AgroPages-BASF’s Systiva XS seed treatment fungicide got US registration-Agricultural news

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently registered BASF’s Systiva® XS (fluxapyroxad, trademarked as Xemium®) seed treatment fungicide, which helps U.S. sugarbeet growers prevent certain soilborne diseases in their crops.

“For a long time, fungal diseases have created problems for sugarbeet cultivation in all major U.S. growing regions,” said Steve Bergschneider, U.S. Crop Seed Enhancement Manager at BASF. “Systiva XS seed treatment fungicide controls multiple devastating fungal diseases, providing growers with added confidence in their crop at harvest.”

The product is effective on one of the harder to control fungal pathogens, Rhizoctonia, which can cause 30-60 percent yield losses, primarily through root rot, for sugarbeet growers and potentially place entire fields in jeopardy.

Systiva XS seed treatment fungicide uses Xemium® fungicide to help control fungal diseases like Rhizoctonia. As many growers know, Xemium fungicide is a unique mode of action that provides broad spectrum, consistent control of a wide variety of diseases in several crops.

In field studies conducted by the University of Nebraska in 2014, treated sugarbeets experienced a 3 ton/acre yield increase over base treatments. Field studies in 2014 and 2015 by Betaseed, Inc., the leading surgarbeet seed brand for growers in North America, demonstrated improved stand counts in crops inoculated with Rhizoctonia, over the inoculated check.

“When applied to sugarbeets, Systiva XS seed treatment fungicide has consistently shown activity against seedling Rhizoctonia infestation longer than other currently registered seed treatment products,” said Mark Schmidt, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Betaseed. “The performance of Systiva XS seed treatment fungicide in commercial fields will give growers long-lasting control throughout the life cycle of the crop, based on our three years of trials.”

Systiva XS seed treatment fungicide will be available to sugarbeet growers for the 2016 season.