Confidor with Stress Shield inside Effects of the active ingredient imidacloprid on plant growth 6 COURIER 2/06
Confidor ® is the world’s leading agricultural insecticide, registered in over 120 countries and more than 140 crops. It is the key product of the commercially most important class of insecticides emerging during the last 20 years, the chloronicotinyls or CNIs (syn. Neonicotinoids). Confidor controls a wide range of sucking and biting insects with low application rates and long-lasting efficacy. A new oil-based formulation technology, named OTEQ ® , now makes it even more effective and more robust to unfavorable weather conditions. New research shows that it actually helps plants to better cope with abiotic stress situations. That makes Confidor a reliable and all-around player in the agricultural world of insecticides for the upcoming years. Confidor is the world’s best selling insecticide and number one <strong>Bayer</strong> Crop- Science product. Including seed treatment and environmental science uses, it generated €587 million in sales in 2005. Launched in 1992, it became global market leader five years later, thanks to the innovative mode of action of its active ingredient, imidacloprid, its excellent efficacy and environmental profile and its versatility. In the seed treatment segment (when applied to seeds) the product is marketed under the trademark Gaucho ® . Flexible application technology Confidor offers excellent root systemic efficacy and plant compatibility. The optimum usage of these properties can be obtained by application methods which work via the root system such as drench, drip irrigation, in-furrow and float systems. The stem application of Confidor is commonly used in crops like citrus and hops. Confidor also offers good residual efficacy as a foliar spray. By spraying to leaves or drenching to roots, stems or trunks Confidor can be used in more than 140 crops and requires fewer applications than some competitor products. In 2006 <strong>Bayer</strong> <strong>CropScience</strong> launched a unique new formulation technology making its active ingredient even more effective against sucking insects. Confidor OTEQ ® is a patented formulation, ensuring improved foliar adhesion, better penetration and enhanced rainfastness. And there’s more. Over the years, farmers worldwide have noticed that plants treated with Confidor looked healthier. In 2005, independent research proved that the product not only controls insects, but also acts as a Stress Shield. Biotic and abiotic stress factors Plant growth and productivity as well as the product quality are greatly influenced by environmental stresses to which plants are continuously exposed. The optimal growth and development is far from that realized in the field or greenhouse. A major proportion of yield losses in crop plants is due to so-called abiotic stress factors, which occur as e.g. drought, flooding, heat, cold, excessive light, high salt concentration in soil or ozone in air, to name a few. There is another group of stressors namely fungi, bacteria, viruses and herbivores (insects) causing ‘biotic’ stress. When record yields are compared with average yields, the impact of the environment on plant productivity becomes apparent. If record yields can be assumed to represent plant growth under ideal conditions, then the losses associated with biotic and abiotic stresses can reduce the yield potential by up to 80%. Most of the losses are attributed by far to suboptimal growing conditions in the environment, i.e. abiotic stress. 2/06 COURIER 7
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