Syngenta Thrive

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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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Many tree nut and citrus growers recently watched their margins erode due to increasing input costs, questionable water availability and lackluster crop prices. Phytophthora root rot, which can reduce tree efficiency and yield potential, puts further pressure on their bottom lines.

“Here in California, growers are running on razor-thin profits,” says Garrett Gilcrease, Syngenta agronomy service representative based in Hanford, California. “Even a minor Phytophthora infestation can cost thousands of dollars a year.”

In Florida, citrus producers face added challenges from Diaprepes root weevils and Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening, both of which damage tree roots.

“When you combine HLB, which can cause major root loss, with Diaprepes root weevil and Phytophthora, it’s a recipe for tree loss,” says Zach Langford, Syngenta sales representative based in Lake Wales, Florida.

Get Ahead of Phytophthora

Gilcrease and Langford say growers can get ahead of Phytophthora root rot with an integrated approach that includes proper irrigation management, resistant rootstocks, soil and root sampling, and fungicide treatments, if warranted.

A water mold, Phytophthora thrives under wet conditions, infecting tree roots and reducing their ability to pull water and nutrients from the soil.

Gilcrease says the pathogen was common when California orchards were flood irrigated. It waned as growers converted to pressurized irrigation systems and began planting on berms. But Phytophthora root rot resurged recently because drip and micro-sprinklers only wet the top foot or so of the soil surface, he says, noting that the key to preventing the disease is proper irrigation management. This includes not overwatering, especially in the spring before trees have fully leafed out and use less water. Growers also should avoid soil compaction and use practices that aid water infiltration.

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Even a minor Phytophthora infestation can cost thousands of dollars a year.

Garrett Gilcrease Agronomy Service Representative at Syngenta

As a soilborne pathogen, Phytophthora may infest nut and citrus tree roots years before above-ground symptoms appear. Tree health declines as the infection progresses, causing reduced fruit set, poor vegetative growth, early leaf drop and even tree death.

Take Advantage of Free Soil Programs

Langford and Gilcrease recommend scouting and soil sampling to catch issues early. Syngenta offers a Soil Pathogen Assessment (SPA) program to gauge Phytophthora propagules in California and Arizona orchards. In Florida, Syngenta provides the similar Citrus Soil Assay program.

Charlie McKee, a Florida-based citrus producer in Lake Wales and production manager with Donley & Myers Grove Caretaking, says he has used the Citrus Soil Assay program for 10 to 15 years. It provides information on his own groves and gives him statewide data about citrus tree health.

“It helps you see what’s going on with the root mass and propagules, so you can get the best timing for treatment,” says McKee. “It helps maximize your dollar as much as possible.”

In California and Arizona, Gilcrease says the SPA program began about 10 years ago for citrus growers. It has since expanded into tree nuts. Each year, Syngenta representatives in the two states collect about 1,200 samples for testing. They initially collected only soil samples, which were assayed for Phytophthora propagules ― a type of vegetative reproductive body. If a Phytophthora species wasn’t active at the time of sampling however, lab soil tests often didn’t detect them. Gilcrease says Syngenta representatives now collect soil as well as root samples. As part of pathogen assessment, the laboratory runs ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay) tests on roots to detect a protein unique to Phytophthora.

Langford says he also looks at the disease load metric, which is a treatment threshold based on the number of propagules found in the soil, when making treatment recommendations.

“This metric adds another layer of information to help make the best recommendation,” Langford says.

Develop a Resistance Management Program

When lab results warrant a fungicide treatment, Gilcrease and Langford say growers have a handful of options they can rotate for resistance management. Phosphorous acid is a Group 33 fungicide also widely used as a fertilizer. According to University of California – Riverside (UCR) studies, several Phytophthora species have developed resistance or reduced sensitivity as a result.

Ridomil Gold® SL fungicide, a Group 4 soil-applied fungicide from Syngenta, protects trees from soilborne oomycete diseases, including Phytophthora root rot. It is injected through micro-sprinkler or drip systems.

Ridomil Gold GR fungicide is a soil-incorporated granular formulation. The active ingredient in both Ridomil Gold GR and Ridomil Gold SL products ― mefenoxam ― builds up around roots stopping current and preventing future infections.

And Orondis® fungicide — a Group 49 soil-applied fungicide also from Syngenta — controls 11 Phytophthora species, according to UCR trials*. Injected through micro-sprinkler or drip systems and using oxathiapiprolin as its active ingredient, Orondis reduces soil propagules and moves systemically within the tree to improve tree vigor and health.

For more information about the Soil Pathogen Assessment or Citrus Soil Assay programs, contact your local Syngenta representative.

*https://rd.almondboard.com/files/2019%20%20PATH15%20AdaskavegBrowne-Disease%202.pdf

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Midwest corn growers are coming off their worst season for tar spot since 2018, when many saw it for the first time. By 2021, they had some experience with the disease but were hit hard and suffered severe yield losses, according to Purdue University’s Darcy Telenko, Ph.D.

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Last year we saw a big response (in plant health) to two applications of Miravis Neo, and it gives us one of the widest windows of protection for the plant.

