Science Matters : Summer 2012

science matters Summer 2012

matters

Keeping up to date with Syngenta Research & Development

Our Crop Focus Looking at the R&D innovations behind some of our solutions in

Corn and Cereals

Contents 3 Our crop focus – corn and cereals

Introduction by Sandro Aruffo, Syngenta

Head Research & Development

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4 Solutions beyond yield for corn

With a diverse and innovative offer Syngenta is uniquely

placed to meet the complex challenges facing corn growers 6 Transforming cereals productivity

Our Cereals R&D strategy focuses on increasing the

productivity of wheat and barley 8 Delivering the full potential of wheat in India

Syngenta provides integrated solutions that will

raise wheat productivity in India 10 Maximizing corn yield from every drop of water

Agrisure Artesian™ has led to a step change in maximizing

corn yields under drought conditions

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12 Breeding hybrid vigor into barley

Hybrid varieties combined with new agronomic practices

are revolutionizing the barley seeds market 14 Maximizing product potential through cost-effective

delivery of the active ingredient

Syngenta formulation chemists developed a new ‘built-in’

adjuvant for leading cereal herbicide Axial® 16 Knowledge is power – tackling fungicide resistance

Research on resistance mechanisms may prolong the

efficacy of our isopyrazam fungicide 17 Reducing the complexity of combining traits in corn

Molecular stacking technology will be essential to the

development of our future multi-trait products 18 Turning the tide on glyphosate resistance

Scientific knowledge and good communication will preserve

the effectiveness of an important herbicide

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20 Increasing productivity sustainably in

the developing world

A pilot project in Tanzania aims at increasing agricultural

productivity while minimizing environmental impacts 22 Protecting pasta production

A network of experts is working on developing new customer

solutions to protect Italian durum wheat 24 Leveraging scientific knowledge across boundaries

Syngenta and CIMMYT are collaborating to help wheat

farmers in the developing world 25 The power of public-private partnerships

Syngenta, the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable

Agriculture and CIMMYT share their insights on public private partnerships 27 Partners of choice

Syngenta currently has over 400 external collaborations

worldwide with universities and major agricultural institutes 28 Out and about

A series of short articles highlighting some Syngenta

external partnerships in corn and cereals 30 Editor’s comments

Alan Raybould, the new Science Matters, editor shares

some thoughts

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Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

20

Our crop focus – corn and cereals It is my pleasure to welcome you to this issue of Science Matters, the first in a new series dedicated to our crop research. In this edition we focus on corn and cereals, in future ones we will look at other Syngenta strategic crops.

In line with the Syngenta integrated strategy, the farmer and his crops are very much at the center of our research efforts. We want to develop a fully integrated offer – combining chemistry, genetics and potentially other technologies – addressing the challenges of our customers in all our key crops. Research & Development is fully committed to this goal and we have aligned our organization and our ways of working to be able to better deliver integrated, crop-focused solutions. The Syngenta integrated approach is already showing its benefits; some of our solutions – for example Plene® in sugar cane or Tegra™ in rice – are doing well on the market and our research pipeline is full of promising innovative projects for various crops.

Corn is grown worldwide and a key crop for feed and food; corn yields have increased significantly with the advent of technology but they have failed to keep pace with rising world consumption. Wheat is the most widely grown crop; wheat productivity is very variable depending on geography and there is a huge opportunity for yield improvement. Both these crops are very important for Syngenta.

In this issue of Science Matters we highlight some of our R&D projects and initiatives serving corn and cereals in particular. You will get an idea of the breadth of the technologies and approaches we use to tackle the vast number of challenges faced by growers in these crops. You will also learn more about the work we are doing to help smallholders and about the importance of external collaboration for Syngenta.

Sandro Aruffo Head of Syngenta Research & Development

Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

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Solutions beyond yield for corn Corn yields have increased steadily over time. Nevertheless, there is still significant variation among countries and huge potential to improve productivity and increase the efficiency and sustainability with which key resources are used. Dan Dyer and Chuck Foresman explain how a diverse and innovative offer makes Syngenta uniquely placed to help solve the complex problems facing corn farmers.

