Sorghum seed soars to new heights

Advanta Seeds and UPL develop new seed treatments to elevate the profitability and image of sorghum for U.S. growers.

In 2006, when UPL, a manufacturer of agricultural chemicals, acquired Advanta Seeds, its U.S. team wanted seed research data verification and product innovation to all take place on U.S. soil. It took time and patience to develop new seed treatment chemistry that met the company’s high standards for U.S. growers.

Advanta had been using Syngenta’s seed treatments including Concep, a seed safener, on its sorghum seed. For many years, Syngenta’s Concep was the only acceptable product on the market that would allow growers to make a preplant, preemerge application of Group 15 herbicides. Post-emerge herbicide options for sorghum are limited. When growers were on the fence about whether to plant sorghum or another crop, weed pressures and limited herbicide options often pushed them to go another route and avoid sorghum.

When Advanta developed igrowth, the first herbicide-resistant sorghum, they included a high performance treatment for the seed. UPL’s seed treatment team constructed a new, comprehensive premium seed treatment blend, Vertix Premier, for Advanta which includes MESH, a superior alternative to Concep for safening Group 15 herbicides. The blend also contains RANCONA, which is known for its premium systemic and contact control of a broad spectrum of seed and soil borne pathogens. The blend is rounded with time proven solutions of STartUP IMIDA and METXL to complete the insecticide and disease protection.

“We are bringing new Vertix Premier brand seed treatment to improve growers’ all-around experience with sorghum seed,” says Advanta Sales and Marketing Manager Tanner Antonick. “Advanta has worked with UPL to put the product through several years of testing to confirm its safety on the seed. It has subsequently become a very positive product with a high level of seed safety. Even when treated seed is stored for several months before planting, the seed remains in exceptional condition.”

“We have created a new liquid formulation of MESH that is more versatile and flexible,” says Andy Hurst, UPL Seed and Soil Health Business Manager. “MESH safener in sorghum is actually not a new active. With their unique research focus, UPL took this superior safener and developed it further into a liquid formulation that can easily be used at the treater or in custom blends for sorghum.”

Kannar Earth Science aided in the transition by providing logistics and associated lab work. They verified that Advanta’s seed treatment recipes were on target and on spec. Kannar continues to make the custom seed treatment blends used to treat Advanta seeds and aid in on site advertisement.

Kannar Earth Science aided in the transition by providing logistics and associated lab work. They verified that Advanta’s seed treatment recipes were on target and on spec. Kannar continues to make the custom seed treatment blends used to treat Advanta seeds and aid in on site advertisement.

“Creating custom seed treatment blends requires attention to every detail to ensure it can be safely blended and combined with other seed treatments,” Hurst adds. “This testing improves the efficiency of application and simplifies the process for treating sorghum seed.”

The other part of the MESH and Vertix Premier story is that UPL has set up a new global R&D Center in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Hurst says their new lab is set up to conduct compatibility, stability, bio-assays and greenhouse testing as well as treating and planting characteristics of seed treatments. Its resources and scientific expertise have enabled the company to make great strides in several seed emergence technologies.

Elevating Sorghum’s Image

“When people look at Advanta, we hope they will see a company that is committed to bringing continual innovation to the sorghum industry. Our UPL alignment enables us to bring seed treatments to our growers that meet the highest standards of seed quality,” Antonick says. “This was incredibly important as we launched igrowth this past summer. We want growers to get the best value for their dollar and be able to make the best choices for their acres.”

“We know that growers appreciate having choices when they make their crop and seed decisions,” adds Hurst. “UPL is committed to offering unique solutions for growers that contribute to their bottom line.”