Andrew Tucker Precision Agronomist, Nutrien Ag Solutions

“I think when we get final data in, we’ll probably see more yield loss in 2021 than the other three years combined,” says Telenko, field crop extension pathologist.

Still reeling from their 2021 encounter with tar spot, growers got more bad news: Scientists found viable spores in the season’s field debris. This means the disease will likely be back next season.

“We know it survived in the debris, so it is overwintering,” Telenko says. “From now on, it’s going to be about how much inoculum is in your field, plus the weather conditions.”

Nick Groth, Syngenta agronomy service representative in Wisconsin, says tar spot’s Phyllachora maydis spores have definitely been on the move in his state. The disease expanded its host range over the past few years, and it is currently affecting cornfields throughout Wisconsin.

Don’t Stop Scouting

Tar spot hit with full force in 2021 in the second week of August for many growers, and those who weren’t ready for it realized significant yield loss. That’s why Groth encourages farmers to scout until silage harvest.

“By mid- to late-August, growers may think they’re done scouting, that they don’t need to worry anymore because the yield is made, since by then it could be a month passed tassel,” he says.

But according to Groth, research from Purdue shows that even at full-dent stage, tar spot can result in up to a 20% yield loss*.

“A lot of yield is formed at the end of the year when you’re packing starch there, so you definitely want to stay on your scouting,” Groth says. “We like to say until silage harvest time — that’s about half milk line — and by then, yield loss will be a lot less.”

Andrew Tucker, precision agronomist at Nutrien Ag Solutions in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, helps his customers with scouting by participating in Cropwise™ Imagery — the Syngenta satellite imagery product that helps growers monitor field health by comparing satellite photos taken every three to five days.

“Cropwise Imagery has detected issues in the field that we could scout and figure out exactly what was going on way before harvest,” Tucker says, adding that he recently used it to monitor a trial of hybrids with tar spot. “You could see the differences clear as day.”

Know Your Pest

Josh Pickel, crop specialist at Insight Farm Services in Marshall, Wisconsin, says treatment for tar spot should be one part of a field management plan, not its sole focus. In his area, tar spot had a big impact in corn-on-corn fields where rootworm beetles had already damaged the crop.

“I think we put a lot of blame on tar spot, where if we controlled the root worm feeding early, we probably wouldn’t have had such severe tar spot,” Pickel says.

In hard-hit areas where corn was going from grass-green to brown in 10 days, Pickel conferred with Groth to find a solution.

“We needed to get a three-mode-of-action fungicide on to reduce the tar spot and protect the plants,” Pickel says.

Miravis® Neo fungicide fit that need. With the active ingredients azoxystrobin, propiconazole, and Adepidyn® technology, Miravis Neo provides broad-spectrum disease control and plant-health benefits for increased yield opportunity and harvestability in corn and soybeans.

“It’s been proven in the market and has a long-lasting residual activity,” Pickel says. “We’ve seen really good results with it.”

Tucker has, too.

“Last year we saw a big response [in plant health] to two applications of Miravis Neo, and it gives us one of the widest windows of protection for the plant,” Tucker says.

The agronomists agree that a management plan should consider field history and all potential threats. And tar spot isn’t the only obstacle to maximizing yields in corn, says Tyler Harp, technical development lead for Syngenta.

“Miravis Neo does much more than provide good tar spot control such as providing broad-spectrum disease control on difficult diseases like Fusarium ear rot and gray leaf spot, and it provides significant plant health benefits,” Harp says. “This is one reason why Miravis Neo helps provide consistently higher yields across the Corn Belt — tar spot or no tar spot — compared with other products in the market. Being good on tar spot is very important, but it needs to do more than that to consistently maximize yield potential. That’s the power and benefit of Adepidyn technology and Miravis Neo.”

Choosing a hybrid for its tar spot resistance may seem like a no-brainer, but Tucker says growers should make sure they’re considering what’s best for their ground so they don’t sacrifice yield before they plant.

“We can treat for tar spot,” he says. “You can’t treat for a hybrid that’s not the right fit for a field. It isn’t going to yield for you if you don’t have the right genetics out there.”

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*Adapted from Carter and Hesterman. 1990. Handling Corn Damaged by Autumn Frost. NCH-57. Purdue Univ. Cooperative Extension Service, W. Lafayette, IN 47907.

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Recalling a visit to a peanut field outside of Tifton, Georgia, in the late 1980s, Timothy Brenneman, Ph.D., University of Georgia (UGA) plant pathologist, says, “I remember walking out of that field scratching my head because this was a new type of beast that we were not used to dealing with.”

Brenneman was responding to a report of an unknown disease infestation. He and Albert Culbreath, Ph.D., a fellow UGA plant pathologist, walked the field but could not identify the disease, let alone the cause. The unknown beast turned out to be tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). That day set the stage for a three-decade war between the disastrous disease and a cross-discipline team of researchers, extension personnel and industry leaders. This collaboration brought the Southeast’s peanut industry back from the brink of disaster. The team won the battle, but the war continues.

