Arysta’s Fumigant Approved In US

By Scott C. Lucas|8 October 2007

MIDAS will be widely available through select US fumigant distributors this month, the company added.

MIDAS was developed to help growers deal with the phase out of methyl bromide under the Montreal Protocol. Worldwide, about 72,000 tons of methyl bromide are used each year. North America uses about 27,000 tons annually, 85% of which is used for soil fumigation. Growers around the world have long relied on methyl bromide as their choice fumigant and the phase out has left growers with few effective broad-spectrum choices.

“MIDAS is the fumigant answer for which many growers have been looking,” said Mike Allan, global product manager for MIDAS. “MIDAS is the right foundation for success for growers because it provides broad-spectrum control of target pests and diseases and uses conventional application techniques and equipment. MIDAS has been proven to be as effective as methyl bromide at lower application rates,” he added.

MIDAS is considered a foundation crop protection product because it is applied pre-plant to bare soil. In trials in the Southeast US, half of the growers who participated saw an increase in yield over their methyl bromide-treated acreage. The remaining growers saw results similar to those achieved with methyl bromide.

MIDAS is the first new soil fumigant to be registered by the EPA in 20 years. In an effort to further ensure protection of workers and bystanders, the EPA has implemented buffer zones that are scalable based upon the fumigant rate and the number of acres applied. This will allow growers more control over their fumigant use. MIDAS is approved for use on strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, ornamentals, stone fruits, nut crops, vine crops (including table and wine grapes), turf, and nursery crops.