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NEWS BITES THAT MATTER
New seed treatment technology and equipment for cereal and specialty crops
Ag Growth International Inc.(AGI) and Bayer CropScience Inc. have entered into an agreement for the development and distribution of a state of the art on-farm seed treater for the North American market.
Bayer CropScience’s SeedGrowth proprietary technology for precision application of seed treatments in cereal and specialty crops combined with Ag Growth International’s expertise in grain handling equipment is a natural fit for an integrated innovation in seed treatment equipment.
The new seed treater offers electronic controls, a metering conveyor and peristaltic metering pumps to ensure that the seed treatment is accurately applied.
The seed treatment market continues to grow in North America and the seed treater was developed to fill a void in precision on-farm seed treatment application equipment.
“We believe that future advances in crop production will come from seed development or from on the seed technologies,” explains Brent Collins, Director of Cereals Marketing for Bayer CropScience Inc. in Canada. “Working with AGI, the industry leader in portable grain handling equipment, will help us bring SeedGrowth technologies to growers and will enable them to accurately apply seed treatment and maximize their returns.”
The launch in Canada through a co-marketing agreement between Ag Growth International and Bayer CropScience Inc. is planned for 2013. Demonstration units will be available and the commercial units will be available for sale in the fall of 2013 for the 2014 seed treatment season. •
BioStacked soybean inoculants
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has granted the registration of Nodulator® PRO and HiStick® PRO. Both can be used as liquid BioStacked® inoculant systems for soybeans that include the benefits of rhizobia and root disease suppression when used in combination with INTEGRAL®, a PMRA registered liquid biofungicide. Now, the products are available as a combined system, providing a convenient 60-day window for “on seed survival” of rhizobia.
“This new registration brings an effective one-two punch to professional seed treatment applicators by offering the benefits of high quality Becker Underwood soybean inoculants with the Conditioner product in the same package,” says David Townsend, Product Manager with Becker Underwood. “It provides flexibility in bulk seed treatment application.”
Adding to the convenience, Nodulator® PRO and HiStick® PRO inoculant systems require approximately 50 percent less application volume thanks to a novel formulation which is delivered in a new and exclusive package system.
“The packaging involves technically advanced features to keep the crucial nitrogen-fixing rhizobia as viable and robust as possible before application to the seed,” says Townsend. “The packaging also allows for lower volume of product to be applied, which means less drying time, and it makes it easier to work with.” •
Alias insecticide registered for wireworm control
MANA Canada has announced the addition of wireworm control in cereal and soybean crops to the Alias® 240 SC label. Alias contains imidacloprid, the same active as Admire®.
Alias provides early season protection against crop stand injury caused by wireworms. The expanded registration includes variable application rates, allowing growers the flexibility to adjust the rate based on the expected infestation.
For convenience, Alias may be mixed or applied sequentially with several commonly used seed treatment fungicides to control wireworms and certain seed and soil-borne pathogens in cereal crops.
Alias is a Group 4A insecticide in the neonicotinoid family that controls wireworms through ingestion. Alias is also registered for control of soybean aphid, bean leaf beetle and seed corn maggot in soybeans. •