Detection of Threat to Peanut Industry

First discovered in Texas in 1971, TSWV didn’t pose a significant threat to the rest of the U.S. peanut crop until it moved into the Southeastern peanut states. Severe outbreaks of TSWV in peanuts occurred as the insect vectors for the virus — most commonly tobacco thrips (Franklinella fusca) or western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) — transmitted TSWV. In some regions of Georgia, peanut fields saw infection rates ranging from an estimated 40% to nearly 100%.

Culbreath remembers that when he began working with Jim Demski, Ph.D., UGA plant virologist, and Jim Todd, Ph.D., UGA entomologist, they suspected the horrendous possibilities of TSWV. “We really didn’t know exactly what the potential damage was,” Culbreath says, as he recalls that first encounter with TSWV. “Ultimately, we suspected it had great potential, and, unfortunately, we were correct.”

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Every year, it seems a different factor is thrown in with this virus, and it’s a challenge to keep it in check. But thankfully, there are people from all over contributing to the management of this virus.

Wilson Faircloth Ph.D. Agronomic Service Representative Syngenta

The disease spread rapidly, and leaders in the Southeast feared losing the region’s peanut industry, which is a significant economic driver. However, an interdisciplinary team known as the Spotted Wilt Eradication Action Team (SWEAT) rose to the challenge.

Hard Work and SWEAT

SWEAT, an acronym that Culbreath notes is highly fitting when he recalls the team’s long hours in the field, quickly garnered support from Southeast peanut researchers determined to find solutions for the puzzling disease.

“It was not like we all got together and said, ‘We’re going to put this team together to work on spotted wilt,’” Culbreath says of SWEAT’s origin. “Most of us involved recognized the necessity of it [SWEAT], both in terms of the scope of the problem and because, early on, no single project had the resources to achieve the progress we’ve since made with spotted wilt. The teamwork was born out of necessity. We didn’t have a choice.”

SWEAT has gone through many changes in the past 30 years, with notable players in the peanut industry pitching in and creating management strategies for the challenges the virus poses each year. Many management strategies developed by the team, such as the discovery of resistant varieties, remain successful today.

Solutions for TSWV

William Branch, Ph.D., UGA endowed seed development professor in peanut breeding and genetics, developed Georgia Green, the first popular cultivar with resistance to the virus. Georgia Green worked in concert with the other practices identified for managing TSWV such as mid-May planting, increased plant population, at-plant insecticide (phorate) application, twin-row-pattern spacing and strip tillage. This integrated approach was critical in reducing disease losses since no single component provided the protection needed. The genetic resistance in Georgia Green was a key component, and peanut breeders in the Southeast responded by developing more cultivars resistant to spotted wilt.

Investments in molecular studies have improved researchers’ understanding of the virus. “But there’s still a lot we don’t know,” Brennemen explains, “and in many ways, we still rely heavily on genetic resistance.”

Although management strategies haven’t completely eradicated the virus, research over the last few decades has produced tools to identify peanut disease pressures throughout the growing season.

Risk Index Established 26 Years Ago

The Spotted Wilt Risk Index for peanuts, created in 1996, assigns risk values based on the symptoms of TSWV to determine the most effective integrated approach to manage the virus. Culbreath helped develop the index, but credits Steve “Bug” Brown, Ph.D., UGA extension entomologist, as the “father” of the project. Using the index, now known as Peanut Rx, farmers can determine a field’s disease and TSWV risk level. Peanut Rx was initially developed and is reviewed each year by peanut specialists at the University of Georgia, the University of Florida, Mississippi State University, Clemson University and Auburn University. Today, Peanut Rx helps growers evaluate their risk not only for TSWV, but also for leaf spot and white mold.

TSWV Today

Wilson Faircloth, Ph.D., Syngenta agronomic service representative, explains that, even after all these years, the common challenge for growers managing TSWV in peanuts remains the unpredictable factors that initially cause the disease.

“Last year, some peanut fields had trouble with germination, and that was a big contributor,” Faircloth says. “But this season, seed germination and quality were better, which led to good stands and just a perfect early season. We also had some adequate rains. Then one day we walked out and went, ‘Oh no, what’s going on?’ Every year, it seems a different factor is thrown in with this virus, and it’s a challenge to keep it in check. But thankfully, there are people from all over contributing to the management of this virus.”

The day of TSWV’s eradication isn’t here yet, but the progress made so far is a testament to a successful, ongoing collaboration within the peanut industry.

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Most researchers whose life’s work is addressing the prevalence and impact of plant viruses say they aren’t a new agricultural problem. But viruses evolve and adapt rapidly, posing a challenge that’s intensifying over time — intensifying as in causing $60 billion in crop losses worldwide, according to a 2019 estimate.1 Pre-pandemic, we might have referred to this growing threat as “going viral” — after all, we are talking about viruses. Since this feels like a good time to retire that phrase, let’s instead say we have a problem with microorganisms going macro.

