CarrotCountry.com Summer 2020
Flower Power How to Fight Aphids
• Nematode Control
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• Harvest Essentials Buyers’ Guide • California Carrot Trial
Magazines For Maximum Yield
PO Box 333 Roberts, Idaho 83444 Telephone: (208) 520-6461
www.carrotcountry.com Carrot Country Contacts Editor Denise Keller
editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com
Publisher / Advertising Dave Alexander dave@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com Director of Operations Brian Feist brian@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com
EDITORIAL INFORMATION Carrot Country is interested in newsworthy material related to carrot production and marketing. Contributions from all segments of the industry are welcome. Submit news releases, new product submissions, stories and photos via email to: editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com, or call (509) 697-9436.
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Vol. 28, No. 2
Summer 2020
In This Issue:
4 8
Flower Power
How UK Growers are Embracing Flowering Strips to Combat Aphid Problems
Nematode Control
Exploring Alternative Strategies for Nematode Management in Processing Carrots
10 Harvest Essentials Buyers’ Guide
14 On Trial
USDA Carrot Hybrid Trial
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Carrot Country magazine (ISSN 1071-6653), is published quarterly and mailed under a standard rate mailing permit at Idaho Falls, Idaho and at additional mailing offices. Produced by Columbia Media Group PO Box 333, Roberts, ID, 83444. Copyright 2020. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose without the express written permission of Columbia Media Group. For information on reprints call (208) 520-6461.
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Find all that you need for harvest in the Harvest Essentials Buyers’ Guide on pages 10-11.
On the Cover: Carrot grower Ben Madarasi and Ph.D. student Hannah McGrath walk along a flowering strip planted in the middle of a carrot field. Read more on page 4.
Departments:
12 Calendar 12 In The News 15 New Products
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Flower Power
How UK Growers are Embracing Flowering Strips to Combat Aphid Problems
Story by Hannah McGrath Waitrose, Ph.D. Student, Rothamsted Research and University of Reading Photos courtesy Rothamsted Research
UK
carrot growers face a fearsome challenge that poses a serious risk not just to their profits but to the nation’s food supply. Willow-carrot aphids (Cavariella aegopodii) might be small insects, but they can punch above their weight. The viruses that these aphids
transmit can lead to up to 15 percent yield losses in a carrot field. Losses happen due to seedling death or as the crop does not meet quality standards for sale. While the effects of these aphids and associated viruses are seasonal, growers understandably are looking to find reliable control methods.
Ph.D. student Hannah McGrath talks with carrot grower Ben Madarasi.
However, UK growers’ efforts to tackle this pest are hampered by a trio of issues. First, an over-reliance upon plant protection products has led to willowcarrot aphid becoming resistant to insecticides. UK growers are increasingly finding that a resistant aphid just means that spraying is an expensive activity
with no reduction in the pest population and, in fact, will just cause unnecessary environmental harm. Second, within the European Union and the UK, there are increasing legal restrictions upon plant protection products, reducing growers’ usual control methods. It’s also important to consider that the direction of travel is such that all products currently on the market will, at some point, likely also become subject of legal restrictions. Finally, given resistance and restriction, it is easy to suggest that we just need to find new active ingredients to target the pests. However, within the UK, crops like carrots are, compared to cereals, a small market where there are few new actives progressing along the product development pipeline.
Field Trials
Conservation biological control has been suggested as a tool we can deploy which can relieve some of the pressure on plant protection products. This branch of biological control works by manipulating the habitat around crops to help support a group of beneficial insects often referred to as natural enemies. This includes the likes of ladybirds, hoverflies or ground beetles that naturally prey on pests. By providing these beneficial insects with shelter, nectar, alternative food and pollen, the natural enemies move into the crop to eat aphids, reduce virus transmission and ultimately increase yield. Typically, these resources are provided by plant mixes that we put into fields, traditionally either flowering field margins or “beetle banks.” As a result of all of this, in 2017 a Ph.D. project was set up with an industryfocused goal from the outset: what are the best plants we can sow to support natural enemies in carrot fields? With a willing partner in Huntapac Produce, a fourth-generation fresh produce company, and its national roots manager Ben Madarasi, we narrowed the problem down further. Building on Huntapac’s own field trials, we identified that carrot crops sown in early April are particularly susceptible to viruses. As
Huntapac Produce, a partner in the research project, was also interested in measuring how pollinators like this honeybee can provide support in carrot fields.
