Developing Advion® MicroFlow insect bait for the pest control industry was no simple task. King Nelson, Ph.D. and chemist on the Formulation Development team at Syngenta, explains the product’s success, its development challenges, and the importance of continual testing.
What challenges did you face developing this dry flowable bait? The main challenge with Advion MicroFlow was the milling. We had to make the formulation fine enough so it would work the way it was intended. We wanted the particles to be small enough for pests to ingest, and for the particles to stick to pests so they could carry them back to the nest. If the particles were too big, clumping would occur, or they wouldn’t get deposited correctly. Pest management professionals (PMPs) can use several types of application equipment for Advion MicroFlow. Was that a factor in its development? Absolutely. We worked closely with researchers in our Applications team to address this. They learn what application equipment is used for each product formulation and test each type to see how it works. Our work with them helped ensure Advion MicroFlow would dispense properly from all the tools a PMP might use to apply it. Does Advion MicroFlow cater to any specific cockroach behaviors? Any bait needs to be attractive to the target insect, and we know cockroaches go for food-based bait. However, not just any bait will do as cockroaches can develop bait aversion. We needed to develop something we knew they’d eat, so the highly attractive Advion MicroFlow bait matrix was formulated with this in mind. What feedback have you received since Advion MicroFlow was released? I’ve heard that it’s an excellent product and works well. That said, we are continuing development and testing across the board. Lately, our focus has been on the supply chain. As we learned during the pandemic, sometimes it’s hard to get the exact ingredients you need for a formulation, so there’s been lots of testing on all our bait products to find various sources of co-formulants. Sometimes getting an ingredient from a different company can affect the formula, so development is a continual process for our entire product portfolio. Syngenta is committed to your business’s success, which is why we invest in rigorous testing and continued development to ensure products like Advion MicroFlow stay optimized for results that last. For more information on how Advion MicroFlow can make a big impact with a small application, visit SyngentaPMP.com/AdvionMicroFlow.  © 2024 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties and/or may have state-specific use requirements. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration and proper use. Advion®, For Life Uninterrupted™ and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. All other trademarks are property of their respective third-party owners. Syngenta Customer Center: 1-866-SYNGENT(A) (796-4368). |