It’s an impact that can devastate a field. For instance, the Soybean Research & Information Initiative reports:2

  • Yield losses of nearly 52% in southern germplasm due to bean pod mottle virus (BPMV)
  • Losses from soybean mosaic virus (SMV) as high as 94%.
  • Complete yield loss in many cases when both BPMV and SMV infect soybeans, because symptoms are more severe than those either virus produces alone

The double whammy of BPMV and SMV is one instance of a phenomenon known as viral synergism.

Viral synergism and climate change are among the factors contributing to the prevalence and severity of viral disease, according to associate professor and South Dakota State University Extension plant pathologist Emmanuel Byamukama, Ph.D.

“Viral synergism, when multiple species are playing tag team in an infected plant, has been observed more frequently and can result in increased accumulation of one or more viruses, causing more severe symptoms than if only one was present,” Byamukama says.

In regard to climate change, he says, warmer temperatures for longer periods of time extend the reproduction period and life span of insect vectors, allowing more opportunity for virus transmission.

Taking a Multidisciplinary Approach

Kiran Shetty, Ph.D., Syngenta technical development lead for potatoes, points out that viruses continually evolve. Through mutation, recombination and genetic material changes, viruses reorganize and adapt.

For instance, the number of Potato Virus Y (PVY) strains detected in U.S. potato fields has increased substantially. “Before the 2000s, we only had one strain of PVY impacting commercial potato production, and it primarily resulted in yield loss,” says Jonathan Whitworth, Ph.D., a research plant pathologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS). “Since then, we have identified several new strains of PVY in grower fields that are also causing necrosis, which impacts tuber quality as well.”

The good news is that through advancements in technology and global connectivity, researchers and breeders can share information more rapidly, identify potential challenges more quickly, and leverage tools and resources to fight the battle head on. That connectivity is essential to the multi-agency and multi-disciplinary approach needed to control viruses.

Regulators concentrate on containing viruses. Certified seed organizations help ensure a clean start. Entomologists evaluate insect control measures. And breeders focus on developing resistant varieties.

Containing A Virus

Because there is no cure for viruses nor a way to control them once they infect a plant, preventive measures are the best way to reduce viral risk. “The best line of defense against a virus is to keep it out,” Byamukama says. “On a global scale, we do this by ensuring that plant materials being imported from other countries or being transported from one region of the U.S. to another are clean and don’t hide pathogens and arthropods.”

On-farm, commercial growers can minimize the risk of infection by using certified seed. In the case of potatoes, stem cutting and micropropagation techniques, in which plantlets are grown in tissue culture, help obtain pest-free potato plants for propagation and production of certified seed tubers. Several generations of plants are grown in the field to produce certified seed tubers for commercial growers.

“PVY can be highly detrimental to seed growers, as it greatly impacts their ability to sell higher-quality seed,” Whitworth says. “For the commercial grower, the biggest impact is probably yield loss. Our studies have shown that for about every 1% of PVY you have in a commercial crop, you can lose about 1.5 sacks, or 150 pounds, of potatoes. And the quality defects caused by necrosis can result in a lot being rejected by the buyer.”

“Detection and proper diagnosis during the certification process help ensure that seed pieces do not carry viruses into a newly planted commercial field,” Shetty says. “The states in the Pacific Northwest, for instance, work very closely to ensure that seed lots are not infected with potentially damaging viruses like PVY.”

Hygiene is important at the farm level as well. Cleaning equipment before transporting it between fields is an important prevention measure growers can implement to reduce spread.

Controlling the Vector Factor

The next step to protecting commercial crops from viruses is controlling the vectors. In most cases, the vectors that transmit plant viruses from one living plant to another are insects. Though some vectors are more efficient than others, all must be controlled to stop the spread.

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The neonicotinoid class of chemistry was introduced just before the turn of the century. And since the introduction, there has been a marked reduction of PLRV in potatoes in North America.

Kiran Shetty, Ph.D. Technical Development Lead for Potatoes at Syngenta

Byamukama warns, “By the time you see symptoms in the field, it is too late. Once one plant in the field is infected, you can’t cure it – you can only prevent the virus’s spread to other plants.”

Applications to stop the spread can sometimes start with seed treatments.

For instance, Byamukama says, “Bean leaf beetles, the vector of BPMV, survive the winter as adults and emerge in the spring to feed on seedling plants. A seed treatment insecticide kills the vector upon feeding, which means it will only affect that one plant, if the beetle was already carrying the virus in its body – as opposed to the beetle’s feeding and transmitting the virus to several plants in the same field.”

In potatoes, the use of neonicotinoid insecticides has been instrumental in the control of the aphid species that transmit potato leafroll virus (PLRV). PLRV can cause yield loss and tuber net necrosis, making harvested potatoes unsuitable for fresh market, processing or seed.

“The neonicotinoid class of chemistry was introduced just before the turn of the century,” Shetty says. “And since the introduction, there has been a marked reduction of PLRV in potatoes in North America. Syngenta has been a leader in the development of potato seed treatments containing neonicotinoids that protect young plants from the get-go.”

For viruses that primarily affect plants in early stages of development, producers can adjust planting to avoid times when vectors are active. Vectors will move to other hosts, eliminating concurrency of the crop and vectors in the field.

