Bangalore Sept 29 :  
    Bayer CropScience has launched new fungicide Raxil Easy, a seed treatment product for the control of loose smut disease in wheat. The new product was launched in the markets of Karnal in Haryana and Ludhiana in Punjab ahead of the Rabi planting season.
    Loose smut is one of the most common fungal diseases affecting wheat cultivation in India. It can hamper the growth of the emerging seedling and even harm the plant. Seed borne diseases like loose smut are best controlled by fungicidal seed treatment products, the company said in a statement. Agri-experts estimate that around one-third of the maximum possible wheat yield is lost to diseases and pests.
    Bayer CropScience has been selling Raxil to Indian farmers for many years. Raxil Easy is an advanced FS (flowable concentrate for seed treatment) formulation that sticks uniformly on the seed, leading to increased efficacy in controlling the disease. The active ingredient in the product can control pathogens that are present inside the seed as well as those found on the outer surface.
    “Bayer’s Raxil Easy will help wheat farmers cultivate disease-free, healthy crops and will help achieve high returns through a significantly higher yield,” said Joerg Rehbein, Head of Bayer CropScience, Indian Subcontinent.
Bayer is one of the leading seed treatment suppliers in India with the widest seed treatment portfolio, comprising of insecticides and fungicides. Seed treatment is a common practice in crops cultivated from high-grade seeds which involve intensive production methods.
    In India, seed treatment with insecticides and fungicides is being increasingly used in the cultivation of cotton, corn and some vegetable seeds. Awareness about seed treatment in other key crops such as wheat, soybean, rice and potato is also increasing steadily.