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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsBASF announced on September 14, 2020, that it had acquired AgriMetis’s proprietary Glu-L technology, which converts the less-active D-isomer in glufosinate into herbicidally active L-glufosinate. BASF later brought the technology to market in Liberty ULTRA; the company announced U.S. EPA registration on October 18, 2024, subject to state approvals. The acquisition announcement did not disclose a purchase price or detailed deal terms.
What BASF acquired from AgriMetis
BASF Agricultural Solutions said it acquired AgriMetis’s proprietary Glu-L technology on September 14, 2020. BASF described AgriMetis as a company working on biotechnological crop-protection innovations. The announcement did not disclose the transaction’s price or detailed terms. BASF’s acquisition announcement
The deal concerned a technology for making L-glufosinate ammonium, not an announced acquisition of AgriMetis itself. BASF framed Glu-L as a way to use glufosinate more efficiently and help manage troublesome and resistant weeds.
What Glu-L technology does
Glufosinate occurs as two forms, or isomers: L-glufosinate, the herbicidally active form, and D-glufosinate, which BASF describes as inactive. BASF says conventional glufosinate products generally contain a mixture of both. Glu-L uses enzymatic reactions to convert the D-isomer into active L-glufosinate, also called glufosinate-P. BASF presents the result as a more concentrated, efficient active-ingredient formulation. BASF’s glufosinate-P-ammonium page
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In its 2020 announcement, BASF said Glu-L could deliver weed control equivalent to commercial glufosinate products while reducing the amount of crop-protection product applied by up to 50%. That is BASF’s stated claim from 2020, not a universal or independently validated application-rate finding; the announcement does not provide trial methods or supporting data. BASF’s 2020 announcement
How the acquisition fit BASF’s glufosinate plans
In October 2020, BASF separately announced plans to close its glufosinate-ammonium production site in Muskegon, Michigan, and one plant at Knapsack, Germany, concentrating production at remaining sites in Germany, the United States and Canada. BASF described the Glu-L acquisition as evidence of its commitment to the glufosinate business. These were plans announced at that time; they do not establish current plant operations. BASF’s production announcement
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What followed: Liberty ULTRA
On October 18, 2024, BASF announced that Liberty ULTRA, powered by Glu-L and containing glufosinate-P-ammonium, had received U.S. EPA registration, subject to state approvals. BASF described it as a post-emergence knockdown herbicide for glufosinate-enabled soybean, cotton, corn and canola acres. Its active-ingredient page also lists those crops and broadleaf weeds and grasses. Product registration, permitted uses and availability depend on location, so consult the current locally applicable label. BASF’s Liberty ULTRA announcement BASF’s active-ingredient page
Performance figures BASF reported
- Up to 50% less product: BASF’s 2020 acquisition announcement said Glu-L could reduce the amount of crop-protection product applied by up to 50%, while maintaining equivalent weed control. The announcement did not give trial methods or independent validation. Source: BASF, 2020
- 20% superior weed control: BASF reported this figure in 2024 as a summary of its research trials. The cited announcement does not establish it as an independent finding or a result applicable to every crop or condition. Source: BASF, 2024
- Nine of ten head-to-head comparisons won against generics: BASF reported this result from its research trials in 2024. The cited release does not provide the study details needed to assess how broadly it applies. Source: BASF, 2024
These figures are company-reported claims, not independent comparative evidence. They should not be read as guaranteed field performance.
What remains undisclosed or location-dependent
- The purchase price and detailed terms of BASF’s acquisition were not disclosed in the cited announcement.
- The cited sources do not establish patent numbers or patent term, or independently validate BASF’s efficacy claims.
- The 2024 registration announcement does not establish current approval in every U.S. state, international registration or product availability. Check the current label and local regulatory status before relying on a permitted use.
BASF’s 2020 acquisition announcement also quoted Paul Rea, then senior vice president of BASF Agricultural Solutions North America, saying the technology would help address weed resistance. That statement reflects BASF’s rationale for the deal, rather than an independent assessment of Glu-L’s results. BASF, September 14, 2020
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