Combining imidazolinone (IMI) herbicide technology with hundreds of herbicide-tolerant seed varieties, American Cyanamid has introduced a new Clearfield brand name that will provide no-tillers with a new systems approach to crop production.

Company officials say this global agricultural brand will take effect for the 2000 crop year and will enable the firm to market Pursuit, Lightning and Steel with varieties and hybrids designed for resistance to these herbicides throughout the world. Other IMI type products include Scepter, Arsenal, Assert, Raptor, Cadre, Odyssey and OnDuty.

The program goal is to increase the ease of chemical and seed choice and usage for farmers. While there will not at least initially be any physical chemical and seed copackaging, all IMI herbicides eventually will feature a distinct, earth-tone Clearfield logo and phrasing.

Company officials say that more than 300 Clearfield corn hybrids developed for weed control with Lightning herbicide are now available from 100 seed companies. They expect to see 8 million acres of Clearfield corn planted in 2000.

The goal is to help this technology, formerly known as IMI-corn, gain market share in the herbicide-tolerant arena. The IMI share of the total corn market was 0.8 percent in 1996, 1.1 percent in 1997 and 1.8 percent in 1998.

Company staffers say the Clearfield system provides a name to a marketing strategy which Cyanamid has waged for several years. It will help explain the need for residual control of weeds which is not always afforded by contact products such as Roundup or Touchdown. An…