A new cereal growth regulator that offers outstanding performance will be available to cereal growers looking to maximise output from their high-value crops this season.
Optimus, the first growth regulator from agchem development company Makhteshim Agan (MAUK), boasts a unique, optimised formulation of trinexapac-ethyl that allows more efficient uptake of active ingredient into the plant and which maximises its lodging prevention properties, says the company’s technical and development manager Stuart Hill.
"The adjuvant system we have developed within the formulation reduces the surface tension of the spray droplet on the leaf," he explains. "This increases the contact surface area of the droplet allowing more active ingredient to move into the leaf over a given time."
Tests using radiolabel carbon show that 85% of the trinexapac-ethyl contained in Optimus moves into the wheat leaf within five hours, compared with just 35% of that in the current industry standard. After 24 hours, the industry standard had still only delivered 50% into the leaf.
The efficiency of uptake means that the formulation and active ingredient spend less time exposed to possible weathering following application, thereby optimising the active ingredient available within the formulation, says Mr Hill. "MAUK is the first company to offer a real and formulation-enhanced alternative to the current standard.
"All other brands are identical copies of the original, so offer nothing more. Optimus gives a consistent dose response without compromising crop safety, so growers can be sure they will get a reliable result when they need it most."
This extra performance comes at no extra cost. The improved EC formulation means Optimus contains less active ingredient than the standard – 175g/litre of trinexapac-ethyl compared with the 250g. Marketing trials have shown that Optimus can be used at the same application rate as the standard to obtain the same result in terms of crop height and lodging.
"That means growers will be using less active for the same effect," says Mr Hill. "And the lower concentration offsets the extra formulation cost, so we can keep prices competitive.
With crop values at historic highs, the rewards for keeping crops standing have never been higher, he notes. "A lodged crop can typically cost 20% in yield alone, which could cost £400/ha on a 10t wheat crop, let alone additional harvest downtime and drying costs."
The new product is further evidence of MAUK’s transition from generic producer to agrochemical development company, says Mr Hill.
"The flow of new molecules is slowing, partly as a result of companies allocating more of their budget into GM plant traits, and also the sheer difficulty and expense of discovering new chemistry that offers a step up in performance but also passes all the regulatory hurdles."
"The future lies in getting more out of existing active ingredients, and that’s where our development expertise counts. Optimus is a significant and positive example of enhancing an existing molecule via formulation technology."
