Syngenta Crop Protection introduces Cruiser® seed treatment insecticide for long-lasting, broad-spectrum protection of potato insect pests including aphids, Colorado potato beetle, potato leafhopper, potato psyllid and wireworm (seed piece protection). Cruiser protects the entire plant from economically damaging pests and the diseases they commonly vector by offering targeted pest protection and uniform results from day one.

“This is the fifth year I’ve worked with Cruiser for potatoes. I’ve mostly been looking at it for control of Colorado potato beetle and it has performed very well,” said Ted Radcliffe, professor of entomology at the University of Minnesota. “One of the biggest benefits of using Cruiser on potatoes is convenience. It’s nice to be able to treat the seed in advance of planting and already have the protection in the field when larvae are just hatching and potato plants are the most vulnerable.”

Cruiser is compatible with Maxim® 4FS, the only liquid seed treatment fungicide registered for use on potatoes, creating a valuable combination of insect and disease protection. Maxim 4FS protects against the most damaging disease pathogens including Fusarium sambucinum (dry rot), Rhizoctonia solani (stem canker and black scurf) and Helminthosporium solani (silver scurf) to assist in preventing poor emergence, uneven crop growth and reduced crop stand, helping produce high quality yields.

“The introduction of Cruiser offers potato growers a convenient and effective way to apply both a seed treatment insecticide and fungicide in one easy application,” said Steve Russell, crop manager for Syngenta Seed Treatment. “First we introduced Maxim 4FS, and now we’re bringing in Cruiser to help potato growers efficiently protect their crops from yield-robbing insects and diseases, ultimately helping increase stand, vigor and marketable yield.”

Syngenta Crop Protection has teamed up with Milestone, a premier potato equipment company, to design a new liquid treating unit that is portable and utilizes an atomizing head and rotating drum to provide thorough coverage to the entire seed or seed piece, resulting in better distribution of the active ingredient for consistent uptake and effective control of insect pests. Cruiser is a concentrated liquid formulation applied at a low use rate (0.125 lb. ai/acre) allowing growers to use a seed treatment with a minimal amount of water for dilution. For seed-borne late blight control, growers should apply mancozeb seed treatment dust at a labeled rate after application of Cruiser and Maxim 4FS seed treatments.

Thiamethoxam, the active ingredient in Cruiser, is rapidly translocated throughout the plant, providing complete protection through both contact and stomach activity. Once absorbed through contact or feeding, Cruiser interferes with the receptors in an insect that transmit the message to feed. As a result, the insect stops feeding and the plant is protected.

Cruiser has proven performance on barley, corn, cotton, green beans, sorghum, sunflowers and wheat. In addition to potatoes, Cruiser also recently received registration for use on soybeans, dry beans, dry peas and succulent peas.

For more information on Cruiser or Maxim 4FS, contact your local Syngenta Crop Protection or Seed Treatment representative, or ask your local seed dealer.

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 2003 were approximately $6.6 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).