Corn is a vital global commodity. It is grown worldwide to provide food and feed, as well as being processed into fuel, sweeteners and plastics.

The USA is the largest corn producer.

There, average yields are 10 t/ha, and maximum yields can reach 20 t/ha. In contrast, average yields in developing countries, such as India, can be as low as 2 t/ha. This demonstrates the opportunity to increase yields using existing technology and improved agronomic practice.

However, meeting predicted global demand will still require innovation to maximize yield potential and optimize land use to drive global productivity.

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Corn naturally cross-fertilizes, although it can be made to self-fertilize.

Hybridization between inbred lines over many decades has enabled significant increases in yield through hybrid vigor (heterosis). Furthermore, hybrids do not breed true, which means corn seed must be bought each season, making corn breeding profitable. Consequently, there has been substantial investment in corn technology, with significant innovation in biotechnology and conventional breeding, as well as in crop protection chemistry to protect the farmer’s investment in high-quality seed.

Innovative technology has led to higher yields and lower environmental impacts, particularly through reduced tillage, which protects soil and water quality.

However, the evolution of resistance in weeds is threatening to reduce these benefits.

Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

Insect control is vital in corn, with multiple species reducing yield as well as creating sites for infection by fungal pathogens. Grain moulds, such as ear and grain rot, reduce yield, quality and the utility of the crop as animal feed: the grain is not eaten, the uptake of nutrients is impaired, or the moulds produce harmful mycotoxins. Pre- and post-harvest protection of the grain is needed to ensure farmers realize a return.

Water optimization is a concern for corn farmers globally. Stabilizing yield during drought or when there is too much water are key problems. Solving them will require clever integration of a range of technologies along with effective agronomic practices.

Syngenta is committed to innovative solutions, integrating technology and using its deep knowledge of the market to deliver results that benefit corn farmers and the wider community.

From smallholders to large farms, corn is a vital crop across the world

The Syngenta R&D approach At Syngenta we want to reduce risk and enhance yield consistency for farmers. Our Corn R&D strategy includes bringing innovation to the developed world, broadening the application of basic technology and agronomic knowledge in developing markets, and shaping protocols for the very different markets in which corn is grown. Resistant weeds are a significant problem in corn, and Syngenta has invested substantially in research to predict their development and create protocols to minimize their spread.

Diversity of control methods is vital (see glyphosate article on p18). Use of herbicide mixtures and pre- and early post-emergence weed control slows resistance evolution. Farmer education on weed management strategies is also crucial. New traits and chemicals with novel modes of action will increase the diversity of control options, while adjacent technologies, such as Global Positioning System (GPS), image analysis and robotics may enable more targeted management.

Award winning technology Regarding insect and disease control, Syngenta has a leading portfolio of products, consisting of traits, granular and liquid planting-time treatments, foliar sprays and seed treatments, which provide effective pest management with maximum convenience for the farmer. Our Agrisure Viptera™ trait is a breakthrough in insect control and won the 2010 Agrow Award for Best Novel Agricultural Biotechnology. It provides unrivalled protection against 14 aboveground chewing pests. Syngenta has also introduced Aflaguard™ in corn,

an early example of biological controls developed with the USDA. The product is gaining popularity among farmers wanting to prevent contamination of corn grain with aflatoxin, a toxin produced by certain fungi, and which is extremely harmful to humans and animals.

Our Enogen® trait is the first output trait in corn, enabling plants to produce an enzyme that accelerates conversion of starch to sugar in ethanol plants. This makes corn-to-ethanol conversion faster and more energy efficient.

Dan Dyer Head Corn Seeds R&D

Dan holds BSc degrees in Agronomy and Chemical Science from Kansas State University, and MS and PhD degrees in Agronomy from the University of Arkansas. He has been actively involved in crop research for over thirty years, spanning genetics, breeding, physiology, compositional analysis and end-use applications. He held research positions

In addition to transgenic traits, Syngenta has developed a combination of native genes to provide drought tolerance, called Agrisure Artesian™. This technology provides up to 12% yield increase in drought conditions and enables drier land to be used effectively for corn production (see article on page 10). Syngenta and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) are now combining their capabilities to deliver drought tolerant corn in Asia.

