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More seed treatment options available for sunflower growers
Indianapolis, Indiana
January 19, 2005

When it comes to seed treatments in sunflower hybrids, there are two standard seed treatment packages available, either Apron® MAXX® or Cruiser®. However, due to new technologies, even more options are available to help growers protect their seed.

"Apron MAXX was the standard treatment for a number of years," says Bruce Due, District Agronomist, Mycogen Seeds. "Apron is a fungicide that is used to control downy mildew, which can be a serious disease in sunflowers."

Available since 2003, Cruiser is another seed treatment that has been used. Cruiser is a stand-alone systemic insecticide, seed-applied at the processing plant only. It protects against soil borne insects, such as white grubs, wireworms, and in addition, sunflower beetles and striped beetles. In 2003, sunflowers treated with Cruiser showed a 15 percent better stand establishment than non-treated sunflowers, according to Due.

"In 2004, 12 side-by-side plots were compared with one side treated and the other untreated, and planted with the same sunflower hybrid," Due explains. "The Cruiser plots showed a 230-pound yield advantage versus the untreated check."

Cruiser DM Helps Provide Protection

In 2004, Cruiser® DM Pak was introduced. Cruiser DM includes Cruiser insecticide, Dynasty™ fungicide (for downy mildew and other soilborne diseases), along with Apron XL® and Maxim® 4FS fungicides. Cruiser DM Pak seed treatment provides superior sunflower protection against damage and stand loss caused by early season soil and foliar insects. With the addition of Dynasty fungicide, Cruiser DM Pak protects young sunflower seedlings against early season diseases from all four fungal groups, including suppression of downy mildew.

"Now growers have the best seed treatment available that helps the sunflower plant establish a vigorous stand," Due says. "Seed treatments are a good insurance policy against insects and soil-borne diseases. This can offer growers a payback of around $30 per acre on their investment."

No matter what seed treatments sunflower growers choose, they must make their decision early. Ordering must be completed by February 1 to ensure Cruiser DM Pak seed availability. Early orders allow growers to get their favorite hybrids, seed sizes and the delivery time they request.

®™Mycogen and the Mycogen M Logo are trademarks of Mycogen Corporation.
®™ Cruiser, Cruiser DM, Dynasty, Apron Maxx, Apron XL and Maxim are trademarks of Syngenta Crop Protection Inc.

*Cruiser DM Pak is a seed company applied promotion combination of four separately registered products - Cruiser, Dynasty, Apron XL and Maxim 4FS.

Refer to the Cruiser DM Pak seed treatment on the seed bag tag for restrictions on planting Cruiser-treated seed.

©2005 Mycogen Seeds. Mycogen Seeds is an affiliate of Dow AgroSciences LLC.

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