New seed treatment technology launched by Syngenta

A brand new seed treatment technology which offers benefits to both farmers and treaters - in terms of less dust, better flowability, and potentially improved efficacy - is being launched by Syngenta across a number of its seed treatment products.

The new Formula M Technology is an innovative formulation, which reduces the viscosity of the liquid treatment applied to the seed.

This results in improved flow of the treatment over the seed surface, says Syngenta seed treatment manager Charles Paice, giving more even coverage and so better protection. Importantly it also locks the treatment to the seed, he says, giving reduced dust.

"In simple terms Formula M is designed to ensure that more of the treatment that you put on the seed stays on the seed, and doesn't come off in the drill or seed treatment plant.

"This has benefits for efficacy but also user handling. Users will see the difference. There's a significant benefit for reduced dust-off and better flowability, also minimum chances of bridging and blocking in the seed drill, which means less hassle for the farmer," he adds.

The first introduction for Formula M Technology will be for the existing fungicide seed treatment Beret Gold, ready for this autumn's plantings. This follows extensive European tests.

As well as better crop establishment and improved vigour from the new Beret Gold formulation, results have shown improved disease control - notably greater reduction in soil borne bunt infection and superior reduction of Fusarium roseum.

Additionally, improved seed flowability through the drill was seen regardless of whether the new formulation was applied to seed concentrated or diluted. Further testing indicated that dust-off was reduced by as much as 80%.

Meanwhile for treaters, improved flowability produced a 15% increase in the amount of seed that could be treated and bagged in one hour.

"Because Beret Gold Formula M flows better, the likelihood is that farmers will have to recalibrate drills when using the new formulation," Mr Paice adds, "However that's a good thing and something that farmers should be doing regularly anyway, in order to ensure drilling accuracy. Significantly, the new formulation will cost the same as the old one," he points out.

As well as the new Beret Gold formulation, Syngenta is working on a pipeline of other seed treatment products that employ Formula M.