Villa Botcast
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Your on-the-go audio hub for smarter crop protection.
At Villa Crop Protection, we know your time is valuable. That’s why we’ve introduced the Villa Botcast—a podcast voiced by AI so you can tune in anytime, anywhere. But make no mistake: every insight you hear is written by real, trusted professionals at Villa who understand the field.
The Villa Botcast is your go-to source for expert agricultural insights. Tune in for practical tips and in-depth discussions on crop protection strategies and innovations—delivered straight to your ears, wherever you are.
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Villa Botcast
Why Villa Recommends AMS (Ammonium Sulphate) Adjuvants Over Alternatives: Trials Show Better Glyphosate Performance
Discover why glyphosate sometimes underperforms—and how to fix it—for cleaner, more reliable weed control. This video, authored by adjuvant expert Dr. Brian de Villiers and RDI manager Dr. Johan Huyser, is based on independent trials conducted by Curativo and the Agricultural Research Council (ARC). In this video, you’ll find clear answers to questions like: Why should I add AMS (Ammonium Sulphate) to glyphosate sprays to improve efficacy? Can AMS replacements really match ammonium sulfate in overcoming hard-water antagonism? What exactly is “hard water antagonism,” and how does it block glyphosate uptake? Through compelling lab, glasshouse, and field trials, we show that only AMS-based adjuvants—VELOCITY® DRYMAX and CLASS ACT® NG—consistently deliver improved weed control and season-long performance. Trust Villa’s science-backed recommendation for optimized glyphosate mixing and unmatched herbicide results.
To read the full report: https://www.villacrop.co.za/is-villa-...
VELOCITY® DRYMAX label: https://www.villacrop.co.za/products/...
CLASS ACT® NG label: https://www.villacrop.co.za/products/...
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Contact our trusted distributors: https://www.villacrop.co.za/distribut...
At Villa, we know your time is valuable. That’s why we’ve introduced the Villa Botcast—a podcast voiced by AI so you can tune in anytime, anywhere. But make no mistake: every insight you hear is written by real, trusted professionals at Villa who understand the field.
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Hi there and welcome to the Villa Botcast. You're on the go audio hub for smarter crop protection. Just a heads up. This episode is voiced by AI, which means it might get a little creative with pronunciations now and then, but don't worry. All our content is written by real experts at Villa and carefully reviewed for accuracy. That means you get reliable, expert backed information anytime, anywhere.
Glyphosate is a staple in many weed control programs, but its power depends on how you mix it. In this video, we show why AMS based adjuvants such as Velocity Dry Max and Class Act NG are the only proven way to unlock glyphosate full potential in the lab, the glasshouse and the field when it underperforms, the whole season feels it. That's why how you mix it matters.
Cation sensitive herbicides like glyphosate can be neutralized by minerals in water. Those cations bind to glyphosate and twist them into poorly absorbed complexes. This reduces efficacy due to a crusty, viscous deposit that forms on the leaf surface. In lab work, glyphosate absorption dropped from 59% in distilled water to 21% in sodium rich water and 1% in calcium rich water. Ammonium sulfate AMS permanently binds antagonistic cations, an irreversible reaction that forms gypsum and takes the problem out of play. These star shaped crystals that form on the leaf surface our allow glyphosate to do its job delivering clean and effective weed control.
Efficacy isn't the only pressure. Agriculture needs lower costs and a smaller footprint. We've already reduced transport and storage with spray grade granular AMS and optimized performance with class Act and cheap ultra low rate replacements promised even leaner logistics if they matched AMS in efficacy. Growers and the whole supply chain could benefit, so we tested them.
Many AMS replacements rely on chelating chemistries such as DTPMPA plus ATMPA. Collation ties up cations, but that bond is reversible. Cations can reenter solution and still antagonize glyphosate. AMS, by contrast, precipitates the cations, removing them for good. Head-To-Head and calcium binding. AMS lay. And when we compare that realistic use rates, the gap widens dramatically. Some replacements would need over 17 times the maximum label rate to match. AMS is complex and power neither efficient nor economically. In all trials, glyphosate alone provided poor control due to the deliberately low application rate. Only the AMS product Velocity Dry Max consistently lifted glyphosate performance even at low rates, outperforming the replacements.
In repeated field trials, Class Act NG and the replacement adjuvants replied with glyphosate and calcium containing water to level the surfactant playing field. We added 0.1% of Villa 51 to the replacements. Even with this adjustment, Class Act NG consistently delivered the most reliable and effective weed. The science is clear and the trials are consistent. In the lab, the glasshouse and the field AMS containing adjuvants such as Velocity Dry Max and second generation Class Act NG outperformed the alternatives. That's why Villa’s stance is firm for glyphosate and other cation sensitive herbicides. We only recommend these products built on yesterday's science delivering clean and effective weed control today and preparing you for tomorrow.
That's it for this episode. Remember to ask your chemical advisor which Villa products are best for your farm at Villa. Our products are almost always within reach and priced to compete thanks to our strong network of distributors. If you don't see it in one place, you'll find it in the next. You can also visit our website to get in touch with our trusted distributors.
Be sure to catch more episodes of The Villa Botcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube music. Also, go watch our videos on YouTube and explore full articles and our insights newspaper on the Villa website and in our LinkedIn newsletters. Stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and even TikTok. All links in the description. Thanks for listening to the Villa Botcast. Powered by AI driven by insight. See you next time.