Seed/Equipment Quality Update

1. The Best Seed Treatment Seed/Equipment Quality Update Solving Current Key Disease Issues to the Benefit of All Our Customer’s Agronomic Needs Understanding The Significance of Best Treatment - Coverage Comparisons to Seed Treatment Equipment Applicators Satisfying All Our Customer’s Unique Agronomic Plant Health Goals & Increasing Proper Treating Market Share With Best Management Practices

2. “Agronomic Qualifiers” • Seed, Formulation, & Equipment Trouble Shooting – 35+ years experience Return On Your Investment Your Seed Deserves The Best Treatment

3. 2011 Seed Quality Update • Barley- % of samples submitted with Cochliobolus increased to 75% (infection level = 9 -11%) • Fusarium Graminearum - % of samples increased from .9 to 1.9% (infection level = 3.5%) • Other Fusarium – 95% of samples (infection level = 5.5%) • Smut – .5% of samples (5% infection level) • Wheat- % of samples submitted with Cochliobolusincreased to 33% (infection level = .9 -1.1%) • Fusarium Graminearum - % of samples increased on average from 3.7 to 9% • Alberta Central & South – higher = 26 - 29% of samples • Some samples in Alberta – 10 to 15% • Other Fusarium – 87% of samples ( infection level = 5.25%) • Seed Moulds – (Alternaria – all samples, Aspergillus – very few, Penicillium- 15%, 1% infection level) averaged 30% precursor infection levels

4. Crown® 2011 Seed Quality Update Peas - % of samples submitted with ascochytaincreased to 90% (infection level = 6.75%) • Consider Vitaflo®280because of the ascochyta control, & economics • Botrytis - % of samples – 21% (infection level = 1.75%) • Fusarium - % of samples – 50% (infection level = 1.75%) • Vitaflo is also excellent on Rhizoctonia & Pythium Lentils- % of samples submitted with ascochytaincreased to 32% (infection level = 3.5%) • Soil borne Pythium & Rhizoctonia may be an issue as well depending on spring • Consider both Vitaflo®280 or Crown®because of superior agronomics • Botrytis - % of samples – increased to 80% (infection level = 3.75%) • Fusarium - % of samples – increased to 80% (= .5% -1.5%)

5. Pythium • Low soil pH (under 5.5) favours pythium • Wheat is not very susceptible • Cracking seeds are susceptible (i.e. peas, chickpeas) • Phosphorous deficiency makes the plant more susceptible (a problem 50 years ago) • Rarely kills a plant • After plant emerges within about 7 daysthe plant won’t be affected

6. Simple Plant Health Research Recommendations Correctly identify that you actually do have a problem, it’s significance, & look at all possible corrective actions • If you know you don’t have a particular disease or research has indicated it’s not significant, then don’t worry about it! • If field scouting has indicated you don’t have a wireworm infestation, then don’t worry about it! • If based on soil & tissue testing you know you have nutrient imbalances, then choose the most appropriate corrective total plant health actions! • If your seed is not treated properly, choose a better product, & a better treater! • If you know there is a worrisome disease problem based on lab analysis, then treat! • If 2 or more fungicides together dropped seed disease infestation levels in the lab down more, than one alone, but didn’t change the treated germination number, unless the disease screen came back as 0%, it’s not considered statistically significant to an on farm conditioning situation, so don’t worry about it, choose the best, most economical treatment!

7. Coverage quality is influenced by many; seed, formulation, & equipment variables. • Seed? • Size, shape, weight, uniformity • Overall condition, coat, moisture • Adsorption, reactivity, hardness, surface attraction, volume • Foreign material, purity, segregation, traceability, temp, humidity

8. Formulation The Best Seed Treatment • Colloidal nature (ability of individual elements to work together) • Viscosity, initial seed contact, penetration, dispersion, adhesion • Volume, stability, temperature sensitivity, dehydration (drying) • Density, % active, active type, oil, antifreeze, water, colorant • Particle or atomized micron size • Confirmed individual seed coating, persistence & resistance Primary Application Initial Contact Secondary Application

9. Equipment • Seed & treatment volume, seed delivery surge pressure, gentleness, constant flow, atomization,seed curtain peripheral • Seed curtain thickness, flow speed, secondary crueller mixing design • Dilution, constant delivery accuracy, coinciding or reciprocal calibration • Seed impact, confirmed rates, coating chamber; retention, rpm, fullness #1 Dripolators, drill fill auger injectors, air tanks, kegs, etc, do not normally satisfy basic engineering principles.

