Canola growers facing late season insect pests, like diamondback moth, bertha armyworm and cabbage seedpod weevil, have a new control option. In the past Matador® had a 50-day pre-harvest interval (PHI) but, as a result of new data from Syngenta, that time frame is now moving to 7 days*.

“This marks a significant and welcome change for canola growers looking for effective, efficient late season pest control,” says David Hoar, crop manager, pulses, with Syngenta Crop Protection Canada, Inc., the makers of Matador. “Growers have told us they like this product for its faster knockdown and low volumes, and with the new, significantly reduced pre-harvest spray interval, they will be able to reliably choose Matador for late season pest control.”

Late season canola pests such as bertha armyworm, diamond back moth, lygus bug and seedpod weevils can cause significant crop damage and loss, and growers have had few control options available to them, until now.

“Matador is an advanced pyrethroid that has both contact and residual activity on target pests,” says Hoar, explaining that direct contact with Matador will knock target pests down, and spray residue on leaves provides residual control. “For many insects, this residual activity helps slow significant re-infestation for 10 days or longer, depending on the insect and weather conditions.”

Because Matador bonds to the waxy top layers of plant tissue it resists wash off by rain; and the product can be applied by air or ground.

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 2004 were approximately $7.3 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).
 
* The 7-day PHI for Matador has been accepted for registration, pending final labeling, and applies to canola, mustard, flax and sunflowers.