Plains' Toughest Weeds -- Kochia, Canada Thistle and Wild Buckwheat -- All Controlled by WideMatch

Dow AgroSciences announced today that the EPA has accepted the label for WideMatch™ herbicide, the only broadleaf herbicide available in small grains that consistently controls the Plains' three toughest weeds - kochia, Canada thistle and wild buckwheat.

"This is the most significant herbicide registration in small grains in recent years, judging by the reaction of our customers since we announced our registration efforts recently," says Jim Parker, market specialist for Dow AgroSciences. "The EPA's acceptance of our premix label has come soon enough to allow us to ramp up production of WideMatch and have product available for this use season."

According to Parker, he expects WideMatch to be the new standard for broadleaf weed control in wheat, barley, durum and oats because it contains the widest spectrum of weed control of any herbicide and matches up well as a tank-mix partner with all leading grass herbicides."

"Small grain growers should find WideMatch value priced so they can treat more acres to clean up their fields," he says. "Combined with the fact that it has shown better than 90 percent control of kochia, Canada thistle and wild buckwheat, WideMatch™ will be an excellent value for growers."

In field trials conducted this past summer by independent research contractors, WideMatch outperformed competitive products for the control of both ALS-resistant and large kochia, Canada thistle and wild buckwheat. (See accompanying chart for 2003 trial results.)

A combination of the active ingredients fluroxypyr and clopyralid, WideMatch also offers proven control of volunteer flax, common mallow, marestail (horseweed), sunflowers and cocklebur, as well as suppression of field bindweed.

WideMatch is designed to deliver the ultimate in flexibility for broadleaf weed control in small grains while maintaining tank-mixability with grass herbicides. With the economical addition of MCPA ester, 2,4-D or Harmony GT, WideMatch will control wild mustard, Russian thistle, pigweed, lambsquarters and volunteer canola.