Syngenta Thrive

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On his third day in office, former President Trump withdrew the United States from the proposed 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Proponents of the TPP argued the partnership would expand U.S. exports, and Farm Bureau estimated that a successful agreement would increase net U.S. agricultural exports by $5.3B.

Since the withdrawal, neither former president Trump nor President Biden re-engaged in free trade agreements in that region. By contrast, China and 14 other Asian countries participate in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership trade agreement. China and other countries also formally requested to accede to the TPP’s successor arrangement, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. The EU also continues advancing new trade agreements in the region.

Many worry that the United States lacks an economic and trade strategy sufficient to counter China’s increasing economic influence in the Indo-Pacific. Our absence from those regional agreements limits our ability to shape trade rules in the region.

Recent action from the Biden Administration may change that.

A New Angle

In late May, the Biden Administration announced intentions to proceed with a U.S.-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF). The initiative will include modules covering fair and resilient trade, supply chain resilience, infrastructure and decarbonization, and tax and anticorruption.

IPEF is not a free trade agreement, and it varies greatly from any other traditional trade agreement. For starters, Congress won’t need to approve it. Instead, the administration will move forward with congressional input. Not requiring congressional approval inherently limits the scope of potential IPEF commitments, given Congress’ constitutional authority to regulate U.S. foreign commerce. Additionally, the administration indicated it will not negotiate changes to market access and tariff reductions.

However, United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Trade Representative Katherine Tai indicated they will target non-tariff trade barriers as part of the effort to strengthen ties in the region, creating optimism that U.S. ag trade could reap significant benefits. The Indo-Pacific region, with rapidly growing markets and 60% of the world’s population, presents a patchwork of regulatory restrictions and non-tariff trade barriers. We do not know which and how many countries will participate in the negotiations, but it could include India, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

Vietnam’s trade barriers are particularly difficult as they continue banning common ag pesticides without conducting appropriate risk assessments. Other countries in the region impede U.S. exports under Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) barriers. Numerous obstacles impede biotech crop exports to the region, including: asynchronous approvals that create backlogs of unapproved traits; evaluation procedures not based on international scientific standards; unnecessary testing, labeling and traceability requirements; and even outright bans on genetically modified products.

Ag Imperatives

It is imperative that the administration make agriculture a priority in the IPEF, and U.S. farm groups hope non-tariff trade barriers will be addressed in negotiations:

  • Reduce barriers to U.S. ag exports throughout the region and improve trade, starting with participating countries.
  • Include high-standard SPS measures to reduce barriers and increase trade, including certification and inspection rules.
  • Create mutually agreed-upon regulatory reforms allowing the U.S. reliable and easy export to key markets throughout the Indo-Pacific region. For example, recognizing the strength of the U.S. food safety and plant and animal health oversight systems and removing or streamlining certification or registration requirements for timely results.
  • Address tariffs on U.S. agricultural exports to improve our competitiveness in the region. While IPEF will not initially be a comprehensive trade agreement with tariff negotiations, this should not preclude efforts to increase agricultural market access by reducing our trading partners’ tariffs.

Several U.S. business associations recently urged the Administration to conclude IPEF modules this year, and include binding commitments — such as on market access — and provisions for future expansion of commitments and participants.

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Editor’s Note: Information included in this article is reflective of the status as of June 2022.

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To succeed in today’s competitive market, soybean growers need access to varieties that allow them to diversify, spread risk and maximize their whole-farm return on investment potential. This means they need choice — and they need it fast.

“Choice has become very important because of the complexity of the farming operations today and the different needs each of these operations desire,” says Eric West, senior product manager for GROWMARK, Inc., in Bloomington, Illinois.

Michael Gill, director of conservation agriculture, Illinois Soybean Association, agrees. “Growers need selection when choosing a new soybean variety because they look for several factors, including yield, disease tolerance and herbicide resistance,” he says.

To address this need, a team at NK Seeds, powered by the Syngenta Seeds research and development engine, uses a proprietary soybean trait conversion system to fast- track varieties for commercial release.

“We have a really cohesive team that is nimble, hungry, and driven to collaborate and focus on what the growers’ needs are,” says Travis Kriegshauser, Syngenta soybean strategic marketing manager. “We always challenge each other to make sure everything we’re doing is in the best interest of growers’ successes.”