Huntapac typically farms rented fields only available from spring, it hasn’t been possible to establish perennial flowering strips. Therefore, we have been sowing plant mixes in the spring at the same time as the carrot drilling, using species that we know will rapidly establish to provide vital resources to the natural enemies. To make sure this project is as successful as it can be, we are taking a highly targeted and bespoke approach. If we are taking land out of production, ideally, we want only to offset the loss of land with increased carrot quality and higher sellable
yields. So we are taking time to understand the problem in as much detail as we can and thinking specifically about the timing of the aphid infestation, which natural enemies we want to attract, the most attractive flowers to plant and where within fields are the best place to put the flowers. For instance, if we take that last point, we know that these flowers have a “spillover effect,” where the natural enemies attracted by the mixes will move out from the flowers into the crop. But this effect decreases the farther away we get from the flowering strips. So, we’ve trialed putting CarrotCountry.com
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Flower Power these strips straight into the middle of fields to deliver the natural enemies closer to where the pests are. We’ve found that by working around machinery widths and Huntapac’s operational needs, we can integrate flowering strips successfully.
Initial Results
Initial results from a small-scale 12-hectare trial have shown that marketable carrot yield could potentially be increased by around 20 percent in the carrots immediately adjacent to one treatment of flowering plants when compared to control carrots. Perhaps more importantly, though, carrots next to another flowering treatment had yield reductions approximately 10 percent lower when compared to the control carrots. Obviously, there are scientific limitations to these results; they haven’t been peerreviewed and before we shout about them to the world, we are repeating to make sure they are valid. But again, this all demonstrates that taking a bespoke approach, considering the different natural enemy communities attracted by the flowers and whether the flowering mixes support the pest populations is critical for projects like this to succeed. Depending on the outcomes over the next few months, there will be more extensive trials within carrot fields. When we have more data from more fields in different years, we can get a fuller picture of the best kinds of flowering mixes we can use and where to situate them in fields. Author’s note: To keep up to date with my work, find me on Twitter (@ hmcgrath93) or listen to a podcast which I host, “The Science of Feeding The World.”
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Carrot Country
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A ladybird larva on a carrot cotyledon eats an aphid within its jaws.
Ph.D. student Hannah McGrath examines a wildflower strip planted through the middle of a carrot field.
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Nematode Control Exploring Alternative Strategies for Nematode Management in Processing Carrots By Elisabeth Darling, Sita Thapa and Marisol Quintanilla, Michigan State University
P
lant-parasitic nematodes (PPN) alone can cause approximately $80 billion of annual crop loss worldwide. Root lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.) are considered to be the third most economically important PPN in relation to their impact on crops, behind cyst nematodes and root-knot nematodes. Historically, carrot growers have associated severe PPN damage with the root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.) and, in some cases, the carrot cyst nematode (Heterodera carotae). However, more recently, the root lesion nematode (RLN) has become more prevalent in carrot fields, especially in mineral soils in Michigan. The economic threshold for RLN is 50100 nematodes per 100cc of soil. At these levels, RLN can result in the production of unmarketable characteristics such as stubby and forked carrots (Fig. 1). Currently, the grower standard for PPN control in carrots is Vydate (oxamyl), which has shown reliable suppression of RLN. In 2016, Vydate became unavailable for the growing season, leaving many growers without reliable control for PPN. This incident emphasized the need for a reliable alternative to Vydate for nematode suppression. In response, a flood of biologically based nematicides have become available to growers. However, the effectiveness of many of these new products has not been sufficiently evaluated. This highlights the necessity of evaluating alternative methods of control, specifically focusing on biological nematicides, incorporating compost and cover cropping using nonhost plants.
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Summer 2020
Figure 1. These carrots have unmarketable characteristics likely caused by root lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.).
