Bayer CropScience introduces Poncho/VOTiVO on soybean and cotton

Bayer CropScience is announcing that Poncho®/VOTiVO® will be available on soybeans and cotton for the 2012 growing season. With these additions, growers will have a new tool to fight nematodes and early-season pests which damage crops and decrease yield. 

"The proven efficacy of Poncho/VOTiVO on corn gives soybean and cotton growers assurance that their crops will thrive by reducing damage and loss due to pests and nematodes,” said Kerry Grossweiler, product manager of Bayer CropScience. “We are proud to maintain our long-term partnership with corn, cotton and soybean growers through a portfolio of seed treatment offerings, including Poncho/VOTiVO.”

Poncho®/VOTiVO® on Soybeans

In 2011, 76.6 million acres are expected to be planted with soybeans. Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is the No. 1 pest affecting yields for soybean growers. It accounts for an estimated $1 billion loss in soybean crops annually. Poncho/VOTiVO is the perfect companion to soybean seed with genetic resistance to nematodes. Poncho/VOTiVO keeps important soybean nematode species, including reniform, root-knot and soybean cyst from reaching the root.

In addition to nematodes, insects Poncho/VOTiVOprotects against include early-season aphids, over-wintering bean leaf beetle, seed corn maggot, and grape colaspis.

Extensive testing with Poncho/VOTiVOhas shown a significant yield advantage in soybeans, with an average of 1 to 2 bu/A gain over and above the increase experienced with Gaucho® seed-applied insecticide.

Poncho®/VOTiVO® on Cotton

Nematodes remain a major yield-reducing pest in cotton. The Cotton Disease Council’s Cotton Disease Loss Estimate Committee attributed more than 500,000 bales of lost yield to nematode damage in 2009.

Cotton acreage increases are expected in every state this year, for a total of 12.6 million acres. For these plants, Poncho/VOTiVOcan protect against nematodes, including root-knot, reniform and Columbia lance.

Poncho/VOTiVOon cotton is long-lasting, protecting against even second generation nematodes, and fast-acting, defending plants from the first day onward. Because it protects against multiple types of cotton-parasitic nematodes, Poncho/VOTiVO is a key component of Integrated Pest Management programs. This seed treatment promotes a higher yield through a healthier root system and a more vigorous and uniform crop.

Bayer CropScience is driven by innovation and the practical application of technology to support customers and help them address their challenges. The company’s highest priority is helping farmers all over the world protect their crops from pests and diseases, while achieving higher yields and healthier, more vigorous plants in a sustainable and affordable way. Through its focus on innovation, Bayer CropScience has developed products and systems for crop protection, seeds and plant biotechnology, including Poncho®/VOTiVO®.