AMVAC introduces SmartChoice soil insecticide

Date:11-16-2009

New SmartChoice5G soil insecticide from AMVAC Chemical Corp. combines two active ingredients in a low-cost, high-performance formulation designed to enhance yield potential of corn rootworm tolerant hybrids. SmartChoice is the first new granular soil insecticide for corn launched since 1996.

The active ingredients in SmartChoice include chlorethoxyfos, an organophosphate, and bifenthrin, a pyrethroid.

"Combining these two chemistries offers two modes of action to maximize corn yields," says Paul Vaculin, marketing manager for granular insecticides and closed delivery systems at AMVAC Chemical Corp. "SmartChoice has excellent performance on corn rootworms. The combination also will be dynamite on secondary pests, such as wireworms, grubs and seedcorn maggots."

SmartChoice 5G will be the lowest-cost corn soil insecticide on the market, according to Vaculin. "The low cost of SmartChoice provides excellent returns per acre and makes it ideal for use with rootworm tolerant hybrids," he says. "This will help farmers capitalize on new research showing that using soil insecticides with corn rootworm trait hybrids can increase yields substantially. Harvest efficiency also can be improved because of better standability."

AMVAC recently released a summary of university research showing that treating corn rootworm hybrids with insecticides boosted yields an average of 9.6 bushels/acre in trials across the Corn Belt in 2007 and 2008.

The 64 yield comparisons, which were conducted by researchers at 11 universities and colleges, showed yield increases of greater than 10 bushels/acre in 42 percent of trials. Yield increases were more than 15 bushels/acre in 28 percent of the trials.

SmartChoice 5G is packaged in 50-pound containers for application with AMVACs patented SmartBox closed handling and application system. AMVAC also is expecting registration for SmartChoice 5G in the Lock n Load closed handling system prior to the 2010 use season.