Searching for new modes of action is an endless quest for R&D scientists, and new herbicide modes of action are few and far between these days. But the success stories are fascinating.

 

Take mesotrione, an active ingredient Syngenta brought to corn growers nine years ago. Although the first mesotrione herbicide was registered in 2001, it was developed because a researcher in the mid-1970s noticed that one of the shrubs in his yard didn’t have many weeds growing under it. Check out the full story. (Yes, that’s me).

Since then, mesotrione has become a valuable weed control tool that helps protect corn yield and manage challenges like weed shifts and weed resistance. It is a powerful active ingredient included in several corn herbicides. How have you used mesotrione in your operation?