Breeding for Built-in Protection

In-field measures are the opening act in controlling plant viruses. The endgame is breeding varieties with genetic resistance.

All plants have natural defense mechanisms, including resistance to viruses. Breeders select for these beneficial genetics for built-in protection. “In extension, we like to refer to resistant varieties as the low-hanging fruit,” Byamukama says. “They do not cost much more than susceptible varieties, and, if plants do become infected, they help reduce the severity of symptoms to protect crop yield and quality.”

In the world of produce, quality is of utmost importance and can make or break a crop. Preventing viruses in fruiting vegetable crops, such as tomatoes, is a must due to the market’s strict quality standards.

“When growing fruiting crops, pesticide use is highly restricted once the fruit is developed. “The ability to leverage genetic resistance as a primary solution is critical,” says Gregori Bonnet, Syngenta seeds principal scientist, who leads a team of trait project leads dedicated to developing genetic resistance in fruiting crops.

According to Ruud Kaagman, global crop unit head for tomatoes, Syngenta screens thousands of tomato lines, and wild material, annually to identify those that exhibit natural resistance to viruses.

“Syngenta has a global center of excellence with the resources and knowledge to solve major disease issues,” Kaagman says. “We are able to identify sustainable solutions in addressing potential outbreaks long-term by combining different resistances and resistance mechanisms.”

Tobamoviruses, a diverse group of viruses that caused severe outbreaks in tomatoes in recent years, are a primary focus for Syngenta. Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), which first emerged in Israel in 2014, has spread to tomato fields and greenhouses across the Middle East, Europe, Mexico, North America and other parts of the world. ToBRFV damages the quality and yield of tomato crops and has forced the temporary shutdown of some major greenhouse operations.

Earlier this year, Syngenta introduced its second beefsteak tomato variety with resistance to ToBRFV and plans to introduce broad resistance into its full portfolio of tomato varieties over the next several years.

In potatoes, the USDA is working closely with industry partners to encourage the adoption of resistant varieties through grower education.

“We have multidisciplinary grants focused on viruses that cause necrotic defects in tubers and have done PVY demonstration plots in Washington, Wisconsin and Maine with as many as 20 varieties, specific to each region,” Whitworth says. “These real-time educational experiences show growers how the virus is expressed in plants and allow us to focus on how resistant varieties, combined with cultural practices, can prevent viral infection and protect crop yield and quality.”

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1 Pierre Lefeuvre, Darren P. Martin, Santiago F. Elena, Dionne N. Shepherd, Philippe Roumagnac, Arvind Varsani. Evolution and ecology of plant viruses. Nature Reviews Microbiology, 2019

2 https://www.soybeanresearchinfo.com/diseases/soybeanviruses.html

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“We have access to top Syngenta Seedcare™ specialists and scientists who explain how the products benefit growers,” says Kyle McClelland, seed and technical agronomy manager for Brandt. “It’s invaluable for us to have that level of dialogue because we can bring that information to our customers, separating insight and knowledge from the noise in the marketplace, and help them make the right decisions.”

For over a decade, Illinois-based retailer Brandt provided quality Syngenta products to their customers, worked with Syngenta to resolve agronomic issues and built a level of trust that set the stage for an expanded partnership. Now Syngenta supports most of the Brandt seed treatment business. This didn’t happen overnight. The two companies built the decision on a longstanding relationship and their common goal ‒ helping growers succeed.

Fostering Growth

Wade Meteer, sales representative for Syngenta, first performed a needs assessment for Brandt and determined a path forward. The path included a direct line to The Seedcare Institute™, a Syngenta network of facilities that test seed treatment performance in controlled environments to match the needs and requests of customers. The Institute’s U.S. facility, located in Stanton, Minnesota, worked directly with Brandt employees and performed a live demonstration of Syngenta Seedcare formulation technology to answer questions and highlight benefits.

Meteer praises Brandy for its customer focus. “Brandt works in the interest of growers to maximize their potential return on investment. Syngenta resonates with that mindset, and our seed treatment products fit this shared goal,” Meteer says.

McClelland knew he could depend on Meteer and the Syngenta team’s product knowledge and support to help deliver top-notch customer service to growers. Before McClelland moved up to his current role with Brandt, Meteer sometimes accompanied him on calls.

“Our customers trust us to make the right decisions for their farms,” McClelland says. “I think when they rely on us that heavily, it’s helpful that we can rely on the people at Syngenta. It makes for a great partnership from top to bottom.”

Dave Byrum, Syngenta Seedcare specialist and technical resource for Brandt, emphasizes the value of collaboration.

“Wade and those at Brandt have built a rapport and trust with each other, so broadening the Syngenta seed treatment portfolio was a true team effort,” Byrum says.

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Our customers trust us to make the right decisions for their farms. I think when they rely on us that heavily, it’s helpful that we can rely on the people at Syngenta.

Kyle McClelland Seed and Technical Agronomy Manager at Brandt

Brandt and Syngenta worked together for years bringing crop protection products to farmers, however, developing the seed treatment business was new territory. The longstanding partnership gave McClelland confidence that whatever challenges arose, Syngenta would provide the solutions needed to help keep his customers and their operations profitable.