Condensing the Timeline

Traditionally, it takes six to seven years to develop a soybean variety and bring it to market. But at a state-of-the-art introgression facility in Clinton, Illinois, Syngenta breeders can bring new NK® soybean varieties to growers in as little as three years. The Seed to Seed in Seven Weeks concept speeds development, but at the same time does not sacrifice precision. This concept allows researchers to produce as many as seven generations of seed in one year, resulting in high-yielding germplasm, complete with an elite genetic pool that advances performance.

When a new trait is identified — for example, Enlist E3® soybeans, which offer a higher standard for weed control and yield performance — the team inserts that trait into its exclusive conventional germplasm. By using its elite conventional germplasm pool, NK is ahead of the competition because the germplasm will perform with the characteristics it was selected for: outstanding yield potential, defensive traits and agronomic strength. Researchers also can easily predict its performance, giving growers data-based confidence in the potential a new variety offers.

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Choice has become very important because of the complexity of the farming operations today and the different needs each of these operations desire.

Eric West Senior Product Manager at GROWMARK, Inc.

Tony Lorenzen, a grower in Edgar County, Illinois, started planting NK brand Enlist E3 soybeans in 2019. For him, the proof was in the performance.

“Sometimes, you plant a new product, and your yield suffers — but we didn’t see that with our NK brand Enlist E3 soybeans,” Lorenzen says. “They’re just good products with good seed quality. We’ll be all Enlist E3 soybeans again in 2021.”

The Seed to Seed in Seven Weeks process is straightforward. After Syngenta introduces the trait into the germplasm, planting in company greenhouses begins. Using cutting-edge greenhouse technology, Clinton researchers create ideal conditions to maximize the plant’s growth cycle. Three days after planting, seedlings emerge. On day seven, researchers take tissue samples and perform DNA analysis to determine whether the plant is showing the desired trait.

Moving Beyond Day Seven

Of course, the process of bringing seed to market doesn’t end on day seven. Researchers do additional work on the chosen varieties so that by days 20 to 23, they can perform fingerprinting and cross-pollination. The team then adapts the environment to push the plant’s reproductive life cycle and achieve the first generation of seed rapidly. Given the hardiness of the original germplasm, that first generation of seed then goes straight to the field for additional characterization and testing.

“We’ve refined and optimized a process that allows for trait introgression, population development, product evaluation, testing and launch so we can get to market as fast as — or faster than — anybody else in the industry, with a higher level of confidence that our products won’t fail when they get to our customers’ fields,” Kriegshauser says.

Because of innovative growth chambers that enable constant planting, pollinating, sampling and harvesting without fear of inclement weather, this conversion capability is used year-round and is how NK brought Enlist E3 soybeans to market faster than competitor brands.

Making Choices, Choices, Choices

To maximize their return on investment and remain profitable, growers may want to switch up their soybean lineup by adding new varieties from one or more of the leading trait platforms. Or maybe they need to address a specific management issue.

Cab Weaver of Adair County, Missouri, is one of those growers. “Everybody is looking for something new,” he says. “When I went with the Enlist E3 technology, it was to hopefully save some on spraying — get more bang for the buck. NK does a lot of research and development and has come up with a better product that can help us be more profitable. Growers are hearing about it because everyone wants to get more for less.”

NK also offers soybean varieties across the XtendFlex®, Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® and LibertyLink® GT27® platforms.

“NK brings a differentiated set of genetics to the marketplace to give growers choice — and growers always want choice,” Kriegshauser says.

And so do retailers like West whose primary goal is bringing customized, better-performing solutions to growers’ fields.

“The NK soybean brand has had success with our organization as well as with our customers due to the long history of proven performance in its germplasm as well as multiple trait options,” he says. “As a result, we’re able to give growers choices for what best fits their farms.”

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Cover image: These rows of young soybeans in southern Wisconsin exhibit both health and vigor, which are qualities present in soybeans grown from seeds developed from the NK Seeds elite germplasm. Photography by Syngenta. 

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Q. What are the details of Kellogg’s InGrained™ program?