As well as improving crop genetics, improvements in agronomy and land use remain vital to maximizing corn productivity in a sustainable way. For example, improved land use can be achieved by double cropping – growing two different crops over shorter cycles in one season. Syngenta is developing protocols, which include guidance on planting dates, agronomy and application of crop protection products, for corn farmers worldwide to help them improve yield stability and productivity.

in Monsanto, DuPont and Renessen prior to joining Syngenta in 2005, where he is currently Head Corn Seed R&D as well as Corn R&D Business Partner.

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Contact:

dan.dyer@syngenta.com

Chuck Foresman Corn Crop Protection R&D Lead

Chuck holds a bachelor’s degree in agronomy from Western Illinois University and a master’s degree in agronomy from the University of Wisconsin. Chuck has held several roles in Syngenta, including manager of weed resistance strategies, technical brand manager and various development roles.

He is currently the Corn Crop Protection R&D lead, driving development of herbicide, fungicide, insecticide and seed treatment solutions and providing agronomic expertise to the Global Corn Team.

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Contact:

chuck.foresman@syngenta.com

Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

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Transforming cereals productivity At Syngenta, our ‘Cereals’ business focuses on wheat and barley, two very important food crops. They produce over 800 million tonnes of grain annually, but yields are very variable, and it is clear that the growth in production will not keep pace with increasing demand from a growing population. Increasing productivity by applying innovative technology is at the heart of our Cereals R&D strategy, as David Nevill and Derek Cornes explain.

In the developing world, where yields are generally poor, improving basic agronomic practice and applying existing technology to maximize the potential of local varieties can bring huge benefits.

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Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

Wheat and barley are grown in 124 countries, covering 225 million and 55 million hectares respectively. The cereals market is complex, with many specialist varieties for different uses. Wheat is largely used for food, such as pasta and bread, while barley is used for brewing and animal feed. Farmers must focus not only on yield but also on delivering the consistency in quality and availability that downstream users need.

strengthen and leverage across all global markets.

Despite the importance of the crops, investment in cereal breeding to date has been limited. The traditional model of farmer-saved seed and income for breeders through royalties has not supported sophisticated R&D. As a result, the annual increase in yields has lagged behind other crops. For wheat, yields are rising at about 1% annually, well below the 2.1% increase required to keep up with population growth.

Research has found that hybrid barley requires a different agronomic approach to conventional varieties. Syngenta has developed ‘integrated growing systems’ specifically for hybrid barley, which allow a considerable increase in yield and return on investment for the farmer (see article on p12). Syngenta continues to develop and improve hybrid barley and to apply the knowledge gained to the development of hybrid wheat, a longer-term goal for the company.

The average global yield for wheat is 3 t/ha, with 2-8 t/ha the typical range.

Much of the variability in yield is related to climate, but there are significant opportunities to improve production. In the developed world, where technology and agronomy provide good yields, yield development must be delivered by innovative technologies.

The main biotic factors reducing cereals yield and quality are weeds and diseases. Insects are generally less problematic than in other crops, but can be a problem locally. The main abiotic stresses are drought and excessive heat at flowering, with cold stress at early stages also being important in some areas. Availability of nutrients can be limiting, particularly where nitrogen use is restricted for environmental reasons.

There are excellent crop protection products available to control weeds and diseases, and crop genetics can improve quality and tolerance to abiotic stress, as well as disease resistance.

However, to optimize crop yield and quality, an integrated approach, purposefully combining genetics and chemistry, is likely to give the best results.

Tackling the challenge of cereals productivity Syngenta is well placed to take on the challenges in the cereals market, being number one in cereals seeds and number two in cereals crop protection.

We have a broad portfolio of core technologies, which we will seek to

One of Syngenta’s most exciting recent achievements is the introduction of hybrid barley in Europe. Hybrids have higher vigor than conventional inbred varieties, which leads to higher yields.

They also yield more stably, giving consistently better results than inbreds across a range of conditions.