Meteer says expanding the seed treatment business with Brandt requires frequent conversations re-evaluating the partnership’s objectives. Working together successfully means learning what each company needs and how to achieve their goals.

Building Trust

While mutual company objectives are important, a successful partnership goes beyond aligning business goals. The participants must also build trust among one another. McClelland takes pride in the fact that Brandt is a family-owned business that works with people who also care about their customers.

“When someone has the character, professionalism, knowledge and integrity of Wade Meteer, you do business with that person,” McClelland says.

Meteer emphasizes the role communication plays in his work with Brandt. When a Brandt employee calls him with questions, he’ll either have answers or find someone who does and report back quickly. Syngenta agronomic support teams constantly test and refine product recommendations in local geographies. Meteer says the information those teams provide is crucial in helping him give quick and accurate answers to the questions he receives.

For the past three years, nearly all seed treatment products Brandt has been carrying are from Syngenta. While Syngenta is proud of that achievement, there’s always room for improvement and better understanding.

“Maintaining the partnership requires not losing sight of what got us there. We still do yearly technical update meetings with Brandt from an agronomy and application service standpoint,” Byrum says. “We treat them like the top-shelf customer they are.”

Discovering Superior Performance

The personal bonds between the companies are strong, but Brandt wouldn’t partner with Syngenta if they didn’t provide top-tier products. McClelland is impressed with Syngenta seed treatments’ field performance as well as the convenience from a treatability, stability and packaging standpoint.

CruiserMaxx® Vibrance® insecticide/fungicide seed treatment and Saltro® fungicide seed treatment are two flagship products that drive a high crop response for growers. McClelland says CruiserMaxx Vibrance offers broad-spectrum protection from the major seedling diseases challenging growers in central Illinois. “The ease of use and the treatability of CruiserMaxx Vibrance in my opinion is second to none in the industry,” McClelland says. “And with Saltro, there are fewer agronomic issues, and it’s a no-brainer to use it on the majority of our acres here at Brandt.”

With room to grow, excellent company relationships, and proven product performance, this partnership is poised to provide solutions to farmers’ challenges for many years.

“We follow through on what we promise,” Meteer says, “and that’s what drives this long-term relationship.”

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Cover image: Wade Meteer, sales representative for Syngenta, (left) and Kyle McClelland, seed and technical agronomy manager for Brandt, (right) inspect a flourishing soybean field in Pleasant Plains, Illinois. The crop got an early boost from Saltro fungicide seed treatment and CruiserMaxx Vibrance insecticide/fungicide seed treatment. Photography by Seth Lowe. 

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Instead of spending hours trudging through wheat, barley and potato fields hoping he gets a good idea of what overall field health looks like, Brad Nielson takes a bird’s eye view, saving him time and boot tread. Aerial imagery aids diagnosis for Nielson, an agronomist for Walters Produce in Newdale, Idaho, making his scouting more efficient. “In a year like this, imagery pays for itself in crop quality and crop health,” he says. Nielsen relies on FarmShots™, a satellite imagery platform that integrates scouting and variable rate prescriptions for farmers, agronomists and retailers.

“We have center-pivot irrigation on almost every acre, but we must be good stewards because the Northwest is in a major drought,” he says. “We’re trying not to over irrigate, but we can’t afford to under-irrigate either. We’ve used FarmShots to try to find inconsistencies in our watering patterns.”

With center-pivot irrigation, a partially plugged or incorrectly sized nozzle is detrimental, but those issues are hard to recognize from the ground before crop damage occurs. Using satellite imagery, in this case FarmShots, Nielson takes a daily look at how fields respond to irrigation and the toll taken by abiotic stressors. If the imagery starts showing stress in a circular pattern, for example, he knows to look closely at the irrigation system to find the source of the stress.

Management with a Bird’s-Eye View

Drones and satellite imagery are increasingly popular as farmers strive to be more sustainable and cost-efficient. Because these tools provide a whole-field perspective, they help guide management decisions that must be made at harvest.

“When you think about the size and scale of some of the farms we see today and how much physical scouting one person can do, drones and satellite imagery make it possible to manage the crop despite those limitations,” says Rob Austin, North Carolina State University precision agriculture specialist. “They can cover a lot more acres.”

As farms consolidate, Austin anticipates that the use of drones or satellites — and possibly the two synergistically — will only increase. (If you’re wondering if one or the other would be a better fit for your farm, see the side-by-side comparison at the bottom of this page.)

Drones require more of a do-it-yourself approach than satellite imagery. Drones also have more restrictions and a greater learning curve. Austin warns potential operators to be sure to understand state and Federal Aviation Administration requirements before investing in drone technology.

Know What to Expect with Satellites

Because satellite imagery isn’t a do-it-yourself tool, it’s important for users to understand their options. For FarmShots specifically, several different types of images are available.