A. Meryl Kennedy , CEO of 4Sisters Rice and Kennedy Rice Mill: Kellogg’s InGrained™ program will invest $2 million over five years to provide farmers in my area — Louisiana and the Lower Mississippi River basin, what we call the Delta — with training in irrigation management, nutrient management and soil health. Kellogg is providing farmers with a financial incentive for every ton of greenhouse gases (GHG) their new practices help reduce. But Kellogg’s InGrained™ is more than that, it’s a collaboration between Syngenta, Kellogg Co., Regrow Ag and Kennedy Rice Mill to bring this program to life.

A. Stacey Shaw, senior sustainability lead at Syngenta: Through the program, Kellogg wanted to partner with growers to help them adopt new practices for GHG reduction, especially methane, but also to take off a little bit of the sting of implementing a new practice. For the program’s 2022 pilot year, the company offered growers $20 per ton of GHG reduction — plus agronomic support, GHG quantification, and other resources at no additional cost to farmers — to remove some of the risk of trying something new on the farm. Kellogg’s intention is to help them get started, knowing that positive changes on the farm can be still risky in the beginning.

Q. What was the impetus for developing a methane reduction program for rice specifically?

A. Shaw: Rice is a major contributor to methane emissions and that makes it an easy target1. Opportunities and methods that reduce methane also have other positive effects such as water reduction. Not very many people have adopted methane reduction yet, but it is very doable.

A. Kennedy: Over half of the world’s population relies on rice as a primary source of nourishment2. Also, this is a really important grain for Kellogg. They rely on rice for their iconic brands like Rice Krispies® and Special K® cereals. Many of these rice products and these varieties come from the Mississippi Delta. So, when we thought about how we can make a really big difference specifically for rice production, we thought about how to reduce methane.

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Q. Why is methane reduction an important sustainability issue?

A. Kennedy: The impacts of climate change affect us all. But these impacts are of particular concern to farmers, like me, who grow crops to produce the food we eat. Rice production is responsible for an estimated 12% of the total global methane emissions, and methane is a GHG that’s 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide2. As rice farmers and stewards of the land, it’s our responsibility to address these concerns.

A. Shaw: Methane is one of the bigger contributors to global GHG emissions. Methane with nitrous oxide and other emissions contribute to the greenhouse gas issue.

Q. What are the desired results from Kellogg’s InGrained™? How does it help growers — who are already focused on land stewardship?

A. Shaw: The desired result is the adoption of methane reduction practices and reduction of emissions. Kellogg also wants the program to be scalable, ideally across more of their rice draw area. But before spreading the program, we all have to make sure that it works as intended and that farmers see value in it. By piloting the program this crop year with Kennedy, a trusted Kellogg supplier and very large and prominent grower in Mer Rouge, Louisiana, Kellogg hopes to show other growers in that area that they can be successful in reducing methane by implementing these practices. Some rice growers are already doing a lot of the methane-reduction practices that we’re promoting. However, adoption has been slow and many growers only do it on parts of their farms. So, this might be an incentive to them to add additional acres and adopt more practices.

A. Kennedy: From Kellogg’s perspective, the goal would be to help educate and train farmers on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. At Kennedy, a vertically integrated agricultural business, we take rice from the farm to the finished food. So, we feel like we’re stewards of the land; this is who we are, and this is part of what we do already. We’re being asked, as farmers, to focus on so many things: soil erosion, reducing chemicals and fertilizers, conserving water. However, reducing methane gas is particularly important for rice. It can truly help create a greener supply chain from seed to package, and so that, to me, is the real benefit from the farmer perspective.

1 https://ricepedia.org/rice-as-food/the-global-staple-rice-consumers#:~:text=Rice%20is%20the%20staple%20food,20%25%20of%20their%20daily%20calories

2 https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/understanding-global-warming-potentials

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In 2021, China purchased a record $35.9 billion worth of ag products from the United States. This was roughly $7 billion — or 25% higher than 2020 levels ($28.8 billion) — and beat the previous record of $29 billion, which occurred in 2013.

The two biggest sources of change between the previous highs and 2021 were massive corn and beef purchases. Of the $7.1 billion increase, corn alone accounted for 55% of the new purchases. Not only was corn the largest driver of increased activity, but China’s corn purchases also increased from $55 million in 2019 to $5.1 billion last year.

There is no clear answer as to why China has been purchasing U.S. corn, but we can begin to shed some light on the mystery when considering production and consumption trends.