Modern technologies, such as markerassisted breeding and double haploid technology, are being used to speed up cereals breeding. These methods will allow rapid introduction of native traits to give disease tolerance or maximize the efficient use of resources such as water and nitrogen. To help us develop and deliver such technology to farmers, we are collaborating with key institutes across the world, such as CIMMYT, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (see article on p25). Syngenta has also just signed an agreement with the Stavropol institute in Russia to develop new varieties and expand the reach of our seeds business.

effective integrated solutions requires understanding of not only the grower’s needs, but also those of the value chain. Syngenta is working with key stakeholders to enable design of targeted protocols to meet the needs of all of the players in the value chain (see article on p22).

With a strong focus on tackling issues from a grower or customer perspective and its broad portfolio in chemistry, seeds and innovative integrated solutions, Syngenta is well placed to transform cereals production worldwide, setting unprecedented standards for yield, quality and sustainability.

David Nevill Head Cereals Seeds R&D

David gained a PhD from Cambridge University in Applied Biology and then undertook post-doctoral research at the University of Georgia. He joined Ciba-Geigy in 1982 and has held a number of research management positions in the legacy companies and Syngenta. He is currently the Head of Cereals Seeds R&D, where he leads the breeding and technical programs in plant genetics, plant transformation and cell biology. David is also the Cereals R&D Business Partner, focused on effective management across the commercial and R&D interface.

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Contact:

david.nevill@syngenta.com

Derek Cornes

Syngenta’s broad crop protection portfolio contains herbicides, fungicides, seedcare and crop enhancement products. However, the development of resistance to our products, especially in weeds and diseases, is a constant problem. Discovering new chemical modes of action to combat resistant strains will continue to be a strong focus of our research. We also want to develop detailed knowledge of chemical and genetic interactions underlying crop enhancement – the beneficial response of a crop to a chemical other than by control of a pest or disease. We hope this knowledge will lead to new crop varieties that maximize this effect.

Cereals Crop Protection R&D Lead

Derek Cornes graduated in Applied Biology from the University of Bath, UK. He joined the company in 1984 as a trials officer at Whittlesford, Cambridge. In 1993, he moved to Basel to become a global technical manager for Herbicide. A two year stint in Calgary, Canada as marketing manager for Axial®, was followed by a return to R&D in Basel to lead the Herbicide Technical Management Team.

Derek became Cereals Crop Protection R&D Lead in 2010.

Combining our core technologies to improve yield is only one element of our cereals strategy. Developing

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Contact:

derek.cornes@syngenta.com

Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

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Delivering the full potential of wheat in India India is the second largest producer of wheat in the world. Despite significant demand for this staple crop, yields per hectare have been largely unchanged over the past 10 years. Vikalp Mohan describes how Syngenta is utilizing the breadth of its expertise to provide wheat farmers with integrated solutions to raise productivity.

Ensuring food security is a key policy for the Indian government. India has a population of over 1.2 billion people, with yearly growth of 1.5%. Wheat production has increased by only 2.25% over the last 25 years, and over the past decade average yields have stagnated at about 2.9 t/ha, which is significantly below the 8-10 t/ha in Western Europe.

The increase in demand for wheat in India over the next decade is likely to outpace the growth in its productivity.

As a result, the government has almost doubled the support price paid to wheat farmers, to encourage greater investment in delivering productivity gains.

Wheat is grown in six different agro-climatic zones in India, with distinct soil types, climates, weeds, diseases and pests leading to substantial variation in yield, from 5 t/ha to as low as 1-2 t/ha. This variability means that local solutions are required based on detailed knowledge of the problems in each zone. As Vikalp Mohan, South Asia Cereals Business Strategy Lead, explains, “tailoring integrated programs combining crop protection, seed varieties, seed care, and agronomic practice, to local needs is at the heart of Syngenta’s approach.”

Making the most of technology On farms across India wheat yields are affected by a complex set of factors.

With its broad range of crop protection products, Syngenta is well-placed to tackle the diversity of weeds, fungi and insects affecting wheat production in India. Creating protocols that maximize the impact of these valuable tools is at the core of an integrated program. In the most productive North West Plains zone, protocols that address choice of effective herbicides (Topik® and Axial®) and application timing, dosage, and spray method, are making a vital contribution to managing herbicide resistance in the weed Phalaris.

