From April 18 to 19, the 13th DBN Science and Technology Awards ceremony was held in Beijing. The project titled “Creation and Application of Triafamone, a Novel Herbicide for Paddy Fields,” led by Professor Gan Xiuhai from the National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide at Guizhou University, was awarded the first prize.
This achievement addresses critical challenges in Chinese paddy fields, such as the proliferation of resistant gramineous weeds (e.g., barnyard grass and sprangletop) and the lack of effective herbicides. The research team established a resistance-monitoring database for paddy weeds and developed triafamone, the world’s first HPPD-inhibitor herbicide with completely independent intellectual property rights. Designed using a molecular skeleton-hopping strategy, triafamone offers high efficacy and low environmental risk for post-emergence weed control in rice fields. The team also pioneered a precision management system for weed resistance, centered on “new herbicide development, mechanism analysis, and targeted application.”
The project has secured 27 Chinese invention patents and 97 international patents. Triafamone has obtained three domestic herbicide registrations and four overseas certifications. Over the past three years, triafamone-based products have been applied to nearly 4.67 million hectares of farmland, with total sales exceeding 13,000 tons. This generated 1.3 billion yuan in revenue and over 5.2 billion yuan in economic benefits. The innovation has significantly contributed to controlling resistant weeds in Chinese rice fields and ensuring the safe production of staple crops.
The DBN Science and Technology Awards, established by the DBN Group, are granted biennially to recognize advancements in agriculture, food security, biotechnology, and smart farming. The 13th edition honored six grand prizes, 18 first prizes, 30 second prizes, and 20 Youth Scientific and Technological Innovation Awards.
Editor: Pang Aizhong
Chief Editor: Li Xufeng
Senior Editor: Ding Long
Translator: Wang Xiaomin
