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September 2018
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Global company
maximises
pesticide application
M
iller
®
Chemical and Fertilizer,
LLC is based in Hanover, Penn
sylvania in the USA. In 2017 the
company celebrated its 80th
anniversary. Through the first two decades
it primarily manufactured farm fertilisers,
formulated agricultural chemicals and dis
tributed products for large multi-national
companies.
In the early 1960 Miller started to develop
speciality products and broadened its scope
of business for its high quality soluble foliar
fertilisers. In 1968 our intense experience
and understanding of various agricultural
chemicals paved the way for us to launch its
range of performance-based adjuvants. It
started off with the Pinolene
®
range of prod
ucts (proprietary terpene polymers from
pine resin). Other Miller adjuvants followed
over the years, aiding growers to maximise
pesticide efficacy, without harming the en
vironment or crop.
The adjuvant range catapulted Miller into
the international agricultural market. Our
products are currently marketed and sold
in 90 countries worldwide. In South Africa
the Miller products have been available for
46 years. Mr Roode Lyon, founding compa
ny of Hygrotech SA, attained exclusive im
port and principle supply rights in 1972 for
these products. Till this day Hygrotech SA
is still importing our products and supply
ing them to registered CropLife SA distribu
tors. Technical product back-up is provided
to these distributors by Hygrotech technical
advisors throughout South Africa.
The current top four Miller adjuvants in
South Africa are:
Nu-Film P and Sustain
Both Nu-Film
®
P and Sustain
®
are part of
the Pinolene products and have very simi
lar sticker-spreader registrations in accord
ance with Act 36 of 1947. Nu-Film P (reg. no.
L2980) is designed to control the effective
lifespan of agricultural chemicals on the
plant surface. This happens by means of an
immediate effect, as well as an effect over
time in conjunction with the agricultural
chemical in the spray-tank mix.
The immediate effect includes reduction of
spray volatility, improved deposition and
spreading of spray on the plant surface.
Benefits over time include improvement of
rain fastness, reducing UV and heat deg
radation of the agricultural chemical and
improving absorption ability of the agricul
tural chemical by reducing sudden moisture
evaporation of the spray from the plant sur
face after application.
Sustain (reg. no. L7690) in comparison, is
especially designed to be used with soil
applied agricultural products. It is ideally
suited for root and shoot active herbicides
and pre-emergence soil applied herbicides
which may be susceptible to environmental
conditions such as UV light degradation and
leaching of soil applied herbicides.
Mist Control
Mist Control
®
(reg. no. L4567, Act 36 of 1947)
is an effective, easy to use adjuvant for drift
retardation and deposition of agricultural
crop sprays. It is ideally suited to be used
with herbicide applications to reduce the
risk of spray drifting away from the intended
target. The latter can result in reduced weed
control or even worse, cause damage to
other crops not earmarked for the herbicide
application.
It’s high level of efficacy is emphasised by
its approval in the USA as a ‘Drift Reduction
Agent’ – DRA – by an obligated Environmen
tal Protection Agency (EPA) test protocol for
use with the newest Dicamba containing
herbicide formulations of various compa
nies.
Entrée
Entrée (reg. no. L8055, Act 36 of 1947) is
an adjuvant that improves initial adhering
and spreading of the agricultural spray on
the plant surface (grass and broad-leaved
plants). The product’s ability to especially
increase movement of systemic products
into plant tissue, makes it an ideal spray-
tank partner for such herbicides.
A unique Entrée characteristic is its design
to be used with oil or water based agricul
tural chemicals. This allows for the agricul
tural chemical to move into plant tissue via
the oil or water-soluble areas of the leaf, ac
celerating uptake. It reduces crystallisation
of the agricultural chemical on the plant sur
face, extending absorption time.
Internationally Entrée is marketed as Exit
®
.
The popularity of Exit efficacy in the USA
was confirmed by independent figures from
the State of California. In 2015 and 2016,
Exit was the most used adjuvant over a vari
ety of 168 crops which included 382 200 ha
(2015) and 364 217 ha (2016) respectively.
Product information
Focus
Integrated pest control
Johann van der Vyver,
Miller Chemical South Africa
Figure 1: Geographic summary of current Miller global distribution.