It is a priority to increase wheat yield to help feed the extra people who will join the 1.2 billion people who currently live in India

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Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

Yellow Rust, Leaf Rust, Stem Rust, Karnal Bunt and Powdery Mildew are among the most critical diseases reducing wheat yields throughout India.

Yield losses of up to 30% occur if Yellow Rust and Powdery Mildew are not controlled. Syngenta’s Tilt® and Amistar® fungicides not only control diseases, but also have crop enhancement benefits, such as stronger and shiner grains, resulting in extra profit for growers.

The opportunities to increase yield go beyond managing biotic stress. Soil quality is a key factor, with salinity, alkalinity and nutrient deficiency all affecting wheat production. Syngenta has introduced a micro-nutrient line, called Thionutri®, which increases sulfur content, enabling effective root growth and uptake of fertilizers.

Seed quality and effective sowing also have a fundamental impact on wheat yields. The team in India has developed the use of fungicidal and insecticidal seed treatments to protect yield potential and increase plant vigor.

However, realizing the opportunities provided by seed treatments requires effective planting. In many instances farmers use broadcast sowing, resulting in suboptimum seed densities.

India offers a huge opportunity for increased yields.

Syngenta is tackling the problem from multiple perspectives, providing integrated solutions that will enable the country to fulfill its potential in wheat production.

Line sowing and mechanization offer a better agronomic solution, but the majority of farms are small (2-5ha) and access to machinery is limited.

Syngenta is working with machinery companies to develop sowing protocols and arrangements for farmers to rent or share equipment for planting and harvesting.

Looking ahead, Vikalp can see many opportunities to enhance yields, particularly through varietal

improvements. Syngenta supports wheat variety development programs to address local productivity constraints to improve yield potential across wheat farms in India.

Educating farmers and changing the market The development of new technology is not enough. Education for farmers about suitable tools and methods for local conditions is critical to unlocking the yield potential of wheat in India.

Syngenta has been working closely with CIMMYT (the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre) to develop protocols for efficient use of water, effective use of crop protection products, and on general agronomic practice, including sowing and use of fertilizers. Using the well-developed network of hubs that CIMMYT has built, it is possible to reach out widely into the farming community to educate growers on best practice.

As Vikalp explains, “enhancing yields through science is a big step forward.

But to ensure adoption there need to be changes in infrastructure and the market.” Availability of credit is vital so that growers can fund the inputs they need to maximize yield. Helping growers become aware of and access government credit is a key part of the education programs. Access to transport, storage facilities and the markets is also important. Growers who can’t access the market are unable to maximize their return, and helping to find solutions for market access will be a key part of future programs.

Vikalp Mohan Lead South Asia Cereals Business and Strategy

Vikalp did his Masters in Business Administration, with specialization in Strategy and Marketing, from INSEAD, France in 2008. Before that, he worked with KPMG Consulting (BearingPoint) as a CRM Manager for 7 years in the USA. He joined Syngenta in Basel, in 2009 as a Global Supply Chain Strategy Manager. Currently he is leading South Asia Cereals Business and Strategy, based in India.

Syngenta’s model wheat farms have been instrumental in helping Indian farmers achieve sustainable higher yields and improved grain quality

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Contact: vikalp.mohan@syngenta.com

Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

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Boosting corn yield from every drop of water

The United States Department of Agriculture estimates that on average 15% of annual worldwide corn yield is lost to “moderate drought”. Innovative research at Syngenta has led to a step change in maximizing corn yields under drought conditions. Wayne Fithian and Duane Martin explain how Agrisure Artesian™ opens up a new frontier in water management.

Agriculture accounts for about 70% of water used in the world. Maximizing crop yield from every drop is vital to feed a growing global population, and is a key area of research at Syngenta.

In the USA, 39 million acres, half of the corn acreage, are subject to annual yield losses of between 10% and 50% owing to lack of water. Even in the areas where drought is uncommon, perhaps only once in five years, there is still a need for risk management, as yield lost to drought has potentially devastating financial consequences for farmers.

