THE EXCITING new root and yield-boosting seed treatment, Vibrance Duo, has gained acceptance for use with spring malting barley crops destined for beer.

Sedaxane, the SDHI active ingredient in Syngenta's fungicide seed treatment has now been accepted by the British Beer and Pub Association and Campden BRI for use on the crop.

This is an important development for both winter and spring malting barley growers, said Dr Jonathan Ronksley, seedcare field technical manager for Syngenta.

For this season in particular, he said it was timely for spring barley growers, many of whom will currently be making planting decisions, as an estimated 90% of spring barley grown in Britain is planted with a malting variety.

Dr Ronksley said: “Evaluations of a Vibrance Duo-based seed treatment in spring barley have shown a 26% increase in rooting, improved crop establishment, and an average yield increase of 0.13 t/ha, compared to an alternative seed treatment.

“Improved rooting is associated with better access to soil moisture, and is an important consideration with malting barley because often malting barley crops are grown on lighter, drought-prone land.”

Seed-borne diseases that need targeting with a seed treatment in barley include microdochium nivale, which reduces crop establishment, as well as leaf stripe and covered smut – and Vibrance Duo has label approval against all those. However, when it is used on barley seed it is recommended co-applied with a suitable loose smut-active seed treatment.