Field Trial Results
For the past three years (2017, 2018 and 2019), the applied nematology laboratory at Michigan State University evaluated a list of chemical and biological compounds (Table 1) to manage nematodes in carrot plantings located in Hart, Michigan. In 2017, Vydate increased marketable yield in carrots. In 2018, carrot yields across all treatments (~40 tons/acre) were significantly higher than 2017 (~15 tons/acre). MeloCon was the only treatment that had a lower number of RLN than the control at 21
days post-application. In 2019, nematode pressure was considerably lower than in the past two years (>15 nematodes per 100cc). No trends existed across all three years. However, all treatments reduced nematode counts compared to the untreated control. The Layer Ash Blend (LAB) treatment produced the highest total yield in 2019, followed by a combination treatment of LAB and Vydate. In addition to nematicide trials, our lab is beginning to evaluate non-host cover crops to reduce RLN. Thus far, we have
evaluated multiple cover crops in growth chamber assays. Results indicate that the oilseed radish cultivars “Control,” “Concorde” and “Select,” as well as Dwarf Essex Rape are poor hosts of RLN. All the poor host cover crop cultivars from the growth chamber screening will be evaluated in carrot fields for nematode management in summer 2020.
Chemicals for Nematode Management
Over the past three growing seasons, we aimed to determine the efficacies of popular alternatives to Vydate. In the field trial established throughout the growing seasons of 2017, 2018 and 2019 in Hart, Michigan, plots were arranged in a complete randomized block pattern, and each treatment was replicated five times. Chemical or biological treatments (Table 1) were applied in the following ways: pre-plant (compost), in-furrow (Velum Prime, MeloCon, Majestene) and hand-held sprayer prior to plant (Nimitz). Soil samples were collected four times throughout the season: initial, 21-day post-application, mid-season and harvest. Soil samples were processed to identify nematode populations and diversity. A 1-meter row of carrots was selected within each plot to harvest and evaluate. Carrots harvested went through grading based on USDA standards, and each carrot was evaluated for nematode damage. Despite seeing some trends between years, no treatment showed to have a significant reduction of unmarketable characteristics or yield comparable to Vydate. The turbulent 2019 field season proved to show considerable challenges for farmers and researchers. Although it is notable to mention that while not significantly, all treatments did outperform the untreated control plots in nematode reduction. For this reason, we are evaluating a new selection of biological nematicides, as well as performing preliminary evaluations on potential cover crops.
Cover Crops as Sustainable Strategy
As a non-chemical alternative, cover crops including oilseed radish (OSR) have been shown to reduce plant-parasitic nematode populations. Several studies
Figure 2. Lesion nematode counts on different cover crops after growth chamber host evaluation. Bars with the same letters are not significantly different. Oilseed radish cultivars “Control ASC” and “Concorde’” were from Allied Seed and the remaining from Dean Baas, Michigan State University.
have shown that OSR cover crops not only reduce nematode populations but also suppress weeds, recycle nitrogen and significantly improve carrot yields. Carrot growers feel OSR is an ideal cover crop because it winter kills, leaves behind less residue than other cover crops and provides a nice, “mellow” seedbed for the small-seeded carrots. To qualify as a good cover crop for the management of plant-parasitic nematodes, the crop should be a poor host for the nematodes, thereby lowering the population after incorporation of the crop into the soil. Our main objective with this project is to identify excellent cover
crop cultivars for the management of nematodes. In growth chamber trials, we evaluated the host status of 10 OSR cultivars, tillage radish and Dwarf Essex Rape for the RLN. We found that OSR cultivars “Control,” “Concorde” and “Select” and Dwarf Essex Rape (Fig. 2) are poor hosts of RLN. Currently, another trial for root-knot nematode is ongoing. This project is in the starting phase; however, results indicating poor hosts of both lesion nematode and root-knot nematode will be evaluated in carrot fields in summer 2020.
Table 1. Products applied in Hart, Mich., on processing carrot (cultivar Cupar) during 2017, 2018 and 2019 field trials. The goal of the trial was to identify alternative nematicide treatments with control comparable to Vydate (active: oxamyl). ** indicates treatments that were evaluated for two years instead of three.
