial nematodes and inoculants, moving ahead with its strategy to develop solutions beyond conventional crop protection.

"We are making significant investments in innovating and delivering the best in biological and chemical solutions. This will support our customers to produce more efficiently with an even better outcome while meeting the evolving expectations of society. Now and for the long-term we are committed to being an innovative partner in this dynamic area," said Philipp Rosendorfer, Vice President R&D Functional Crop Care.

The expansion will allow BASF to double production capacities for beneficial nematodes, which are microscopic organisms that can control a diverse range of insect and slug pests. With six different types of beneficial nematodes, BASF offers a unique global portfolio, including the Nemaslug(r) and Nemasys(r) products, each with a distinctive mode of action for customers in vegetable, horticulture, and turf.

"The demand for our beneficial nematodes has increased significantly over the past five years, with 2014 being our best year to date," explained Graeme Gowling, Global Biologicals Marketing, Functional Crop Care. "Our customers see an increasingly important role in using beneficial nematodes in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs, as they are easy to apply, have a longer window of activity and can effectively control yield-robbing pests," concluded Graeme.