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“On many farms irrigation is not a possibility, with only 1 in 10 acres irrigated, and even then the water supply is often limited,” explains Duane Martin, Product Lead for Commercial Traits. “Until recently the only way farmers could address this lack of water was by using hybrids that seemed to do better in dry conditions, and through cultural practices – such as planting early to minimize the risk of drought during the growing period.” Against this backdrop, Wayne Fithian, Product Lead for Technical Traits, describes how “developing corn hybrids that would improve yield potential under moderate

Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

to severe moisture stress whilst still providing equal or better yields under favorable water conditions became the focus of research efforts.”

Creating new hybrids Developments in genomics, and in particular greater knowledge of the corn genome, made feasible the search for genes that might help plants cope with limited water supplies. The search focused on corn genes controlling moisture stress protection and maximizing water uptake. Lack of water affects plant development at all growth stages – potentially resulting

The results have been remarkable. Artesian™ corn shows up to 15% yield benefit compared with conventional elite hybrids under moderate to severe moisture stress, and equal or better yields without stress. in smaller leaves and ears, poor pollination and reduced kernel number or size. Therefore genes that might protect the plant from moisture stress throughout the growing season were identified. Among these were genes that modulate root growth and water uptake, optimize flowering and ear development, maintain cell functions and regulate gene expression.

The product development team then used marker-assisted breeding, which enables tracking of genes during conventional breeding, to create and identify new hybrids containing candidate genes. These new hybrids were tested in comparison to their conventional equivalents to identify the genes that gave the greatest yield improvement under drought conditions.

Testing required the setting-up of Managed Stress Environments (MSE), field sites that closely match the farm setting, but where the moisture levels throughout the growing period can be varied by the test team (see side box).

Selection and testing of the bestperforming hybrids enabled scientists to identify not only the key genes, but also the version of those genes that provided the greatest moisture stress protection.

Bringing the technology to market Testing in MSEs identified and validated many genes that form the core of the Agrisure Artesian™ technology.

Because of the complexity of a plant’s reactions to drought throughout its life, the team hypothesized that multiple genes would be needed to achieve significant yield protection. Therefore the final stage was to breed hybrids with a variety of novel gene combinations.

This approach of identifying and validating the best genes and combining them to improve hybrids is called Gene Blueprinting™ technology.

It has produced a range of Artesian™ corn hybrids containing novel gene combinations. These hybrids were offered to farmers in limited quantities in 2012.

The new hybrids also provide greater stability of yield in years of inconsistent rainfall and in fields with variable soil types. These properties give farmers greater flexibility in irrigation management when water is limited.

The potential of Agrisure Artesian™ as a risk management tool for corn farmers is clear.

The response from farmers has been very positive. As Wayne says, “in the dryland areas they are very excited about this technology, and it can’t come soon enough. I have even had farmers send me photographs of their crops because they were so thrilled.”

For the team the project has not only delivered new corn hybrids, but also established the Gene Blueprinting™ platform for future research. It will be used to introduce the current Agrisure Artesian™ technology into local elite hybrids in Europe, Asia and Latin America, as well as to develop the next generation of gene combinations for water use efficiency. Artesian™ technology has potential to make a step change in our efficient use of our limited water resources.

Using Managed Stress Environments (MSEs) Testing plants under drought conditions requires the capability to run field tests where water availability can be controlled.

Managed Stress Environment (MSE) sites were established in areas where rainfall during the growing season is unlikely. By placing drip tape under the corn rows, directly alongside the roots, it is possible to control the volume of water available at different stages of plant development.

MSE trials allow Syngenta scientists reliably to create a specific level of drought and at specific growth stages, enabling consistent comparisons between plants, trials and locations.

Protocols have been developed to test yield response to drought during flowering, when water use is highest, during grainfill, and all season long.

Wayne Fithian

Duane Martin

Product Lead

Commercial Traits

Technical Traits

Manager for

for Corn

ArtesianTM

Wayne has a degree and masters in Plant

Duane holds a PhD in Agronomy/Weed Science

Pathology from Colorado State University. Wayne

from the University of Wyoming. Duane has served

has 28 years of experience in seed agronomy

on the faculty of the University of Nebraska, and

working in field agronomy/technical support and

held various positions in research, development,

late-stage trait research and development. Wayne

technical services and marketing with the some

is currently Product Lead Technical Traits for Corn,

of the industry’s largest basic and generic entities,

and has been on the Agrisure ArtesianTM team since

working in virtually all major agronomic crops over

2007. He is currently investigating plant density,

a 25 year career. He joined Syngenta in 2004 and

foliar fungicide, and irrigation regime response

now manages the ArtesianTM project as a member

of ArtesianTM hybrids as compared to

of the US Corn Marketing Team, based in

commercial standards.

