Corn, soybean and edible bean growers will soon have a new tool to help them in their fight against early season insect damage. Cruiser ® is a new seed treatment insecticide that targets wireworms, European chafer (white grubs), seedcorn maggot and corn flea beetles in corn; seedcorn maggot, wireworms, European chafer (white grubs) and bean leaf beetles in soybeans; and potato leafhopper, wireworms and seedcorn maggot in edible beans.*

“The introduction of Cruiser will be very positive news for growers who have insect problems not only in their corn, but in their soybean and edible beans too,” says Wayne Bennett, seed treatment specialist for Eastern Canada and Cruiser lead with Syngenta Crop Protection Canada, Inc.

“There are many early season insect pests in corn, soybeans and edible beans, and most do their work underground, feeding on seeds, roots and young shoots, damaging plants as they emerge and grow,” says Bennett. “Seed treatment offers an effective solution, and I think growers will be very impressed with Cruiser’s consistent performance against these pests. Also, because it has systemic activity, Cruiser will also protect against some important foliar feeding insects, such as potato leafhoppers in edible beans and bean leaf beetle in soybeans.”

Cruiser contains the active ingredient thiamethoxam, a new generation insecticide that works systemically to protect against a number of important insect pests. When an insect, such as a wireworm, feeds on the young seedling and ingests the insecticide it almost immediately stops feeding. “And since the product is highly targeted to those insect pests that feed on your crop – it has minimal effect on beneficial organisms,” adds Bennett.

Bennett says that Cruiser will be offered in conjunction with a fungicide seed treatment so growers can get broad-spectrum protection against seed- and soil-borne diseases along with insect control. “Cruiser is a concentrate formulation. Corn growers will be able to ask their seed company for CruiserXL, which is an on-the-seed combination of Cruiser and Maxim XL®,” he says. “Soybean and edible bean growers wil be able to ask their seed company for CruiserMaxx Pak, which is a combination of Cruiser and Apron Maxx RTA®.”

Both Maxim XL and Apron Maxx RTA are market leading broad-spectrum fungicide seed treatments that protect against seed- and soil-borne disease attack. “The combination of insect and disease protection all in one package should mean faster starts and stronger stands for growers,” says Bennett. “These are great seed treatment packages for corn, soybean and edible bean growers. They are far more convenient than the drill box insecticide options, and all a grower has to do is order his seed treated with the CruiserXL or CruiserMaxx Pak.”

Syngenta is a world-leading agribusiness committed to sustainable agriculture through innovative research and technology. The company is a leader in crop protection, and ranks third in the high-value commercial seeds market. Sales in 2004 were approximately $7.3 billion. Syngenta employs some 19,000 people in over 90 countries. Syngenta is listed on the Swiss stock exchange (SYNN) and in New York (SYT).

* CRUISER has been accepted for registration in corn, soybeans and edible beans, pending final labeling. Please refer to the product label for the exact use instructions and pests controlled.

® CRUISER, MAXIM, XL, APRON MAXX, RTA and the Syngenta logo are registered trademarks of a Syngenta group company