Callisto™ herbicide - Arrives for '05 Corn

The revolutionary new broadleaf herbicide for corn, Callisto™, has been granted its first Canadian registration by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency, with more farm uses already under development.

“Callisto is here,” said Kristine Savage, Eastern Canada corn and bean crop manager for Syngenta Crop Protection Canada, Inc. “For growers of field corn, seed corn, and sweet corn, this is the news they’ve been waiting to hear.”

Derived from nature, Callisto is a unique new Group 28 class of chemistry for Canada. Its active ingredient, mesotrione, is the country’s first triketone herbicide.

Callisto has been field tested by close to 200 Ontario and Quebec corn growers in the last two years. The results prove that Callisto raises the bar, leading to more efficient, more dependable farming.

Key Callisto advantages include:

• excellent control of key broadleaf weeds

• outstanding crop safety, including seed and sweet corn

• flexible pre-emergent and post-emergent application timing

• flexibility in soil types and management systems

• one-pass, season-long control when tank-mixed with an annual grass partner

• low use rate

• non-volatile, liquid formulation

“Through federal research permits Canadian growers consistently rated their Callisto plots superior to their existing programs,” Savage said. “They tell us that the combination of benefits – weed control, crop safety, and flexibility – will give them the operational confidence and freedom that they’ve been looking for, but until now simply haven’t been able to achieve.”

Callisto may be applied pre-emergent or early post-emergent in combination with AAtrex^® plus Dual^® II Magnum^®, or with Primextra^® II Magnum for one-pass grass and broadleaf control. Callisto may also be applied post-emergent with AAtrex to the 8-leaf stage, or in combination with AAtrex and Ultim^® or Accent^®. See label for specifics.

As a key part of the Callisto launch, Syngenta is arranging opportunities for corn growers to talk to and learn from Callisto trial growers. “We will also be working with local retailers and delivering a series of educational initiatives to answer growers’ questions,” said Tara McCaughey, Syngenta technical crop manager. Growers can also check the www.farmassist.ca website for details, McCaughey added.

Callisto is registered in 23 countries around the world. It was registered by the Environmental Protection Agency as a reduced risk herbicide in 2001, and has since become the leading corn broadleaf herbicide in the States.

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 2003 were approximately $6.6 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).