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Production, Consumption and Trade

As the population and incomes have increased, so has China’s consumption of corn (Figure 1). Since 1970, China’s production and consumption have remained mostly in lockstep, increasing roughly 4.4% annually over five decades.

Shown in green is the share of global corn imports that China makes. China is no stranger to corn imports and, since 2009, has been consistently importing a modest amount of corn. For instance, in 2011, China’s activity accounted for 5% of global trade and previously peaked at 6% in 1994.

It’s worth noting, however, that those trends have been interrupted in recent years. China’s corn production has been largely flat since 2015. During that same time China’s domestic consumption, along with its corn import activity, grew higher. In 2020, China bought 16% of the globally traded corn, and in 2021, purchases equaled 13% of global activity.

Acreage Slips

When thinking about the reasons for China’s stagnation in corn production, there are only two variables behind the math: acres and yields. China’s corn acres, which trended higher over the last several decades, slumped in recent years. Insight on the acreage expansion and sudden stagnation lead to questions about China’s plans.

First, China’s decades-long trend has been fueled in no small part by increased acreage. This has been especially evident since the early 2000s, as acres increased from 60 million annually to more than 100 million.

Second, while China’s corn acreage has paused at various points in the past, one has to wonder if acreage: will return to the expansion pace observed throughout the 2000s, will continue to expand but at a slower pace, or will remain stagnant? It’s important to keep in mind total acreage in China has been unchanged since 1990, so any increase in corn acreage is a tradeoff with other crops. There are no clear answers at this point, but keep in mind domestic consumption continued to expand in recent years.

Wrapping it Up

The enthusiasm and uncertainty about China’s recent corn purchases has everyone wondering, “How long will it last?”

On the one hand, weather-related supply shocks — such as floods or drought — would likely result in a short-term uptick in corn imports until domestic production recovers. On the other hand, if China’s future corn needs must be met by imports, it would likely result in China being a significant and growing corn buyer for years to come. The implications are far from clear at this point.

Lastly, keep in mind that China has been rocked by several shocks over the last few years. There was the trade war, African Swine Fever and COVID-19. Concerns about sluggish economic growth stemming from recent COVID-19 shutdowns continue today. Taken altogether, it will likely require a few more years of data to untangle how much of China’s corn purchases in 2020 and 2021 were an interruption in the long-term trends or the emergence of a new one.

Widmar and Gloy are the co-founders of Ag Economic Insights (AEI.ag). Founded in 2014, AEI.ag helps improve decision making for producers, lenders, and agribusiness through: the free Weekly Insights blog, the award-winning AEI.ag Presents podcast- featuring Escaping 1980 and Corn Saves America, and the AEI Premium platform, which includes the Ag Forecast Network decision tool. Visit AEI.ag or email Widmar (david@aei.ag) to learn more. Stay curious.

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Brent Delzer, Ph.D., worked seven years to develop a line of corn that was both genetically transformable and contained a haploid-induction trait. Both characteristics were necessary to invent HI-Edit™, the revolutionary genome-editing technique for crops.

It is easier to control the genes of haploids because they only contain maternal genes — meaning genes of the mother plant (although paternal haploid systems that only contain paternal genes also exist). “When we identified the matrilineal gene that causes haploid induction, it enabled us to use the gene in a new way in HI-Edit,” Delzer says.

That work is what sets Delzer apart from others in his field, says Tim Kelliher, Ph.D., head of technology development and science fellow with Syngenta Seeds Research. “It’s challenging to develop those technologies on our own: We need input from breeders,” he says. “Brent is a really successful breeder who also has side-project interest in breeding technologies.”

Delzer’s line of corn was the foundational step toward developing HI-Edit technology. It pushed the research forward and made the difference between the work at Syngenta and what other researchers were trying to do.

Competitors who tried to invent a similar technique didn’t have access to a transformable haploid inducer line, Kelliher says, as it’s extremely difficult and time-consuming to create. Delzer’s work jumpstarted the research process and set Kelliher’s team up for success.

By using Delzer’s transformable corn line, Kelliher says his team obtained the data they needed to get a patent on HI-Edit. “We were able to show results,” he says.

