In 2009, Callisto herbicide, known for exceptional performance on broadleaf weeds in corn, will be available for use in 14 additional crops for its first full-use season since receiving Environmental Protection Agency registration on the crops last spring.

Growers can now use Callisto for broadleaf weed control and crop safety in cranberries, blueberries, lingonberries, flax, pearl millet, asparagus, bluegrass grown for seed, perennial ryegrass grown for seed, tall fescue grown for seed, oats, rhubarb, sweet sorghum, grain sorghum and sugarcane.

“Callisto has been a top-selling herbicide in corn since its introduction in 2001 due to its unprecedented broadleaf weed control, outstanding residual control and best-in-class crop safety,” said Carroll Moseley, herbicide brand manager, Syngenta Crop Protection.

“After nearly a decade of success in corn, we're extremely excited to be able to offer the benefits of Callisto to a wider range of crop producers. Ranked the No. 1 postemergence herbicide in customer satisfaction by corn growers, we're confident Callisto will become a proven partner in these crops as well.”

Callisto contains the active ingredient mesotrione, offering a new mode of action for weed control in these crops.

“The addition of Callisto to a grower's portfolio of herbicide options will help raise the bar for weed control,” said Gordon Vail, herbicide technical brand manager, Syngenta Crop Protection.

“Mesotrione is highly systemic for effective weed control; it carries a low risk of resistance and is rapidly absorbed into the weed within the first 24 hours of application, which allows it to begin working very quickly.”

In addition to these new crop registrations, mesotrione, a low use rate HPPD inhibitor has been reviewed under a “reduced risk” classification by the EPA.

According to John Abbott, NAFTA herbicide regulatory team leader, Syngenta Crop Protection, Syngenta takes the approach of meeting as many of the reduced-risk criteria set by the EPA as possible.

“We try to ensure it's an easy decision for EPA,” Abbott said. “An aspect of the EPA's vision is to encourage reduced-risk registrations.

“Syngenta is the leader in the industry for gaining reduced-risk approvals for its products. This is just another example of Syngenta pursuing this goal.”

Abbott said Callisto use on sweet sorghum did not receive the reduced-risk designation because there are no other registered products on that specific crop. All other newly-registered minor crops received the reduced-risk designation.

Because each crop has different guidelines for application, Syngenta recommends growers carefully review each crop's label instructions before applying Callisto. For more information on specific label instructions, contact a local Syngenta Crop Protection representative or go to www.farmassist.com.