Product
Active Ingredient
Rate of Application
Vydate
oxamyl
1 gal/A
Nimitz
fluensulfone
5 fl oz/A
Velum Prime
fluopyram
6.5 fl oz/A
Majestene
Heat-killed Burkholderia spp. Strain A396 cells and spent fermentation media
2 lb/A
MeloCon
Paecilomyces lilacinus strain PL251
4 lb/A
Layer Ash Blend Compost**
Compost
1.25 ton/A CarrotCountry.com
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Harvest Essentials Buyers’ Guide
ASA-LIFT Harvest Equipment www.asa-lift.com
Two hedgehog cleaning units are installed on ASA-LIFT’s T-300DFH2/I harvester, greatly improving the machine’s cleaning efficiency and soil removal. This ensures that far less soil ends up with the final product to be removed afterward at a high cost. ASA-LIFT has also developed a new side-control unit that automatically guides the belt arm on the correct path on the rows. Improved bearings offer durability. Springs are mounted on the side, and the tension can be easily adjusted. The unit is backward compatible, making it possible to install on older ASA-LIFT machines. ASA-LIFT’s new belt arm is extremely service friendly, requiring very little maintenance and no greasing. Belts are effortlessly changed with the quick-release system. The whole arm is more stable and has built-in security features to prevent damage.
Greentronics Yield Monitor
www.greentronics.com
Integration with John Deere GS3 2630 displays is now available. Greentronics’ yield monitor transmits yield data to the 2630. The 2630 displays and stores yield data in real time. Integration to Trimble FMX and TMX displays continues to be available, as well. Greentronics yield monitors are designed for root crop and vegetable harvesters. The system is built around one or more load cells, which are installed in a conveyor to measure the weight of the crop as it passes on the belt. Once installed and calibrated, the harvester operator chooses the field name and sets the swath width. The operator does not need to interact with the yield monitor while harvesting. Growers use yield maps to study and manage variability in their fields and generate report cards on their progress. By applying breakeven points, yield maps can indicate areas with profit and loss and help make decisions about inputs, population density, crop rotation, cover crops, drainage, leveling and so on.
Kerian Machines Speed Sizer www.kerian.com
The Kerian Speed Sizer sorts carrots by size accurately and consistently. The constantly rotating rollers help the turning flaps align the carrots with the rollers so that the carrots (with or without tops) are consistently sorted by diameter. The sizer is proven in use for fresh carrots, baby carrots and processing lines.
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Rietveld Equipment Polisher
www.rietveldequipment.com
The Allround Polisher TD 350-18 has 18 rolls of brushes with an estimated capacity of 25 tons per hour. Three smaller models are also available. The polishers are available in stainless steel and feature a hydraulic lift for easy cleanout, variable speed control, a water recirculation system and water cleaning system. The machine also offers easy brush removal for changing the brushes, as well as several different types of brushes for each application. Allround builds all of the machines required in a washing/grading line, and the machines are running in over 80 countries worldwide. Rietveld Equipment offers free 2D and 3D drawings of full lines, or drawings of the available machines in users’ existing lines. Parts and machines are in stock at the company’s Midwest facility, and service and support from certified technicians is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Univerco Processing Line Components www.univerco.net
In addition to its complete line of carrot harvesters, Univerco offers a complete solution for processing lines in packing plants. From receiving hoppers – wet or dry – to washers, polishers and sizers, and every type of conveyor in between, Univerco can design a tailor-made solution according to user needs. From very small volume or even intermittent production all the way up to 20 tons/hour capacity, components can be sized to match the desired output and physical space available. Most components can be used to wash and process other root crops such as red beets, turnips or parsnips.
Vogel Engineering Inc. Custom-Built Harvesting Equipment www.vogel-engineering.com
Made in the U.S., Vogel Engineering harvesters offer features such as a precision computer-controlled planting population system and individual row head height adjustability. Plus, the company offers a new Extreme Super Cleaning System. Harvesters are available in two-, three-, four-, six- and eight-row configurations. Other available options include conventional roller bars or high-speed crowning.
