BASF launched Systiva into the New Zealand market 12 months ago and says the response since then has more than lived up to its expectation of an exciting new active.
 

“We’ve had some magic feedback from barley growers and agronomists; it’s a case of seeing is believing. Once the Systiva effect is ‘eyeballed’ in the field the implications on spray timing, fungicide choice and ensuing overall crop performance are immediately apparent,”says Fenton Hazelwood, marketing manager.
 

“It basically removes the scald issue from the table, thus allowing a focus on other problems.”
 

Aside from pure fungicidal activity key benefits for Systiva include improved barley germination and emergence, roots that are longer and stronger, more viable tillers per plant and overall enhanced crop vigour leading into spring.
 

It’s the fact crops are so clean coming out of winter and that the barley does not need a T0 early foliar fungicide application which

has really got growers talking, along with the whole canopy being green from top to bottom, he says.
 

In barley, Systiva can be used to protect crops from covered smut, loose smut, leaf stripe, leaf rust, net blotch, scald, powdery mildew and Ramularia leaf and awn spot (suppression).
 

"As most growers know all too well, these fungal diseases can be a real issue. Anything that helps manage that challenge more effectively has got to be good news, not only in terms of productivity but profitability as well."
 

Systiva is the first NZ product to feature BASF’s new active Xemium, which Hazelwood says will make a huge difference to growers all over the world.
 

“It's the next generation of fungicides in the carboxamide (SDHI) class of chemistry. Xemium results in consistently higher yields

and better crop quality and at the same time gives growers more flexibility in their spray programmes."
 

Hazelwood says the beauty of Systiva is that it's not only a simple, secure solution to the challenge posed by the main seed and

soil borne diseases early in the life of barley crops, but it also essentially removes the scald issue from the discussion table.
 

Systiva also provides early suppression of Ramularia thus providing a solid start to controlling that pathogen as well.
 

"Systiva is the first non-sprayed barley fungicide to optimise crop management. The result is not only longer lasting foliar disease

control but also more application timing flexibility, wider product choice and better efficacy from those products used as they are

under less pressure to perform.
 

"It's making life a lot simpler for a lot of growers as well as getting their barley crops off to a great start."
 

For more detail phone BASF 0800 932 273.