Equento Cereals helps control wireworm populations
Syngenta is bringing a cereals seed treatment to market offering two kinds of activity on wireworms in Canada.
Equento Cereals has six active ingredients, including a new Group 30 insecticide.
“We’re launching a new ingredient called PLINAZOLIN,” Justin Bouvier, product lead for Seedcare with Syngenta Canada, told Farms.com. “The biggest benefit with this active ingredient is that it provides a reliable wireworm mortality solution.”
It also provides protection against European chafer.
In total, the seed treatment has four fungicides and two insecticides.
Its other ingredients are the Group 4 insecticide thiamethoxam, Group 3 fungicide difenoconazole, Group 7 fungicide sedaxane, Group 4 fungicide metalaxyl-M (& S-isomer), and Group 12 fungicide fludioxonil.
Equento Cereals acts to reduce wireworm numbers.
“In the past other products have just kind of stunned the wireworms,” Bouvier said. “This actually kills them and drives down the populations.”
Wireworms can cause significant crop damage.
“In Alberta, damage to wheat crops ranges from 1 to 50% annually,” the government of Alberta says.
And other estimates indicate wireworms cause about $20 million of economic loss each year across Canada and different crops.
Equento Cereals is registered for use in barley, durum, wheat, rye, oats, and triticale.
In addition to the insect production, the seed treatment protects crops from diseases like smuts, bunts, and root rots.
Farmers will notice wireworm damage on their crops.
“You’ll see poor stand establishment, uneven growth, and then of course it’ll impact your yield too,” Bouvier said. “A product like Equento helps farmers protect their investments and give the crop its best chance to reach its full yield potential.”
Equento Cereals is available for the 2026 growing season.
Farmers interested learning more about the seed treatment can contact a local Syngenta rep or visit Syngenta’s website.