Volm Companies Visar Sortop Carrot Sorting System
www.volmcompanies.com/equipment/visar-sortop-carrots
Volm Companies is now North America’s official distributor of Visar carrot sorting equipment. The Sortop Carrot is a highly reliable, affordable and efficient solution for optical sorting, grading and weighing for all types of carrots. With perfect vision at 360 degrees, each carrot is perfectly analyzed to detect all defects at rates of up to 15 carrots per second. The sorting severity setting, which relies on artificial intelligence to assess the quality, shape and appearance of each carrot, replicates human judgement while adding the benefit of consistency. Its unmatched precision, along with ingenious product flow design and high-quality construction, makes the Sortop Carrot the ideal choice to increase the amount of sold carrots. Visar Sorting of Oppens, Switzerland, was formed in 2008 specifically to develop and commercialize carrot sorting systems. CarrotCountry.com 11
In the News Stokes Seeds Grows Sales Support Staff
Stokes Seeds has hired Dominick Levari for the position of product development and sales support for the Eastern U.S. region. In this newly created position, Levari will work closely with Stokes Seeds territory managers and vendors in testing and selecting new products best suited for the region. Additionally, he will recommend products to help producers meet their crop and profit goals. Levari was a two-year participant in the Stokes Seeds and Seminis Vegetable Seeds internship program. He has a bachelor’s degree in business management and over 10 years of greenhouse and commercial vegetable and flower production experience.
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jamorfarms@gmail.com Attn:Scott
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Summer 2020
Cal-Organic Introduces Rainbow Carrot Chips
Cal-Organic Farms, a division of Grimmway Farms, is launching a new organic rainbow carrot chip product positioned for retail in a 12-ounce, resealable pack. The product features a blend of purple, orange, white and yellow chips that are washed, cut and ready to eat from the bag. The company cites steady growth in the organic carrot chip category in the past five years and says that more than 51 percent of consumers snack on fruits and vegetables five or more times each week. Grimmway says its rainbow carrot chips offer a unique option to keep consumers excited about fresh produce snacks. Beyond a quick snack, Cal-Organic rainbow carrot chips are suitable for culinary applications of all kinds, according to the company. Available yearround, the rainbow carrot chips are sold in 12-ounce retail packs and 5-pound bulk bags for foodservice.
Certis USA Adds Sales Rep in Mountain Region
Jason Downs has joined Certis USA as the newest member of the bio-pesticide company’s team of sales representatives. Downs will serve customers as the sales manager in the mountain region, which includes Idaho, Eastern Oregon, Washington, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota. Downs will focus on connecting growers and retailers to solutions within the company’s portfolio for use on specialty crops. In the past, Downs worked for Horizon Ag Products, Keithly-Williams Seeds and as a farm manager in California, where he managed pesticide programs and implemented safety protocols.
Calendar June 15
United Fresh 2020 Live Online www.unitedfresh.org
Oct. 15-17
PMA Fresh Summit Convention and Expo Dallas www.freshsummit.com
Editor’s note: Information was correct at presstime. Please contact event organizers to check for possible changes.
Corteva Manager Takes on New Role
Corteva Agriscience has named Britt Beene as the company’s new strategic account manager. In his new role, Beene will focus on building relationships with farming operations throughout Idaho. He will be working with farmers to make recommendations and put together specific pest management programs. He also plans to conduct on-farm field trials with existing and soon-to-be-registered products. In his previous position as Corteva territory manager, Beene focused on retail crop protection companies in eastern Idaho. He has been20-05 withCarrot Corteva since the merger of Dow AgroSciences and9:14 DuPont Crop Protection in 2018. Country-.5H page.v1.outlines.pdf 1 2020-05-06 AM
CarrotCountry.com
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On Trial Photos courtesy Charlene Grahn, Doctoral Student, University of Wisconsin-Madison
J
ust before restrictions related to COVID-19 put the kibosh on public gatherings, members of the carrot industry met in southern California on March 10 to view and evaluate the carrot hybrid trial at the University of California Desert Research and Extension Center. The trial included 99 baby carrot entries, 93 cello entries and 90 specialty entries from 11 seed companies and the USDA Cooperative Breeding Program. This year’s trial included more novel types of carrots than most years, which might indicate increased interest in carrots of novel colors and shapes, according to Tom Horejsi with the USDA-ARS. From the USDA project, several of the nematode-resistant hybrids performed well, he added. Despite unusually rainy weather in California’s Imperial Valley, the trial attracted a good turnout with about 30 participants evaluating the trial entries. Aside from the rainy weather, the carrots were grown under good conditions, Horejsi reported, and the trial results showed no notable disease or other problems.
