Ratchet, a new foliar product for corn and soybeans, has just been introduced for the 2011 growing season by EMD Crop BioScience. According to EMD, Ratchet enhances photosynthesis and plant growth.

It contains the company’s patented LCO Promoter Technology, which is a naturally-occurring molecule that EMD says provides early-season plant health benefits to a number of crops.

The LCO Promoter Technology is already being used along with an inoculant in EMD’s Optimize 400 seed-applied product for soybeans.

Cathy Soanes, Ratchet product manager, says Ratchet is formulated for ease of use. “The product is compatible with the growers’ post-emergent applications, including glyphosate herbicides, so they can capture the benefits of LCO Promoter Technology with no additional passes over their fields.” The product is compatible with most tank mix partners.

Ratchet is packaged and sold in two 2.5-gallon jugs. Each jug can cover 80 acres at an application rate of four ounces per acre.

“We think this could be our next big thing for corn,” says EMD president Paul Schmidt.

For more information on Ratchet and other products containing LCO Promoter Technology, go to EMDCropBioScience.com.