b'CONTENT FROM CORTEVA AGRISCIENCEALTERNATIVES TONEONICS ARE HERE!O ver the past decades, the agricul- Corteva Agriscience is an active tural environment has evolved apart of the evolution of seed treatment to lot: climatic changes, regulations,a more professional and industrial busi-new pests, agronomic practices evolution,ness. Our commitment is to create more digital equipment and so forth. In thisinnovative solutions discovering, develop-context, production risks at planting areing and providing Advanced Seed Applied changing significantly (cold or droughtTechnologies to improve growers produc-stress, mechanical obstruction, soil com- tivity through a market-driven science, paction, insect attacks). Around 40% ofcollaboration and technique of assembly, the final yield is linked to the right cropsays Negreiros. establishment, so companies consider itWith more than 90 years and over mandatory to succeed in planting anda billion units of seeds treated, Corteva crop emergence. To face those new pro- has first-hand knowledge of growers duction risks, there are several new agpractices and needs through its vast technologies, like precision planting orseeds network. This was combined with innovative genetics, but very little devel- the superior science of globally renownedOleg Shevchukopment regarding seed treatment.DowDuPont Research & Development, which added even more crop protection FORGING A NEW FRONTIERchemical experience and took all of it to Seed treatment is a fairly new businessthe level of seed treatments including compared to all the traditional chemicalbiologicals, polymers, inoculants and usage in agriculture, also with the size ofservices.its market. It is a new and fast-evolvingThe current portfolio that takes this way to look at the agribusiness and chem- promise to life encompasses Lumiposa ical usage, is getting more professionaland Lumivia for insecticide seed treat-and bringing more benefits to agriculturement, and Lumisena and Lumiflex and its environment, says Negreiros. focused on fungicide seed treatment Seed treatment can use up to 10 timescontrol, says Negreiros. He adds that a lower amounts of active ingredient thannew pipeline is being developed to bring foliar or in-furrow application of crop pro- new potential solutions in the chemical tection products, providing cost savings toand biological space.farmers. In addition, seed treatment helps the seeds fight against external abioticSUNFLOWERand biotic stresses and promotes seedlingKeeping downy mildew under con- Istvan Raczestablishment and early plant growth. Ittrol in sunflower production is a major is very effective against a broad rangequestion, says Oleg Shevchuk, Cortevasignificant damage by killing infected of plant parasites, is highly targeted andAgriscience Regional Technical Expertplants and causing yield loss. effective with a small amount of well posi- for Seed Applied Technologies for EMEA.Lumisena is designed to help tioned product, providing extended pro- Sunflower helps growers sustain theirgrowers maximize the full potential of tection during the most important stageprofitability over the crop rotations. Totheir sunflower crop, controlling all races of plant development. increase profitability, growers are oftenof downy mildew, including those that Negreiros is very adamant aboutshortening the intervals between the twoare resistant to current fungicide treat-this. The technical benefits of seed treat- sunflower crops in their rotations and thisments, says Shevchuk. Oxathiapiprolin, ment end up reducing the environmentalhas some negative consequences, such asthe active ingredient in Lumisena, is a impact. For the farmers, it brings han- an increased pest and disease pressure,brand-new product with protection at dling benefits, reducing human exposurequicker evolution of the resistance and aevery stage of the fungal life cycle, as it and no hassle with disposal of containersreduced life cycle of hybrids with proveninhibits zoospore release and zoospore on the farm, and with less exposure toyield potential. Downy mildew is con- germination at very low concentrations diverse weather conditions, unlike foliarsidered a major disease in all sunflowerand protects the plants from infection spray applications.producing countries in Europe, causingvia the roots." 1949 1964 1989Annual sales of Pioneer brandDow annual sales Pioneer becomes the top brand of soybeans seed corn in North Americaexceed $1 billion. in North America; Dow and Eli Lilly form pass the million-unit mark. DowElanco, a joint venture to produce agricultural products.34IEUROPEAN SEEDIEUROPEAN-SEED.COM'