Agriliance LLC expands its services to cotton farmers by treating planting seed with Avicta at three of its locations: Greenwood, Miss., Seagraves, Texas and Wilson, Ark.

Agriliance is determined to become the distributor market leader in crop protection, crop health nutrients and seed, according to Peter Peerbolte, Director — Seed, Traits and Seed Treatments. “We will provide high value-expected ‘personalized solutions’ of inputs, information and opportunities built around the core product of seed,” explains Peerbolte, who is headquartered in Memphis, Tenn.

“We are dedicated to resourcing and enabling a successful seed business. Investing in the equipment and personnel to treat cotton planting seed with Avicta at three strategic locations is just one example of our commitment to grow our seed business.”

Avicta Complete Pak provides early season nematode, insect and disease protection in cotton. This Syngenta seed treatment comprises three products: Avicta nematicide, Cruiser insecticide and Dynasty CST fungicide.

According to Gene Hurt, district manager for Mississippi, the seed-delivered technology offers cotton growers several benefits. “We get early season disease control, early season insect control and early season nematode control — in the sack,” says Hurt, who is based in Greenwood. “The broad-spectrum protection will be on the seed so growers don't have to worry about putting anything in the hopper because the protection is already there.

“Avicta brings value to the farmer, not only through broad-spectrum pest and disease control, but also through time savings. When it comes time to plant, he's always in a hurry. The seed treatment eliminates one step that otherwise would slow him down. Because the products are on the seed, it will save the grower time, labor and equipment.

“This treatment is available for all cotton varieties. The grower selects the variety that performs best on his farm and we'll treat it. Our Greenwood-based treater is in a central location to the cotton growing area. We also have a distribution system in place to service the area's growers.”

David Flournoy, manager of the Agriliance location in Seagraves, Texas, says, “Avicta will make a safer working environment for cotton growers. Growers look forward to using a safer nematicide — making it safer for them and their employees without adding to the cost.

“Our growers basically ask us if Avicta is safer than Temik, second does it work as well as Temik, and third, is the nematicide seed treatment safe for them and their employees. The answer is yes to all three questions.

“Additionally, having our own on-site facility gives our growers more flexibility. If they want to change their cotton varieties they can now wait a little longer instead of having to do it two to three months in advance of planting.”

Brent Renfrow, district manager in Arkansas, says, “We are excited about the opportunity to offer Avicta Complete Pak to our customers because it gives them a new way to safely treat their cotton seed in one combined treatment that includes a nematicide, fungicide, and insecticide. Our growers are excited about the opportunity to control nematodes in a new way that limits exposure to themselves and their workers.

“The equipment we will be using to apply this treatment is much more advanced than anything we have used in the past with other treatments. We believe this one combined treatment will increase safety and efficiency because traditional granular insecticides won't have to be handled in the field.”