New herbicide mix aims to kill glyphosate-resistant weeds
The US EPA has approved Monsanto’s new toxic herbicide mix of acetochlor and fomesafen for use on soy and cotton. The chemical cocktail is aimed at killing the glyphosate-resistant weeds primarily caused by the widespread planting of Monsanto’s GM glyphosate-tolerant crops.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) says that acetochlor is highly toxic to all aquatic organisms and that there is “limited evidence of a carcinogenic effect” in animal studies.
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/doc/2143.pdf
The US EPA says fomesafen is a “possible human carcinogen” on the grounds that it produced liver cancer in mice in industry studies.
http://www.epa.gov/iris/subst/0348.htm
People who eat GM crops will potentially be ingesting residues of these herbicides. No safety testing has been done of mixtures of the two herbicides for regulatory purposes.
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EPA approves new tool to help soybean, cotton growers manage weeds
Monsanto, May 27 2015
http://news.monsanto.com/press-release/products/epa-approves-new-tool-help-soybean-cotton-growers-manage-weeds
* Warrant® Ultra Herbicide premix will offer excellent control of annual grasses and small-seeded broadleaf weeds
Soybean and cotton growers looking for new tools to manage weeds will have a new, first-of-its-kind option in 2016 with Warrant Ultra Herbicide, a premix of acetochlor and fomesafen approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last month.
Warrant® Herbicide – with its active ingredient acetochlor - was launched in 2010. It quickly became a favorite among soybean and cotton growers for its outstanding residual weed control – including control of glyphosate-resistant and tough-to-control weeds – as well as its crop safety due to its unique microencapsulated formulation. Roundup Ready PLUS® Crop Management Solutions recommendations have included products containing the active ingredient fomesafen as a key weed-management option since the launch of the platform in 2011. When fully approved, Warrant Ultra Herbicide will be the only premix on the market to formulate microencapsulated acetochlor with fomesafen, and will provide two mechanisms of action (MOA) for residual weed control. Additionally, fomesafen provides an additional postemergence MOA, which is a useful herbicide resistance management tool when used in the Roundup Ready ® system.
“Warrant Ultra Herbicide provides excellent post-emergence control of problematic weeds such as waterhemp and Palmer amaranth – as well as excellent broad-spectrum residual weed control – in a convenient premix,” said Austin Horn, Monsanto’s Marketing Manager for Selective Herbicides. “University research shows that Warrant Ultra Herbicide provides excellent residual control of annual grasses and small-seeded broadleaf weeds when compared to competitive products. Because of its microencapsulation technology, Warrant Ultra Herbicide also offers superior crop safety when compared to competitive products.”
Warrant Ultra Herbicide received EPA approval on April 14, and state registrations are anticipated for key soybean and cotton geographies in the coming weeks.
Warrant Ultra Herbicide will be part of the Roundup Ready PLUS Crop Management Solutions recommendations and incentives in 2016, the details of which will be announced this fall. The Roundup Ready PLUS Crop Management Solutions platform focuses on providing growers with recommendations, education and incentives through the combined knowledge of scientists, academics, agronomists and industry partnerships. Through these relationships, Monsanto continually strives to provide a diverse range of crop protection solutions and help farmers get the most out of every acre.
The 2016 introduction of Warrant Ultra Herbicide follows the 2015 introduction of Rowel™ Herbicide and Rowel™ FX Herbicide, which can provide cotton and soybean growers consistent weed control on tough-to-control broadleaf weeds.
More information about Rowel Herbicide and Rowel FX Herbicide – as well as crop management recommendations and incentive information – can be found at www.RoundupReadyPLUS.com.