Syngenta’s Victrato Seed Treatment Clears EPA Hurdle

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved registration for Victrato seed treatment, a Syngenta innovation that offers broad-spectrum nematode and disease protection, while also offering early-season suppression of foliar soybean diseases. Victrato will be available for soybeans and cotton this year in preparation for the 2026 planting season, subject to state approvals.

Built as a heavy-pressure specialist, Victrato tackles sudden death syndrome and nematodes, including SCN, root knot, reniform, lance, and lesion. The brand calls its new active ingredient, TYMIRIUM technology, a ground-breaking carboxamide SDHI molecule that combines vital potency and targeting. Its Smart-Site Targeting helps zero in on plant-parasitic nematodes and pathogens with a precise receptor match, unleashing maximum stopping power on intended targets.

“Year after year, nematodes, including soybean cyst and root knot, as well as sudden death syndrome, rank as the top causes of soybean yield loss,” said Dale Ireland, Ph.D., Syngenta Seedcare technical lead. “Victrato preserves more yield than any other molecule available, and it protects against all life stages of nematodes: eggs, juveniles and adults. This stops in-season feeding and limits future populations, giving growers the most robust solution available.”

Victrato is the first federally labeled seed treatment management tool for red crown rot. In addition, it will fortify soybean plants through early-season suppression of important foliar diseases such as Septoria brown spot, frogeye leaf spot and target spot.

According to data presented by Syngenta, in more than eight years of nematode trials, Victrato delivered a 3.3 bu/A increase over the base treatment alone1, outyielding the base 84 percent of the time. In comparison, BASF’s ILEVO seed treatment outyielded the base in 70 percent of trials, with an average increase of only 1.9 bu/A. In 23 SDS trials, Victrato outyielded ILEVO by 4.8 bu/A and Saltro fungicide seed treatment by 2.8 bu/A.2 And in four RCR trials, Victrato outyielded ILEVO by 7.9 bu/A with comparative increases in each trial.

“It is also the first seed treatment labeled to suppress early-season frogeye leaf spot and target spot,” said Katie Jaeger, Syngenta Seedcare product lead. “By protecting that green leaf area early, it sets a stronger and healthier foundation to enhance the impact of a foliar fungicide application and better preserve yield potential.”

In announcing the registration of the new product, Syngenta also talked about its effectiveness for cotton. Victrato reportedly manages cotton root rot and nematodes, including root knot, reniform, lance and sting, with extraordinary results.

“Root knot and reniform nematodes led cotton yield losses in 2023-2024, while cotton root rot can cost Western growers $100 million annually in lost yield, fiber quality and harvest efficiency,” said Shannon Morsello, Ph.D., Syngenta Seedcare technical lead. “Until recently, there has been no effective protection for this disease. Growers demanded a solution that could fight both challenges effectively and safely. Victrato answers that call.”

In more than eight years of nematode trials, according to Syngenta, Victrato delivered a 93 lbs/A increase over the base treatment alone, outyielding the base 85 percent of the time. In direct comparison with BASF’s Copeo seed treatment, Victrato outyielded Copeo in 69 percent of trials, with an average gain of 40 lbs/A. In 28 cotton root rot trials conducted over five years, Victrato outyielded in-furrow applications of FMC’s Xyway LFR an average of 239 lbs/A — regardless of disease pressure.