“The satellites provide an aerial view of what’s happening on the ground,” says Gina Sanson, FarmShots product marketing manager. “One of the most beneficial images is NDVI [normalized difference vegetation index]. It measures plant health by determining how much light a plant is absorbing versus how much it’s reflecting.

NDVI and other algorithms being applied to images mean you’re not simply relying on the naked eye to recognize color difference in fields, Nielson explains. This simplifies input decisions, harvest decisions and other plant health choices that may impact your bottom line each season.

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In a year like this, imagery pays for itself in crop quality and crop health.

Brad Nielson Agronomist at Walters Produce

“You can look at an image with some of these algorithms and filter out the noise that comes from having bare dirt in the field like in the early season,” Nielson explains. “This gives us a better idea of the actual plant health.

Nielson participated in a pilot project this past year that evaluated the value of daily high-resolution imagery. “This year we’re getting an image every day. Because FarmShots is getting photos processed and back to us quicker, it’s been very meaningful as we make decisions. That’s why we used FarmShots this year — they had faster turnaround time on images,” he continues.

FarmShots promises to offer satellite imagery in a simple and straight-forward interface that’s easy to understand. In addition, it’s mobile, desktop and tablet friendly. Users can take scouting notes, find problem locations with GPS tracking, and allow agronomists and input suppliers limited access.

Like the images created by drones and satellites, the future for this technology is clear — and only getting better. Whether in response to growing farm sizes, tight farm economics or the desire to be more sustainable, the use of an eye in the sky may help put money in your hand.

Satellite Imagery Drones (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles)
Coverage area Global Field-specific
Resolution Meters (from 1 to 30) Centimeters (1 to 10)
Timeliness Daily to weeks Instant
Payload 1000+ pounds 0.5 to 55 pounds (drone + payload maximum)
Airspace restrictions None Yes, uncontrolled airspace (class G) less than 400’ above ground level
Technology reliability Proven New, evolving quickly
Cloud-cover limitations Can obscure images Operates below clouds
Ease-of-use Most require subscriptions Additional skills, registration and time to learn required to collect data
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The location of farmland plays a large role in key agricultural assistance programs that many growers take for granted. If your ability to use farm programs, obtain ag financing and access land were hindered, what would you do? Welcome to the unique challenges that face minority farmers like Ryan Lankford and Christi Bland.

Historical Challenges

Lankford grew up on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in north-central Montana, home of the Assiniboine and Gros Ventre people. Today, he and his family farm 20,000 acres where they grow spring and winter wheat, barley, chickpeas, canola and other crops near the Bears Paw Mountains. The climate there can make farming very challenging.

“We live on 12 to 14 inches of rain a year,” says Lankford, who noted that the region received only half an inch of rain in 2017. “You try to do everything right, but there’s so much risk when you farm in an arid climate. That’s on top of the land ownership issues we face with the federal government.”

Those land issues are the result of long-standing government policies. Today, Lankford and his family lease the majority of their land from their tribe. Lankford also owns some of his own land. But all of this property is also held in trust by the U.S. government, which in practical terms means that the government must approve all land-use decisions, including leasing and selling.

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As we engage farmers and ag industry partners, it’s essential to truly listen to what people are saying.

Brandon Bell Diversity and Inclusion Lead
at Syngenta

“Lenders are reluctant to loan money for our farming operation, since land ownership with the government muddies the waters,” Lankford says. “We’ve also missed out on government payments like the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program due to restrictions imposed by our land-ownership situation. It’s a constant battle with government bureaucracy.”

Despite the challenges, Lankford still loves farming. After a stint in the military following 9/11 and earning a civil engineering degree from Montana State University in 2008, he had a realization. “I discovered how much I missed the farm,” Lankford says. “I also realized how serving in the military and farming are a call to service.”

A Family Farming Tradition in Mississippi

Christi Bland is a fourth-generation farmer from Tunica County, Mississippi, where she raises rice, soybeans, grain sorghum and wheat and is one of only 49,000 Black farmers in America, down from more than 925,000 in 1920. Like Native American farmers, Black farmers have faced historical challenges in agriculture.

“One of the challenges that Black farmers have faced historically is discrimination from the USDA [U.S. Department of Agriculture] when it came to lending practices, and having to worry about if their land was going to be taken,” Bland says. In the past, many Black farmers handed down land informally without a will and testament. Instead, the land was shared between the heirs rather than being split up. Without the traditional legal documents, it often proved very difficult for Black farmers to gain access to capital because they weren’t able to prove to the bank that they had adequate collateral for a loan, which in turn meant that they weren’t able to purchase land and expand their operations.

The USDA has admitted to this long history of discrimination and has been taking steps since the late 1990s to address systemic racism and discrimination.1

But Bland says that for many Black farmers access to capital continues to be a problem to this day. “One of the unique challenges that I think Black farmers face,” she says, “is the generational wealth gap that we see. They’re not making any more land. Therefore, all the land that’s available is usually already taken up by larger farmers that have inherited land and generational wealth.”

Bland adds that today Black farmers constitute less than 1% of all the farmers in the U.S. However, the situation is improving for those farmers. The USDA has approved some initiatives that provide support to Black farmers.