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When I was hired as a corn breeder, the ultimate goal was to develop a commercial hybrid that was successful on the farm, he says. But to work on this project in addition to that was exciting because nobody had done gene-editing before in the way that we did it.

Brent Delzer, Ph.D. North Corn Market Segment Lead & Corn Breeder at Syngenta

Delzer retired this spring after 31 years with Syngenta. Looking back, he never imagined the scientific mountains he would climb when he left the family dairy to study agriculture at University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

“Agriculture’s been my passion all along,” Delzer says. “But my mom convinced me to go to college, and I thought walking away from milking cows was an okay idea.”

Delzer’s career in plant breeding actually started with a college internship at Northrup-King Seed Co. — now the NK Seeds division of Syngenta. After receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota, Delzer accepted a breeding job in Janesville, Wisconsin. He worked his way up the ranks, and eventually serving as the North corn market segment lead and being recognized as a Syngenta Fellow.

“When I was hired as a corn breeder, the ultimate goal was to develop a commercial hybrid that was successful on the farm,” he says. “But to work on this project in addition to that was exciting because nobody had done gene-editing before in the way that we did it.”

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Tony Driver, Syngenta agronomic service representative, recently received the 2021 Norman Borlaug Lifetime Achievement Award from the Texas Plant Protection Association (TPPA). Driver has worked at Syngenta on various cropping systems in south and central Texas and eastern Oklahoma for 38 years.

“Tony is a well-respected agronomic service representative with Syngenta Crop Protection. He has served TPPA as an officer and board member and been a sponsor for the conference for many years,” Bob Sasser, TPPA Executive Director and Driver’s former colleague, told Farm Progress. “He is well-deserving of this award; he is supportive of TPPA and encourages others to be involved.”

Growing up in a farming community in Humphrey, Arkansas, Driver’s interest in agriculture started at a young age. In high school, he joined Future Farmers of America, and his instructor encouraged him to pursue an undergraduate degree in agriculture at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. After graduating, he worked for the Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation District as a soil conservationist. He later received his master’s degree in weed science from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.

“I am honored to receive this award because it demonstrates that my dedication and commitment to the agricultural industry is recognized by the growers and customers I work with and support,” Driver says. “It is also an honor to join past recipients of the Dr. Norman Borlaug Lifetime Achievement Award. This recognition is one that I will always cherish.”

Cover image: Tony Driver, Syngenta agronomic service representative and recipient of the Dr. Norman Borlaug Lifetime Achievement Award. Photography by Shelley Huguley. 

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Purdue University recently presented Gordon Vail, Ph.D., head of U.S. Crop Protection Field Development at Syngenta, with a Distinguished Agriculture Alumnus (DAA) award. Vail received his doctorate in botany and plant pathology from Purdue.

“When I was on campus receiving the award, I discovered that Vern Hawkins — Syngenta Crop Protection president and North American region director — is also a past recipient of the Purdue DAA, so receiving this award certainly puts me in elite company,” Gordon says.

The nominating committee recognized Vail for his many contributions to Syngenta and legacy companies over his 28-year career. The committee also selected Vail because of his continued investment in Purdue, noting that he visits campus for an annual research update hosted by the Purdue Weed Science group.

“When returning to campus, he can be counted on to interact with faculty and students, offer professional guidance on projects, and perhaps mention that his resume still proudly notes that he was a coach and member of Purdue’s first-place team at the 1993 North Central Graduate Student Weed Contest,” the awards committee wrote.

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Q: Why was 2021 a breakout year for Southern rust in corn? What do you expect to see in 2022?

A. Phil Krieg, Illinois agronomy service representative at Syngenta: 2021 was a breakout year for Southern rust because of the near-perfect weather conditions that we had for the disease to establish, infect and spread north throughout the Corn Belt. When conditions favor rust development, the infection cycle continually repeats itself — spreading disease throughout the plant and helping it to readily move from plant to plant. Because Southern rust does not overwinter in the Midwest, it’s always a wait-and-see game as to whether the disease presents itself in any given year, so we have no idea if we’ll see it in 2022.

