FMC releases in-furrow, insecticide-fungicide combination

FMC Corp. launched an integrated in-furrow, insecticide-fungicide combination on Monday called Ethos XB.

Ethos XB is the first corn biopesticide offered by FMC and is a combination of market-leading at plant insecticide with a broad-spectrum biofungicide. It protects against soil pests and diseases like corn rootworm, wireworms, grubs, seed corn maggots, cutworms and common stalk borers.

“The Ethos XB product provides early, integrated protection to create an environment where seedlings emerge more uniformly and with the vigor to optimize productivity,” Rick Ekins, FMC's fungicide and insecticide portfolio manager, said. “As growers push for maximum yields, they are increasing plant populations and planting earlier under more adverse conditions. Our job is to help them protect every seedling with the most convenient and broadest spectrum insect and disease control.”

The use of a naturally occurring organism with fungicidal properties called Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, extends the protection of Ethos XB past the time when soil pests and pathogens are problematic. Ethos XB also offers a guarantee of Corn Plant Stand Assurance, promising that if it does not show a stand increase of 1,000 plants per acre compared to the untreated, FMC will return the plant stand count difference up to the product cost or re-treat with another product.

“Growers spend a lot of money on seed and they expect a vigorous stand," Ekins said. "We are confident that Ethos XB insecticide/fungicide will not only increase stand, but provide every emerged seedling the opportunity to become a productive plant."