A new agricultural innovation has emerged in Colombia, aimed at transforming rice cultivation within the country. The variety, named Sicalis SH CL, has been developed through a collaboration between Alianza Bioversity International & CIAT, Semillas del Huila, and BASF Agricultural Solutions. This new rice variety is designed to be resistant to herbicides, providing farmers with a powerful tool to combat red rice, a significant threat to productivity in the sector.
According to the developers, Sicalis SH CL has been designed within the Clearfield® Production System, representing a substantial technological advancement that integrates productivity, quality, and sustainability. This certified seed retains the agronomic traits of local varieties preferred by farmers while incorporating herbicide resistance, making weed control more efficient without compromising profitability.
“The process was designed to maximize the retention of the characteristics farmers are already familiar with, adding only herbicide resistance,” explained Paola Andrea Mosquera, leader of the rice research program at Alianza Bioversity & CIAT. “As an alliance, our mission is to bring cutting-edge science and technology to local producers, making innovations like this more accessible and useful by adapting them to each country”s context.”
The introduction of Sicalis SH CL is the outcome of a collaborative effort from institutions with extensive experience in agricultural research. Alianza Bioversity & CIAT, with over fifty years of leadership in rice research for Latin America and the Caribbean, contributed its scientific expertise. Meanwhile, Semillas del Huila, known for its high-performance varieties such as Yacúa and Tucano, provided its market experience and field validation.
BASF, a global agricultural solutions company, developed the Clearfield® technology that allows for the incorporation of herbicide resistance through conventional genetic improvement processes. This system has become a key tool for sustainable weed management, reducing excessive use of agrochemicals while promoting soil and water conservation.
“We are confident that this new variety will be an effective tool to address challenges related to productivity, profitability, and the management of red rice and other difficult weeds,” stated Carlos Campos, leader of the Rice Cultivation System for the Pacific Latin America region at BASF. “We have formed an alliance with BASF, Semillas del Huila, and the Roa Florhuila Organization to efficiently deliver this technology to farmers across various rice-growing regions in the country.”
The Sicalis SH CL variety has been validated in diverse environments throughout Colombia, demonstrating good agronomic performance in major production areas. Farmers like Hernán Silva from the village of Vilú in Yaguará (Huila) have already experienced its advantages. “I have been working with certified seeds for nearly two years, in coordination with agronomists from Semillas del Huila, and the results have been very good. This is my second harvest with the new variety, and I have had excellent production, yielding between 140 and 150 bags per hectare. Additionally, I have managed to save on spraying and obtain higher quality rice,” the farmer noted.
Field results have also been promising in countries outside Colombia. Trials conducted in Peru, Panama, and the Dominican Republic showed favorable yields, paving the way for potential regional adoption of the technology. This variety could significantly contribute to enhancing food security in Latin America and the Caribbean, particularly in areas where weed control hampers production.
Beyond yield, the developers emphasize that the success of Sicalis SH CL will depend on the responsible use of technology. Herbicide resistance must be managed under Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), which include crop rotation and proper herbicide management to prevent resistance development and ensure the long-term sustainability of the system. “The technological development offered by Sicalis SH CL combines the benefits of highly productive germplasm with herbicide resistance, utilizing advanced improvement techniques to ensure seed stability and benefits across different agroecological zones,” explained Luis Fernando Martínez, director of BASF Agricultural Solutions for the Pacific Latin America region.