A. Travis Faske, Ph.D., professor and extension plant pathologist at the University of Arkansas: Southern corn rust is an annual occurrence in the mid-Southern United States, and severity depends on environmental conditions and the corn growth stage when rust is first detected. In 2021, several factors contributed to the severity of Southern rust development. First, widespread rainfall delayed planting, which contributed to a wide range of corn growth stages when Southern rust was reintroduced in the region. Second, when rust arrived in July, the weather conditions were very good for rust development. Third, hybrids were susceptible to Southern rust. This year, rust will return to the region, but arrival time and summer weather conditions are the unknown factors.

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Conditions that favor Southern rust development are high relative humidity and temperatures around 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit — especially at night.

Phil Krieg Illinois Agronomy Service Representative at Syngenta

Q: How can growers identify Southern rust in corn? What environmental conditions foster the disease, and how does it spread?

A. Krieg: Southern rust pustules are orange to tan, circular or oval, and about 1/16 inch in diameter. Most pustules develop on upper leaf surfaces. The fungus that causes Southern rust can infect a plant after approximately six hours of leaf wetness. Dew usually provides enough moisture to cause infection, but frequent rainfall can promote severe disease development. Conditions that favor Southern rust development are high relative humidity and temperatures around 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit — especially at night. Each year, wind currents from southern, more tropical areas carry rust spores north and begin new infections. The weather conditions outlined above take over after the spores arrive and infect the plant, determining the spread and severity of the disease.

A. Faske: Southern rust produces orange-colored pustules that rupture through the upper leaf surface. Pustules are often surrounded by a light green halo and clustered near the first pustule from the initial infection. These pustules are commonly detected in the mid-to-upper canopy. The most common misdiagnosis is common rust. Common rust produces dark-red-colored pustules that can rupture through the lower leaf but are more common on the upper leaf surface. The environmental conditions that favor Southern rust are frequent rainfall causing four to eight hours of leaf wetness, high relative humidity, and warm temperatures (82 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit). Wind spreads the rust spores to infect nearby plants. During the cropping season, windblown spores move progressively northward — infecting new fields.

Q. What is the yield impact of Southern rust in corn when left untreated?

A. Krieg: The Southern rust fungus uses a plant’s nutrients for growth and reproduction, which affects grain fill and ultimately reduces yields. Rust pustules also rupture leaf epidermal tissue, which can interfere with the regulation of water loss by stomata. Consequently, severe rust outbreaks make it harder for plants to use water efficiently, so infected plants may exhibit symptoms of mild to severe drought stress. In severe cases, these infections may predispose plants to secondary infections by stalk rot pathogens, which leads to lodging and yield loss. Yield losses of up to 45% have been reported with severe disease.

A. Faske: Grain yield losses have ranged from 20% to 40% in Arkansas when Southern rust occurred at tassel and the severity and percent of leaf area (ear and nearby leaves) affected at dent was above 40%. However, grain yield losses ranged from 5% to 10% when Southern rust started later at milk, with a similar degree of severity at dent.

Q. What fungicide strategies do you recommend to control Southern rust in corn?

A. Krieg: Applying Trivapro® or Miravis® Neo fungicides before the disease establishes in corn helps give the best return on investment (ROI) and yield protection. In 2021, two-pass fungicide applications helped provide the best ROI and yield response due to the early onset of the disease and the extended period of infection throughout the region.

A. Faske: Scout corn at tassel and later reproductive stages for Southern rust. If detected and conditions favor disease development — and corn growth stages are tassel, silk, blister or milk — protect yield potential with a fungicide. Good coverage is important to protect leaves at mid-canopy. Several fungicides have good efficacy against Southern rust. These fungicides contain a strobilurin fungicide plus at least one other class of fungicide.

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Cover image: Headshots courtesy of Travis Faske and Phil Krieg. 

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With increasing pressure from Pythium and Phytophthora infections posing a significant threat to soybean yield, growers are looking for an additional tool to protect their crop.

The Environmental Protection Agency recently granted federal registration for that tool: CruiserMaxx® APX seed treatment, Harnessing the novel active ingredient picarbutrazox, CruiserMaxx APX adds unmatched Pythium and Phytophthora protection to the proven broad-spectrum disease and insecticide protection base seed treatment. CruiserMaxx APX offers more uniform emergence, stronger roots and quicker speed-to-canopy.

CruiserMaxx APX will be available for limited trials in 2022 and more broadly available in 2023. To learn more, visit SyngentaUS.com/CruiserMaxxAPX.

