An off-patent ag chem maker has introduced two new co-pack products as analogues of popular cereal herbicide products already available in Western Canada.

The Canadian arm of Israeli chemical firm Mana has launched Topline herbicide as a cereal product with the active ingredients florasulam and MCPA ester, the same actives as Dow AgroSciences' Frontline. It's registered for use on wheat, oats and barley.

In a conference call Monday, Mana Canada's general manager Andrew Mann said the product provides the same broadleaf weed control package -- one that's well known to growers in the dark brown, black and gray soil zones.

"Cleavers, hemp nettle, wild buckwheat and volunteer canola -- those are just deadly weeds," Mann said. "Topline is just such a great agronomic fit for them."

Mann also noted that because it's a blend of Group 2 and 4 products, it will provide better control and help to manage and prevent weed resistance.

Rush 24, the other newly registered product, is also a familiar blend to growers, albeit with a slight twist. It includes the active ingredients fluroxypyr and 2,4-D ester, the same active ingredients found in Dow's OcTTain XL herbicide. It's also a broadleaf weed product, intended for use on wheat and barley.

During the conference call Mann pointed out the formulation is slightly different, allowing growers more flexibility. The orginal OcTTain formulation required contained a 100 per cent rate of both active ingredients, which require waiting slightly longer for the crop standing to be right for the 2,4-D, or reducing both rates to three-quarter rates. Octain contains a full rate of fluroxypyr and a three-quarter rate of 2,4-D.

"Growers can apply the full rate of fluroxypyr, and still spray earlier," Mann said. "Or they can add a couple more ounces of 2,4-D and spray both at the full rate. We felt this formulation gave more flexibility."

Rush 24 is also an approved tank mix partner with several other grassy weed herbicides, which will give growers one-pass weed control options.

Both products will be available this season, and prices and supplies are still being finalized, but Mann stresses both will be competitively priced.