Touchdown HiTech(TM) herbicide, the latest addition to the Touchdown(R) brand portfolio of glyphosate herbicides from Syngenta Crop Protection, has been registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Touchdown HiTech is the most concentrated,
potassium-glyphosate available and is designed for burndown treatments where growers prefer to use their own surfactants and additives. Touchdown HiTech may also be used over-the-top of Roundup Ready(R) [RR(TM)] soybeans, RR cotton, RR canola and RR corn. Ideal for use on trees, nuts and vines, it offers consistent, down-to-the-roots control of more than 170 weed species on 230 crops.
With five pounds of glyphosate acid per gallon, Touchdown HiTech is well suited for use in areas where large carrier volumes are necessary to penetrate dense weed canopies. Users must add a high-quality non-ionic surfactant in the amount appropriate for their needs. Tests have shown that adding ammonium sulfate (AMS) may further improve weed control.
"Touchdown HiTech provides excellent control of broadleaf and grass species, including foxtail, velvetleaf, waterhemp and ragweed," said Chuck Foresman, Syngenta technical business manager.
Syngenta supports Touchdown HiTech with a Touchdown Assurance Plan (TAP) warranty to protect the grower's seed investment regardless of which brand of glyphosate-tolerant seed they plant. Please refer to the 2004 TAP brochure. Growers should contact their local Syngenta representative or crop protection retailer for more details.
Syngenta is the industry leader in addressing the problem of glyphosate weed resistance. With the introduction last year of Touchdown Total(TM), Syngenta became the first glyphosate manufacturer in the United States to print guidelines for glyphosate-resistance management on the label. The 'Best Weed Management Practices' were developed in consultation with leading weed and resistance management experts. The 'Best Practices' guidelines and the 'Group 9 Herbicide' symbol identifying the glyphosate mode of action using a Weed Science Society of America classification system are printed right on the Touchdown HiTech label.
As a leader in crop protection, Syngenta has been publishing regional glyphosate weed resistance management guidelines for several years, advising RR crop growers to rotate crops and herbicides with a different mode of action in their weed control programs. For the 'Best Practices' guidelines, see the sidebar below. Glyphosate-resistant weeds now impact 11 states. Using a burndown herbicide with a different mode of action from glyphosate, such as Gramoxone Max(TM), can help minimize selection pressure for glyphosate-resistant weeds.
