Vive Crop Protection's Bifender Duo, a hybrid soil insecticide that pairs a synthetic chemical with a biological active ingredient, has received federal registration from the US Environmental Protection Agency.

The product combines bifenthrin, a long-established synthetic insecticide, with a biological active ingredient developed and manufactured by ProFarm. The pairing gives two distinct modes of action against soil insects and adds nematocidal activity, so growers get insect and nematode protection from a single application.

The biological component was registered by the EPA as a new active ingredient in 2025. Vive worked with ProFarm on the product and adjusted the formulation with its Precision Chemistry Technology, then refined it for commercial-scale manufacturing.

"Bifender Duo gives growers something they've been asking for: broad, reliable protection against soil insects and nematodes in a single product," said Marie Yeager, senior product manager at Vive Crop Protection.

Dr. Doug Baumann, the company's chief technology officer, said the aim was to combine two proven types of crop protection in one product that performs better than either alone.

With federal registration in hand, Vive is now seeking state approvals and expects the key state registrations to be complete by 1 February 2027.

Source: Farms.com