Bland’s father, James Bland, Jr., will eventually pass down the family’s 1,500-acre operation to her. “The more I worked on the farm, the more I loved it,” she says.

Stories Turned Into Insights

Opening the lines of communication to address these issues is invaluable in a diverse industry like agriculture. “Agriculture serves everyone,” says Brandon Bell, diversity and inclusion lead at Syngenta. “As we engage farmers and ag industry partners, it’s essential to truly listen to what people are saying.”

Bell helps turn their stories into insights. He focuses on sharing knowledge, not changing people’s minds. Syngenta values the opportunity to encourage diverse viewpoints. “I want to help people be open to a new way of thinking,” Bell says. “Diversity feeds the spirit of community. Inclusion feeds the spirit of creativity. Equity feeds the spirit of innovation.”

For Lankford, this spirit reflects the joy of farming with his family. For Bland, a deputy commissioner with the Tunica County Soil and Water Conservation District, it means honoring her rural roots. “I don’t want to be the biggest farmer,” Bland says. “I want to be the best farm manager so I can carry on my family’s legacy.”

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1Vilsack, Thomas J., “Opening Statement of Thomas J. Vilsack Before the House Committee on Agriculture – Remarks as Prepared,” March 25, 2021, usda.gov/media/press-releases/2021/03/25/opening-statement-thomas-j-vilsack-house-committee-agriculture

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As a parent, I teach my son that every story has two sides. As a leader in sustainable agriculture, I also find myself having to remember that every day. Too often, we miss our opportunity to tell our side of the story — the story of the American farmer, the progress that has been made in sustainability and the groundswell of new efforts underway to further success in sustainable agriculture. Though most consumers are at least three generations removed from the American farm, they are showing increased interest in learning where their food comes from and knowing more about the farmers who produce it.

So how do we start the conversation?

Authenticity, coupled with facts, is a great place to start. Put a few statistics, such as the percentage of family-owned farms in the U.S. (98%) coupled with your own family farm story, into the conversation. I have been amazed to learn how many of our customers are operating farms passed through generations all the way back to the Homestead Act of 1862!

Knowing the facts about your farm exponentially increases public interest. That story is better told with robust on-farm record keeping, which also helps tell your environmental sustainability story. Tell people about the practices you use to improve soil health or optimizing production through technologies like genetically modified seeds.

For the big picture, in this issue you can grab a few data points on the differences between organic and conventional crop production. And, as in every issue, we share information regarding American agriculture’s commitment to strong, economically sustainable production.

Every one of us has opportunities to tell our story in a genuine way, inviting conversation and further developing relationships between farmers and consumers. By taking time to listen and understand other perspectives, then sharing our own stories, we can build farmer-consumer relationships one conversation at a time.

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Marvin Frink served in the U.S. Army for 15 years, with deployments in South Korea, Germany, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. When he returned home, his father, the late Rev. Kirby Frink, saw that his son was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Rev. Frink remembered that as a child, his son enjoyed their frequent visits to cattle farms and rodeos. Rev. Frink thought reconnecting with cattle might be good for his son.

Turns out, dad was right.

His son now considers cattle farming his “agri-therapy.” “It gives me purpose and accountability,” he says. “I meet the Lord at the fence line every day.”

At the urging of his father and with help from the Farmer Veteran Coalition, a national nonprofit nongovernmental organization that helps veterans transition from military service to agricultural careers, Marvin Frink started cattle farming. He began with two beef cattle and today raises 103 head at his Briarwood Cattle Farm near Red Springs, North Carolina.

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It gives me purpose and accountability.

Marvin Frink Grower at Briarwood Cattle Farm

“I’ve been with the Farmer Veteran Coalition since 2013,” Frink says. “I remember Michael O’Gorman [the organization’s founder] taking me to visit with then-Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. They told me about the grants and resources available to veterans.”

The number of military veterans moving toward agriculture increased after 9/11, says Natalie Monroe, communications & marketing manager for the Farmer Veteran Coalition.

“Veterans are service-minded and accustomed to seeing through what needs to be done,” Monroe says. “Farming becomes their new mission — it provides new life and purpose while also enabling veterans to nourish their communities.”

Enhancing the Quality of Life

Another organization helping veterans, AgrAbility, has the goal of enhancing the quality of life for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers with disabilities. There are currently AgrAbility projects in 20 states.

The AgrAbility website features a video, “The Next Mission: Breaking Down Barriers for Veterans in Agriculture,” in which veterans explain why they wanted — and needed — to farm, says Cindy Chastain, the organization’s veteran outreach coordinator. The veterans in the video speak of farming as hard work but also as a restorative experience that gives their lives purpose.

“It would be great if more agricultural employers offered jobs to veterans as they come out of the military,” Chastain says. Farmers also can help veterans by offering internships or opportunities to build sweat equity to someday own their own farms, she adds.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which offers various programs for veterans, also provides training to military personnel while they’re making the transition from active service to civilian life.

Visit farmvetco.org, agrability.org and usda.gov/our-agency/initiatives/veterans for more information on programs that support veterans in agriculture.