New product combines contact and systemic activity with a six-active-ingredient package for insect and disease protection in cereal crops.
Syngenta Canada Inc. has introduced Equento Cereals, a new seed treatment designed to deliver wireworm control and disease protection for cereal growers in Western Canada. The company says the product is the first seed treatment in the region to offer both contact and systemic activity on wireworms, helping stop feeding quickly while also reducing wireworm populations over time.
Equento Cereals features two insecticides, including PLINAZOLIN technology, a novel active ingredient developed by Syngenta with a Group 30 mode of action, paired with Group 4 thiamethoxam. Syngenta describes PLINAZOLIN technology as a breakthrough ingredient that brings a new approach to wireworm management.
“Equento Cereals seed treatment gives growers in Western Canada facing significant wireworm pressure a reliable tool to control populations this season and reduce wireworm populations in the following season,” said Justin Bouvier, product lead for Seedcare with Syngenta Canada. He added that the treatment protects seeds and young plants from wireworm feeding, which can negatively affect plant health and crop yields.
According to a Syngenta press release, the product’s contact activity is designed to halt wireworm feeding rapidly, while its systemic activity supports longer-term control by helping disrupt the wireworm lifecycle.
In addition to insect protection, Equento Cereals includes four fungicides to manage a broad range of seed- and soil-borne diseases common in cereal production. Shad Milligan, western technical lead for Seedcare with Syngenta Canada, said the treatment delivers disease protection cereal growers have come to expect from Cruiser Vibrance Quattro, while adding a novel mode of action for wireworm control.
“With Equento Cereals, farmers can expect even crop emergence and uniform stand establishment, helping mitigate future weed-management challenges caused by wireworm damage,” Milligan said.
Syngenta noted that Equento Cereals contains six active ingredients: Group 30 insecticide PLINAZOLIN technology, Group 4 insecticide thiamethoxam, Group 3 fungicide difenoconazole, Group 7 fungicide sedaxane, Group 4 fungicide metalaxyl-M (and S-isomer), and Group 12 fungicide fludioxonil. Together, the company says the formulation supports early-season performance benefits including Vigor Trigger and Rooting Power for strong crop establishment.
Equento Cereals is expected to be available in Western Canada for the 2026 growing season. It will be sold either in a case containing 10 L Cruiser Vibrance Quattro and 2.3 L Equento with PLINAZOLIN technology, or in bulk formats including a 115 L tote of Cruiser Vibrance Quattro and a 26 L tote of Equento with PLINAZOLIN technology.
