New glyphosate in the works

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Published: August 1, 2002

A new kind of glyphosate is being tested in research plots across

Canada this summer and could be in farmers’ tanks as early as next year.

Touchdown iQ uses a different type of salt and a tailor-made delivery

system that Syngenta Crop Protection Canada says differentiates it from

products such as Roundup, Vantage and previous versions of Touchdown.

The manufacturer said its diammonium salt-of-glyphosate and corn-based,

balanced adjuvant system gets the active ingredient inside weed leaves

more efficiently than the competition.

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“This delivery system that we’ve designed is able to help the

glyphosate perform in some of the toughest conditions that the farmer

might face – whether it be hard water, dusty leaves, rain right

immediately within an hour of application – that sort of thing,” said

Colin Steen, Syngenta Canada’s oilseeds manager.

Touchdown iQ is being tested by farmers in federal research permit

trials and by Syngenta in its own research plots this year as part of

the Pest Management Regulatory Agency approval process. Steen

anticipates input providers will be stocking it in 2003.

It is already registered in the United States, where it is primarily

used on Roundup Ready soybeans.

Saskatchewan Agriculture weed specialist Clark Brenzil said that was

the main reason Syngenta developed the new product based on a different

salt.

“They had some problems with injury on Roundup Ready soybeans in the

U.S.”

Steen said the new Touchdown iQ works well on Roundup Ready crops.

Sales south of the border have exceeded expectations.

But there are other benefits as well. Five years of trials in Canada

have shown that Touchdown iQ performs “at the very least” the same as

other glyphosates and “is definitely outperforming the competition”

under less than desirable conditions, Steen said.

“We’re excited about the possibility of having a glyphosate that’s

going to perform well in tough and adverse conditions that guys are

facing out on the farm on a year like this year.”

He said Touchdown iQ will be used mainly for pre-season burnoff, but

the company is also seeking registration for use on Roundup Ready

canola, chemical fallow and pre- and post-harvest control of perennial

weeds.

For a discussion of various glyphosate products by Bob Hartzler, a weed

scientist at Iowa State University, go to www.producer.com and click on

news links.

About the author

Sean Pratt

Sean Pratt

Reporter/Analyst

Sean Pratt has been working at The Western Producer since 1993 after graduating from the University of Regina’s School of Journalism. Sean also has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan and worked in a bank for a few years before switching careers. Sean primarily writes markets and policy stories about the grain industry and has attended more than 100 conferences over the past three decades. He has received awards from the Canadian Farm Writers Federation, North American Agricultural Journalists and the American Agricultural Editors Association.

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