10. Treatment Coverage Comparisons Seed/Formulation/Equipment Variation Examples • Individual seed loading percentages can be a problem if application is not within target (research has indicated roughly 50% of the time seed goes in the ground under treated unless coverage variables are accounted for. Disease/Insect/Yield compromises can be significant when the quality of application coverage has been affected by deficiencies in the colloidal characteristics of the formulation choice.) % of Individual Seeds Covered Properly % of Target

11. The Best Seed Treatment Satisfying Our Customer’s Unique Needs With Better AgronomicsWhat most farmers say they want; Rancona ™ Apex A broader spectrum treatment application, with improved disease control efficacy Less dust-off & better seed retention A multisite mode of action (contact/systemic) Longer lasting control & less risk of resistance Better seed coverage for better efficacy Improved flow viscosity & stability (even in cold weather) Better safety to seeds/coleoptiles/seedlings Genetic purity enhancements, quality segregation, & traceability Quick & effective germination/emergence An economic yield advantage (1-2 bu. +) The bestseed, formulation, & equipment, satisfies all those agronomic needs even better! “My choice of Rancona has easily satisfied all my unique agronomic needs in a superior fashion.” Label claims & their resultant paybacks, are only as good as the quality of application coverage. Vitaflo ® 280

12. Testimonials Rod McLeod – Technical Manager, Chemtura; “Pythium usually tends to get a smaller share of cereal seed/seedling exudates (leakage) in soil that is moisture stressed for extended early periods before/soon after seeding, than in soil seeded into which it is then wetted later & longer. Pythium is more of a sign of weak seed/seedlings, as it more often attacks stunted radicle & seminal roots. Other organisms like Fusarium , Cochliobolus, & seed moulds, compete more aggressively /earlier for exudates & stress the seedling more significantly unless treated properly.” Ryan Mercer – Mercer Seeds Ltd; “We found that during seed treatment applications below freezing temperatures Rancona was extremely stable and flowed very well, with even distribution on the seed for both wheat and barley. My air seeder operator commented that there was virtually no dusting off during filling, even if seed had been treated and stored for extended periods of time. I noticed longer lasting, stronger emergence efficacy, and vigorous seedlings, amazing given the cool, wet spring we had! As we continually push to seed earlier each spring, I believe in an effective multi-site product such as Rancona. It’s a must, given the pressures of an ever changing, and diverse disease spectrum, and our individual yield demands.”

13. Testimonials • Stephen Dewald – Wetaskiwin AB; “Rancona was the most convenient seed treatment we have ever used as far as ease, accuracy, and consistency of application. No gumming up or plugging either, all those things that would have normally affected seeding efficiency and rate in the past, with other treatments we have used.” • Myron Felzien – Forestburg Co-op Seed Cleaning Plant Ltd; With Rancona it was very easy to get an accurate rate and excellent distribution despite the changing seed lots and weather conditions. There was very little odour, no dust off, and excellent feed back from even my most critical customers. As a custom applicator, my experience using Rancona has been very positive, and I look forward to using more this year.” • Doug Thul – D.R. Thul Farms Ltd, Drinkwater SK; My dealer was very keen on having me try Rancona, and from what I’ve seen so far it was a good suggestion. I use a drum mixer system. And I was not really happy with the way it worked with other fungicide seed treatments I have used. But with the Rancona, right away I saw better flowability of product and better coverage on the seed.”

14. Superior Soil Borne FusariumControl

15. Your Choices?For Solving Key Disease Issues, Achieving Coverage Standards, & Meeting Your Agronomic Goals • Let a qualified seed professional do it for you • Custom apply at a licensed, certified custom applicator • Apply it yourself • But, you must always take into account the 3 key application variables for the best coverage quality, & choose the best product, so that you ensure you are actually getting your money’s worth!