Cotoran, one of the best known cotton herbicides in the industry, is changing hands. Makhteshim Agan of North America, Inc., headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., has announced it has made an agreement to acquire the herbicide from DuPont.
Cotoran, with the active ingredient fluometuron, is used in a large part of the cotton belt, including the South, the Southeast and Texas.
With weed resistance becoming a more prominent issue, Halifax County, N.C., agricultural extension agent Arthur Whitehead says Cotoran offers some advantages.
"Cotoran offers growers residual control," Whitehead says. "It can be applied pre-emergence and can also be applied as a direct herbicide. It offers good control of some pigweeds. While it is not the best choice for Palmer amaranth it helps some with Palmer and it is excellent for some other pigweed types."
Cotoran is very effective against a wide range of broadleaf weeds including marestail, some of which has developed glyphosate resistance in the Carolinas-Virginia region. Marestail is also known as horseweed in many areas.
Depending on the weed spectrum growers have in their fields, Whitehead says, they should look at one of the soil-applied residual herbicides like Cotoran or Reflex. Valor is another herbicide that will provide residual control, he adds, although he points out Valor has to be applied 14 days ahead of planting.
MANA notes that in addition to excellent control of pre- and post-emergence broadleaf weeds, Cotoran also gives excellent control of annual grasses. The company says Cotoran 4L will continue to be available in the 4-pound liquid formulation. MANA points out that Cotoran is not only a solution to glyphosate resistance but an economical one as well.
MANA has been the sole supplier of fluometuron to DuPont since 1999. The company offers nearly 50 branded products from over 40 active ingredients.
For more information about Cotoran or other MANA crop protection products, visit www.manainc.com.