Mana Canada offers own version of post patent herbicide

Date:03-05-2013

One of Western Canada’s more popular herbicide products will appear on the market from a post-patent producer.


Prepass, Dow’s combination of florasulam and glyphosate as a two part tank mix, controls weeds ahead of seeding spring wheat, durum, barley and oats.

Since its registration in 2003, the product has become a regular feature on many farms where canola and wheat form the bulk of the rotation. 


The Group 2 florasulam looks after volunteer glyphosate tolerant canola and provides residual control of most broadleaf pests, while the Group 9 glyphosate provides rapid burn off and control of nearly all other weeds.


The product provides control of difficult to kill weeds such as dandelion, wild buckwheat, hawk’s beard, cleavers and shepherd’s purse.


Mana Canada has made a significant change to its version, called Priority. The florasulam will be untied from the glyphosate, allowing for other brands and rates beyond the previous label rate of a half litre per acre of 360 grams per litre glyphosate IPA salt as Prepass or the 480 gram version, Prepass XC.


"We are going to let the farm pick their own favorite glyphosate, or use what they have on hand to mix with the florasulam,” said Andrew Mann of Mana Canada, a division of Makhteshim Agan, the Israeli off-patent chemical producer.


The product can be used for chemfallow and fall applications ahead of the cereals, similar to Prepass.


"We’re the first alternative source of (Prepass),” Mann said.


"Last year was enormous for that product in some parts of the Prairies, especially where there had been those back to back flooded fields.”


The product will be available in a 6.4 litre jug that treats 160 acres and will be packed two per case.


Mana Canada said Priority will be widely available this year.


Florasulam appears in a variety of cereal herbicide products, but only Mana has an off-patent registration in Canada for the glyphosate tank mix product.