New crop protection options for 2011

The first half of January 2011 has seen a number of significant product launches in the agrochemical sector, giving growers new fungicide and herbicide options for the coming season.

Bayer CropScience has introduced its new SDHI fungicide bixafen in a co-formulation with prothioconazole, in Aviator 235 Xpro for use in wheat and Siltra Xpro for use in barley.

Aviator 235 Xpro will be targeted at the T2 fungicide timing and higher yield potential crops, where its yield and disease control boosting properties will be put to best use, believes Bayer.

A new emulsifiable concentrate (EC) formulation of epoxiconazole will replace suspension concentrate (SC) Opus over the next few seasons. Ignite from BASF is said to offer better activity than Opus as a result of improved uptake and retention of the active ingredient brought about by the new formulation.

Broad-leaved weed control options in cereals have been extended with the launch of Spitfire from Dow AgroSciences. The new herbicide combines 5g florasulam and100g fluroxypyr per litre - the same active ingredients found in Starane XL, which has a lower rate of florasulam - to provide control of a range of weeds including black bindweed, cleavers, charlock, chickweed, knotgrass, mayweed, volunteer oilseed rape and beans.

According to Dow marketing specialist James Knight the new herbicide is so effective that many users will find they will not need to apply a top-up broad-leaved treatment to their crops.