New seed treatment application option available to soybean farmers
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The secret to successful soybean production lies in keeping plants healthy from planting right through to harvesting. Seed treatments can help maximise the growth potential of plants. Using fungicidal, insecticidal, and plant-growth regulator seed treatments on young emerging seedlings will protect them from yield-robbing stresses such as disease and insects.
With the soybean planting season on hand farmers are looking for cost-effective solutions to give their soybeans a good start.
They need not look far. CRUISER® Ultimate, powered by ATUVA® Bold (in partnership with Rizobacter) and protected by the proven history of products such as APRON® XL, CELEST® XL, and CRUISER® Seedcare technology, the solution is in their grasp.
CRUISER® Ultimate is an innovative solution that provides ultimate protection to seed and young seedlings. ATUVA® Bold is an all-in-one liquid formulation that includes Protective Technology and BNF Accelerator Technology in an effective and convenient on-seed inoculant for soybeans. It triggers early nodulation to maximise biological nitrogen fixation that helps to protect yield even when the plant is faced with stressful growing conditions.
According to Jurgens Minnaar, business manager of Syngenta Seedcare in South Africa, the correct treatment method when mixing seed treatment and inoculants are of utmost importance, including the strict following of product label instructions he stresses.
Overtreating is often a problem with huge financial implications.
But why overtreat when the exact amount of product can be applied effectively?
According to Steve Huber, KSi Global Director of Sales, the KSi SC Applicator is able to condition high volumes of seed at pin point accuracy bringing cost-effectiveness to the farm. “We calibrate the treater and fine tune the accuracy of the treatments so that we can ensure that the correct amount of active ingredient is applied.”
He says this system provides ultimate flexibility for operations requiring tailored application recipes and careful handling of high-value crops.
“The ELA treater utilises KSi's patented designs of the KSi SC Applicator with a KSi static mixing belt conveyor offers a compact, economical, and an easy-to-use seed treatment option.”
Such a treater unit is available at Novon Protecta in Heilbron, one of Syngenta Seedcare’s trusted partners. According Minnaar, three of these units are available at selected industry partners.
Apart from soybeans, the treater can also be used to treat other row crop seeds such as maize, wheat and even ground nuts.
“We are confident that the relationship with Syngenta Seedcare and KSi will enable us to improve our service to our farmer clients. After calibration, the treater is accurate to the millilitre, thereby ensuring that the exact amount of the active ingredients are applied to the seed. We can also mix CRUISER® Ultimate with the biological product, ATUVA® Bold to the exact ratio saving farmers a great deal of money due to less over applications on the seed as well as improved coverage of the seed because we are eliminating under application,” notes Johnny Claassen, owner Novon Protecta Heilbron.
Huber explains that the seed in dropped from the hopper onto a spinning disk and then lands on a conveyer belt that facilitates the movement of seed, rubbing against one another and thus ensuring that the entire seed surface is coated.”
According to Eben Claassen who runs the Novon Protecta agency with his father, one of the added benefits is that the machine will automatically switch off when the bulk seed bag supplying the seed runs empty.
He adds that the speed at which the treatments can be done means that they will have increased capacity to help farmers with treating their seed before planting starts in earnest.
Farmer, Abrie Pretorius, farms on Brinelda in the area and says he was impressed with the accuracy of the seed coverage as well as the speed of application. “I could see that the seed was thoroughly covered without receiving an over application. One of the main benefits, however, is the soft manner in which the seed is handled. I saw no breakages or split kernels which is a huge advantage.”
Claassen snr concurs. “This treater is softer on the seed. We see almost no splits, cracks, or the removal of soybean seed hulls.”
Being one of the area’s largest soybean producers, Thabo and Johan Strydom for L & T Boerdery, feels confident that with the speed of application, they will be able to plant their 3 000ha of soybeans as soon as the circumstances are conducive to planting. “In addition we can already see the benefit of more accurate application of the active ingredients. We will reduce unnecessary double seed treatment applications which will means better profitability at the end.”
For more information contact your nearest channel partner or sales representative.
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Eben Claassen who runs the Novon Protecta agency in Heilbron with this father, Johnny, in the process of calibrating the KSi SC Applicator to ensure the effective and accurate application of seed treatment products on soybean seed brought in for treatment.
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Seed treatments offer pest and disease management products that promises to improve the production and yield opportunities of crops. They are specifically tailored to meet farmers’ pest and disease control needs help to maximise the growth potential of plants.
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Abrie Pretorius, farms on the farm Brinelda in the Heilbron district and says he was impressed with the accuracy of the seed coverage as well as the speed of application.
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According to CropLife SA, seed treatment operations must be performed under controlled and thorough conditions with all necessary precautionary measures to ensure safety of workers and the environment. This exactly what the KSi SC Applicator is bringing to the industry – accuracy, speed, and safety.
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From the left: Thabo Srydom, L & T Boerdery; Johnny Claassen, owner Novon Protecta agency in Heilbron; and Johan Strydom. The Strydoms brought in their soybean seed for the application of CRUISER Ultimate and was impressed with the speed and accuracy of the applications.
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Eben Claassen, Novon Protecta in Heilbron, making sure that the seed is treated evenly during the seed treatment application.
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Three of the KSi SC Applicators were brought into the country jointly by Syngenta Seedcare in South Africa and KSi based in the US. This will offer the opportunity to farmers in soybean production areas to treat their seed effectively before planting.
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As soon as the seed leave the bulk seed bag, the seed treatment products are applied.
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The treated seed falls onto a conveyer belt that helps with the process of seed rubbing each other ensuring an even distribution of the seed care application.
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The soybean seed should be covered uniformly.