American soybean growers will now have a tough new EPA-registered seed treatment option for guarding crops from sudden death syndrome (SDS) and improving their yields. It will be made available in the U.S. for the first time through Direct Enterprises, Inc. (DEI), the Indiana-based seed treatment experts.
“We’re pleased to be the first to bring CeraMax to American farmers,” says Bill Haubner, DEI co-founder and president, in announcing the new product’s availability. “CeraMax is the tool today’s soybean producers need in the war against Fusarium, the fungal disease causing SDS.”
Containing the active ingredient Natamycin, CeraMax empowers the genetic potential of soybean seeds to increase early-season vigor for a stronger, more uniform emergence and maximum yield potential according to research findings. Haubner says DEI sought to bring the product to the US after seeing yield trials.
“Across research trials in 10 states, where CeraMax was added to Acceleron Standard seed treatments, beans showed significantly lower SDS disease incidence and an average yield increase of 4.3 bushel per acre,” explains Haubner. More than 50 field trials were accomplished and compared with an Acceleron-only control treatment. CeraMax also bested hard chemical alternatives ILEVO and Saltro in plant vigor tests with no signs of phytotoxic stress on the beans.
DEI is well known for their custom seed treatment blends of hard chemistry, growth promotors and flowability Agents as well as their multi-strained Brady Rhizobia inoculant N-Force.
The company expects to place 20,000 units of the new CeraMax biological in a variety of growing conditions throughout soybean producing areas hardest hit by SDS in years just past.
