George Henry, Gleaner Writer
MALVERN, St. Elizabeth:
FARMERS IN the parish of St. Elizabeth are continuing to benefit from field-day seminars arranged by H&L Agri, particularly seminars to educate on the use of the latest chemicals that are geared to assisting in the elimination of pests that are not crop friendly.
The latest seminar was held at Potsdam near Munro, attended mainly by young farmers and put on by H &L Agri on Tuesday.
At that seminar, the farmers were introduced to yet another Syngenta product out of Venezuela.
Following last month's seminar, which was put on by the company at the Junction Guest House, where farmers were introduced to the Amistar insecticide and given careful instructions as to how it should be used on crops as protection for better yields, the more than thirty farmers who turned up at Potsdam were introduced to a new product known as KARATE with ZEON Technology.
Presenter at the seminar, Technical Sales Representative for H&L Agri, Kingsley Palmer, told the farmers that the new insecticide acts on contact and feeding.
Noting that the chemical has an anti-feeding and repellent action, farmers were told that KARATE with ZEON Technology is highly effective on a wide variety of foliar insects and due to its action against adults, larvae and nymphs; it provides effective and persistent protection against insects.
PROLONGED RESIDUAL EFFECT
According to the presenter, the insecticide has a prolonged residual effect that produces in sunlight and is highly protective against evaporation. Due to the low volatility of the insecticide Mr. Palmer pointed out that it ensures that deposits do not evaporate.
He noted that spray residue of KARATE on leaves remain active for a longer time than most other insecticides, due mainly to their resistance to the degradation or physical removal.
Mr. Palmer pointed out that the chemical is highly rain resistant as the adherence of the active ingredient on the leaf surface and the low solubility in water means that it is not washed off by rain or by irrigation.
Mr. Palmer stated that farmers who produce cucumber, pumpkin and watermelons will also benefit from the use of KARATE.
