A broad-spectrum insecticide, considered to be among the sunflower producer's best friends against the crop's enemies, has lost its registration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, leaving producers scrambling for alternative products that aren't close to being as effective and developing growing strategies as a work-around to the loss of this effective product.
After years of legal wrangling, the EPA registration of carbofuran (better known by its trade name of Furadan, manufactured by FMC) was cancelled as of Dec. 31, 2009. Carbofuran was considered the product of choice by sunflower producers because of its efficacy against stem weevils--perhaps the top enemy of the sunflower.
Another plus was its being labeled for control of several other insects including banded moth, sunflower (head) moth, seed weevil, sunflower beetle and grasshoppers.
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