Maize: the gift of the gods

Contents3 Maize: the gift of the gods6 From active substanceto product – the formulationis the key10 Fungi beware!Dialogue with customers– the Online Magazineextends opportunities forthe reader13 A “Typhoon” that blows outfungal infection14 Joining forces against Fusarium– Bayer CropScience organizesan international Symposium17 Resistance development inpests – a global challenge20 Producer premiums fromcertified cottonPublished by: Bayer CropScience AG, Monheim / Editor:Bernhard Grupp / With contributions from: R. Audige, K.-U.Brüggen, D. Eck, P. Krewer, C. Leveque, A. Röchling, S.Rudolph (periodista independiente), R. Vermeer / Designand Layout: Xpertise, Langenfeld / Lithography: LetternserviceDüsseldorf GmbH, Düsseldorf / Printed by: Broermann,Troisdorf / Reproduction of contents is permissibleproviding Bayer is acknowledged and advised by specimencopy / Editor’s address: Bayer CropScience AG, CorporateCommunications, Alfred-Nobel-Str. 50, 40789 Monheimam Rhein, Germany, FAX: 0049-2173-383454 / Website:www.bayercropscience.comForward-Looking StatementsThis news release contains forward-looking statementsbased on current assumptions and forecasts made byBayer CropScience AG management. Various known andunknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could leadto material differences between the actual future results,financial situation, development or performance of theBayer CropScience AG or our parent company, Bayer AG,and the estimates given here. These factors include thosediscussed in Bayer AG's public reports filed with the FrankfurtStock Exchange and with the U.S. Securities andExchange Commission (including Bayer AG's Form 20-F).Neither Bayer AG nor Bayer CropScience AG assumes anyliability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statementsor to conform them to future events or developments.Publishing articles on the internet presentsspecial challenges to authors and journalists.Internet text must be short and concise,put together in a modular way,arranged in sections under informativeheadings, and peppered with hyperlinks toprovide routes to further information. Thereader is presented with a summary of themost relevant points, and can decide forhimself how much he wants to read abouta particular subject.This is what distinguishes an onlinemagazine from a printed publication.Hyperlinks make it possible to refer to thebackground information on related topicsthat is already available on the internet. Soinstead of summarizing the same backgroundinformation in every article, anindication can be given as to where to findit in previous articles or a link can be providedto extensive background informationelsewhere.The online edition of Courier hasbecome a pretty useful resource for themany farmers, advisors and traders aroundfrom the world who regularly seek information.Its interactivity – direct contactbetween authors, editors and the reader -offers new possibilities for communication:email exchanges, obtaining the verylatest information, or direct access to thearchive.For example, old editions that have longbeen unavailable in their printed form canbe printed out at the user’s desk: only a fewmouse-clicks are needed. The quick-searchfunction allows direct access to a wealth ofinformation that the printed edition alonecould never match. The online editionallows the reader to search, choose andorganise the information spontaneouslyand independently.Actually, it is the combination of theprinted and online editions that offers thegreatest advantage to the reader. Insofar asthey complement each other, rather thancompete with or contradict each other, thecustomer is king, and is free to choose.The numerous queries we receive viaour customer magazine’s internet sitestrengthen our confidence that our readersrespond to, and profit from, the dialoguewe create. Further support for this comesfrom the steadily increasing number of hitswe have been receiving since the onlineedition of Courier started. And this is whatmotivates us in our work: being an attractivecustomer magazine for modern agriculture.■2 COURIER 1/05