Sumitomo Chemical Unveils TopGrain: A Biological Crop Input to Combat Adverse Weather

Sumitomo Chemical has launched TopGrain, a new biological crop input in Brazil designed to help soybeans and corn withstand adverse weather while delivering yield gains. The product is based on abscisic acid and supports grain filling, allowing crops to better express their yield potential.

The company claims that TopGrain can add up to 161 pounds per acre to soybean yields and 375 pounds per acre to corn yields. For soybeans, the additional cost is less than one bag per hectare, while for corn it's slightly more. In both cases, the net yield benefit is close to 5% compared to average Brazilian soybean and corn yields in the 2025/26 season.

Sumitomo Chemical sees TopGrain as complementary to conventional crop-protection chemicals and fertilizers. The product is not intended to replace these inputs but rather act as a 'vitamin' that helps plants absorb them more efficiently, according to Luciano Jaloto, Sumitomo's marketing director in Brazil.

The company initially introduced TopGrain in the US, India, and Brazil, with plans to develop versions for other crops including sugarcane, cotton, and fruit. Sumitomo Chemical aims to double the size of its Brazilian operation by 2030.