Syngenta Annual Review 2010 - CEO Water Mandate

Syngenta
Annual Review 2010
Addressing growers’ needs
18
Germplasm performance underpins the rapid
progress in our US corn seed business. Following the
acquisitions of Garst and Golden Harvest in 2004, we
embarked on a major product overhaul that involved
pooling and then crossing the acquired germplasm.
Today, our unique portfolio offers genetic diversity and
demonstrates advantages over the competition in
yield performance.
Innovation in biotechnology
Syngenta’s germplasm is now accompanied by an
outstanding suite of biotech traits. The AGRISURE ®
3000GT triple stack reached market levels of
penetration in 2010, accounting for around 60 percent
of the offer. At the end of the year, in time for the 2011
season, we launched AGRISURE VIPTERA – our first
distinctive proprietary trait with unparalleled broad
lepidoptera control. Initial yield data and market
reception were highly positive. We were also the first
company to bring to market a water optimization
solution with the launch of AGRISURE ARTESIAN ,
a native trait offer with the potential for subsequent
biotech combinations. An output of our deep
understanding of water use efficiency at the genomics
level combined with extensive breeding programs,
AGRISURE ARTESIAN , offers 15 percent yield
preservation in mid- to high-drought conditions
without yield drag.
We are leveraging our traits across borders, with the
launch of double stack corn in Argentina and of
VIPTERA in Brazil. Launched initially as a single trait,
VIPTERA has now become part of the first triple stack
product to receive approval in Brazil. We are also
creating stacking possibilities in the Philippines with the
launch of GA21 herbicide tolerance in addition to our
existing Bt offer. Our goal is to enable corn growers
around the world to capture value from the improved
productivity necessary to sustain economic
development. We will do this by offering tailored
solutions that embrace the full range of technologies.
Watch video and find out more
Towards the perfect
ear of corn
Every year in the US, yield and grain quality
losses add up to an estimated 238 million
bushels of corn, or $1.1 billion. But like many
corn growers, Mike Schmidt from De Witt,
Iowa, had come to accept the significant
losses that unpredictable and damaging
pests like the black cutworm and corn
earworm can cause. These insects do their
damage unseen, and they are very difficult
to control using traditional insecticides.
The USDA approval of AGRISURE
VIPTERA in April and introduction into
the market in autumn 2010 generated
excitement. Nonetheless, growers are
fairly risk-averse and highly tactical in
how they evaluate new corn traits, so there
was some initial skepticism. With a novel
mode of action controlling more above
ground pests than any other product
on the market, Syngenta’s new seed
trait just sounded too good to be true.
But after seeing the results on his fields,
Mike is a believer.
www.syngenta.com/ar2010
“In our area we haven’t paid as
much attention to above-ground
pest pressure like corn earworm
and black cutworm before,
because by the time we had
noticed the damage, it was too
late or there was no way to
effectively control them.
AGRISURE VIPTERA controls
these pests well and gives us
season-long control of these
above-ground pests, so there
is no need to worry or scout
any of these fields.”
Mike Schmidt
Farmer, DeWitt, Iowa, USA
Featured above: Mike Schmidt (left) and
Rich Lee, Syngenta Field Agronomist.