© 2022 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. CruiserMaxx® and the Syngenta logo are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company.

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Because California only receives around 21 inches of rainfall annually, growers in the state know how to do a lot with a little. For example, they use irrigation and smart water techniques to ensure orchards, row crops and livestock succeed.

“We have no other choice in California ― being water conscious is a necessity,” says Ethan Nichol, a California independent crop consultant.

Water management from California to Maine and every state in between is complex. It requires data about soil moisture and crop moisture uptake, and information about current and upcoming weather conditions. New technologies are more important than ever when it comes to water management in flood, drip and center-pivot irrigation.

Understand Farm Water Consumption

It’s difficult to measure improvement without benchmarking. Growers must know where fields stand today to measure savings from better water-use efficiency.

“One of the biggest struggles I’ve seen is farmers don’t always know how much water they’re putting down on fields,” says Dayna Gross, sustainability manager of partnership and programs for Syngenta North America. “Step one is increasing monitoring to understand what is actually being put out on the field.”

To understand where your operation stands, USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education group recommends the following steps:

  1. Collect data. Map fields, location of water supply networks, inventory pumping plans, and meters or measuring points. USDA also recommends noting field slope and soil information, including texture, type and infiltration rates. If the field uses irrigation, then document the irrigation method, the schedule, and well construction and testing records.
  2. Audit the operation. Perform a physical irrigation audit to verify water use by reviewing water- and energy-use efficiency on the farm.
  3. Create a report. Data collection and audit information will provide evidence needed to generate a report about equipment, irrigation schedules and water uses across the operation. This report will provide practical information, such as when to schedule maintenance and how to improve irrigation systems overall.

“That measurement piece and record keeping are key,” says Steven Wall, sustainability development manager for Syngenta North America. “And new tools can help you understand soil moisture and plant health so you can use all of this information to get the right amount of water to the plant at the right growth stage.”

Use Technology to Inform Decisions

The days of walking fields to check for moisture stress aren’t over yet, as soil probes are still widely used, but certain tools help focus scouting efforts. From satellites and drones to stationary soil monitors and plant-sensing technologies, growers can increasingly turn information into action.

“Remote sensing is a great tool, and imagery is a great way to get a feel for how crops are doing,” Wall says. “Aerial imagery is one way to see discoloration or other indicators of plant stress.”

Seed and agronomy companies are taking note. Syngenta, for example, launched the Water+™ Intelligent Irrigation Platform, allowing users to control irrigated corn production and grow corn with less water. It’s a collaboration with growers, industry partners and Lindsay Corp.

Growers have more precise information about irrigation on-farm with the Water+ Intelligent Irrigation Platform, which brings together Syngenta genetics, crop protection inputs, agronomic advice, and irrigation technology and equipment. It informs planting, controls pivots, and provides crop monitoring — including irrigation recommendations and updates — from laptops or phones.

Monitoring crops for moisture use enables greater efficiency than soil sensing alone. In California, Nichol saw an 800 pound-per-acre difference in almond yields field-to-field when he gave trees moisture as needed instead of using a flat rate across the operation. He began using an irrigation decision support tool from Phytech in 2016 to make these changes.

The Phytech sensor-based system works directly on the plant, informing operators about plant health and water needs based on moisture uptake.

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Step one is increasing monitoring to understand what is actually being put out on the field.

Dayna Gross Sustainability Manager of Partnership and Programs
at Syngenta North America

Comparing two orchards where he used the Phytech technology, Nichol found that the one he expected to produce higher yields was demanding 20% less water than the other. It turned out that due to pest pressure, the orchard was not performing as well as usual. By giving the trees what the monitors indicated was needed, he saved critical water resources.

“If I was only looking at the soil moisture probes, I would have over-irrigated for sure,” he says. “Without that feedback, we would have wasted water and money.” Smart water resource allocation not only reduces costs, but it also means farmers, ranchers and orchard operators are being more sustainable.

“What’s exciting as we start using more technologies for irrigation is creating greater efficiencies,” says Wall. “If we reduce pumping because we see that we’re using too much water, we save energy and water consumption costs while maintaining productivity. On top of that, we benefit aquifers and the environment overall. It’s a win-win.”

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