The carrot hybrid trial included 99 baby carrot entries, 93 cello entries and 90 specialty entries. Katie Miller and Micaela Colley, both with the Organic Seed Alliance, evaluate entries in the carrot hybrid trial at the University of California Desert Research and Extension Center.
This year’s carrot hybrid trial included more novel types of carrots than most years. Despite unusually rainy weather in California’s Imperial Valley, the carrot hybrid trial at the University of California Desert Research and Extension Center attracted about 30 attendees.
New Products New Device Stops Equipment Remotely
Distributor Brings BioPesticide to US Market
Smart Ag LLC has developed a patentpending Wireless Safety Stop to shut off electrical equipment from up to 6,500 feet away. The aftermarket device is meant to keep farmers and their workers productive and safe. It gives users greater control over their equipment and helps them improve their daily work processes to operate more efficiently, according to the company. The unit ties directly into existing interlock systems and will stop the entire production line with the touch of a button. Users can move the portable Safety Stop from one piece of farm, processing plant or warehouse equipment to another by unplugging, moving the magnetic base and relocating. Double M Ag and Irrigation is a stocking distributor for the new Wireless Safety Stop. Visit www.doublemsupply.com.
Kemin Crop Technologies is partnering with Laboratoire M2, a Canada-based technology and science company, to distribute Thymox Control, a thyme-oil-based bio-pesticide, in the U.S. Thymox Control is a broad-spectrum, contact fungicide-bactericide concentrate designed with Laboratoire M2’s nanoemulsion technology. According to the company, Thymox Control’s formula uses the antimicrobial power of thyme oil’s active ingredient to control fungal and bacterial plant pathogens including powdery mildew and gray mold via cell membrane disruption. The product has no re-entry interval, a zero-day pre-harvest interval and no maximal residue limit. Visit www.thymox.com.
BioSafe Systems Releases New Insecticide BT NOW is a new aqueous, biological insecticide from BioSafe Systems labeled to control various lepidoptera pests in a wide variety of crops, including carrots. Its formula consists of bacillus thuringiensis ssp. kurstaki (Btk) strain EVB-113-19, a new variation of the Btk bacterium that targets the lepidoptera insect while remaining easy on many beneficials and pollinators. This specialized Btk strain makes BT NOW an effective resistance management tool that is compatible with many commonly used pesticides, fertilizers and adjuvants, according to the company. BT NOW contains insecticidal endotoxins called Cry toxins that disperse in the pest’s digestive tract. These toxins bind to the insect’s midgut receptors, immediately disrupting and paralyzing certain digestive functions. Within hours following application, the effected young lepidoptera pests will cease feeding and will die from starvation two to five days later. Visit www.biosafesystems.com.
Certis Gains OMRI Approval for OSO Growers can now use Certis USA’s polyoxin D zinc salt fungicide OSO on organic acreage, thanks to the biopesticide’s recent listing by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI). Introduced by Certis USA in 2012, OSO is a broad-spectrum fungicide used to control diseases such as powdery mildew, Cercospora leaf blight and Alternaria leaf blight. Currently approved for use in all states on a variety of crops, including carrots, OSO has a pre-harvest interval of zero days. Visit www.certisusa.com.
Wilbur-Ellis Introduces Pair of Products Wilbur-Ellis Company has a new adjuvant and a new surfactant on the market. Efficax is the company’s new soil retention adjuvant designed to help spray applications last longer by increasing the coverage, absorption and adhesion of the spray material deposits onto soil particles. This is also meant to improve the residual activity of most soil-applied herbicides and improve control of early-season weeds. The pre-emergent adjuvant is said to have excellent tank mix compatibility and can be used with most preferred herbicides. Embrece-EA is a blend of surfactants designed to improve coverage and wetting of spray materials, resulting in quick absorption and improved control of the targeted pest. The product offers application flexibility with lower use rates ideal for cover sprays and higher use rates providing more penetration, according to the company. Visit www.wilburellis.com. CarrotCountry.com
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