A revolutionary new seed treatment is about to change the face of Canada’s pulse and bean industry. Called Apron Maxx RTA, this new seed treatment has just received approval for use on all of the major pulse and bean crops grown in Canada, including soybeans, dry beans, lentils, dry peas and chickpeas.

“This is a very exciting development for the pulse and bean sector,” says Rick Istead, Seed Treatments Crop Manager with Syngenta Crop Protection Canada, Inc., the manufacturer of Apron Maxx RTA. “It is a significant advance for our growers in that Apron Maxx RTA can be used on all of the major pulse and bean crops, controlling the major seed and soil-borne diseases in each of those crops. That’s convenience and peace of mind protection all in one package.”

Apron Maxx RTA delivers broad spectrum seed and soil-borne disease protection to pulse and bean growers:

• In soybeans: damping-off and seed rots caused by Fusarium, Rhizoctonia and Pythium

• In dry beans (white, dark red kidney, light red kidney and cranberry beans): damping-off caused by  Fusarium, Rhizoctonia and Pythium and anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum

• In chickpeas: damping-off caused by Fusarium, Rhizoctonia and Pythium

• In lentils: seedling blight caused by Fusarium, Rhizoctonia and Pythium

• In dry peas (including field peas): seedling blight caused by Fusarium, Rhizoctonia and Pythium.

Apron Maxx RTA is a water-based, ready-to-apply formulation that can be applied on-farm or in commercial treating facilities, says Istead. “It’s also inoculant-friendly so growers can treat and inoculate their seed in one operation.

“There is a definite connection between seed treatments and better yields,” says Istead. “The more pulse and bean growers can do to help their crops overcome early season diseases and get the best start possible, the better chance they have at gaining higher yields and quality come harvest.”

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 2002 were approximately US $6.2 billion. Syngenta employs some 20,000 people in over 90 countries. Syngenta is listed on the Swiss stock exchange (SYNN) and in London (SYA), New York (SYT) and Stockholm (SYN). Further information is available at www.syngenta.com.