Cereals growers to benefit from new growth regulator
© Tim Scrivener Cereals growers have an extra option for regulating the growth of crops this spring, following the launch of a generic trinexapac ethyl growth regulator.
Manufactured by off-patent manufacturer Life Scientific, Sudo Mor is a reverse-engineered formulation of its reference product, Moddus, developed by Syngenta.
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The product contains 250g/litre of trinexapac ethyl and is PGR registered for use on all varieties of winter and spring wheat, barley, oats, rye, triticale and ryegrass seed crops.
“Sudo Mor is a cost-effective crop management tool which protects and enhances yield potential, and comes to market at a time when growers are under pressure to scrutinise input costs whilst not compromising yields,” says Ruth Stanley, UK country manager for Life Scientific.
It joins a long list of products that have recently been brought to market by Life Scientific, such as the first off-patent prothioconazole and tebuconazole mixtures (Oraso Pro and Esker) and straight prothioconazole (Aurelia).
How does trinexapac ethyl work?
Plants need to be actively growing to metabolise the growth regulator.
As a contact-acting PGR, Sudo Mor inhibits the production of gibberellic acid, a hormone which stimulates stem growth, and shortens the internodes, reducing lodging on cereals and grasses. It has a wide application window, from growth stages 30 to 39 (in winter cereals).
When used at GS30, it helps root development and increase root plate diameter. This prevents lodging and also increases the plant’s ability to absorb water and nutrients from the soil, says the company.
Early use will also hold back and thicken the main stem, encouraging side tillers and even up the crop. By temporarily reducing the rate of stem extension with a PGR, it means more of the plant resources can be diverted to thickening the stems and promoting root growth.