Minnetonka, MN.

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Contact:

duane.martin@syngenta.com

Contact:

wayne.fithian@syngenta.com

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Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

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Breeding hybrid vigor into barley Barley is a self-pollinating crop and traditional breeding has concentrated on the development of inbred varieties. Through innovative concepts and production methods, Syngenta has revolutionized barley breeding with the introduction of hybrid barley varieties. Together with bespoke agronomic protocols these hybrids are delivering significant improvements in yield for farmers, as Gunther Stiewe explains.

Barley is an important cereal crop used in malt production and for animal feed.

Varieties have been developed through inbred lines, which give consistency in quality but limit the development of yield potential. It had long been known that hybrids in cereals could provide increased yield – known as heterosis or hybrid vigor. However, the nature of the market, and the increased complexity of breeding and production, have previously discouraged investment in hybrid development.

Although hybrid varieties have higher yields than inbred varieties, production costs mean that hybrid seed is dearer.

Furthermore, farmers often save and process their own seed from inbred varieties. However with hybrids, farmers must buy new seed each year as hybrid varieties do not breed true. To make hybrids profitable and beneficial to the farmer, the increased return from the higher yield needs to more than offset the additional costs. Consequently, a cost-effective production method for hybrid barley is required to keep the offer competitive with inbred seed.

Developing hybrids Paul Bury, senior barley breeder in Syngenta, began the program to develop hybrid barley in 1994. As Gunther Stiewe, Head Barley Breeding, explains, “Paul is considered the father of hybrid barley breeding. His breeding expertise and choice of varieties to focus on has been fundamental to the success of the project.” There are two types of barley: two-row barley, which has two rows of seeds in the ear, and six-row barley, which has six rows of seeds in the ear.

Both types are available as ‘spring’ (planted in spring for summer harvest), and ‘winter’ varieties (planted in autumn for summer harvest). Two-row barley is primarily used in malting. Quality traits are very important and inbred lines provide more consistent quality. Six-row barley is primarily used for animal feed and yield is the most important factor.

Paul recognized that this focus on yield made six-row barley the most attractive type for hybrid development.

Hybrids arise from crossing genetically diverse plants, so the first step in hybrid production was identification of distinct parental lines. Genetic information for barley is readily available, including markers for key traits. Using genetic

and morphological data, Paul’s team was able to find and develop two maximally diverse inbred line gene pools. These pools, respectively dedicated to female and male development, are the sources of parental lines in winter barley, maximizing the likelihood of hybrid vigor and hence higher yield.

Hybrids in field crops were first developed in corn, where the reproductive organs are separated on the plant, with the female ears being below the male tassels. Separation of the sexes made hybrid production easy as the male tassels could be removed mechanically to create femaleonly plants. In contrast, creating hybrids from cereal crops that have male and female reproductive organs in the same flower is difficult. Efficient hybrid production requires a male-sterile maternal line, which produces no pollen and hence no seed through selffertilization. Hybrid seed is produced through cross-fertilization by a malefertile paternal line, which is planted alongside the maternal line to enable effective pollen transfer. The F1 hybrid that is produced for sale must be fertile so that it self-pollinates to deliver seed when grown by the farmer. To develop

High quality barley used for malt production is critical to the brewing industry

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Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

Producing barley hybrids using the CMS hybrid breeding system

sterility (CMS). Not all plants with the CMS mutation are male sterile, because a gene in the nucleus may override the mutation and restore male fertility, if the right variant is present. For a line to be male sterile it must have both the CMS mutation and lack the nuclear restorer gene.

When barley is cross-bred, genes on nuclear DNA are inherited from both parental lines, but genes on

Male fertility in barley is controlled by genes in the nucleus and in mitochondrial DNA in the cytoplasm.

Mutations in mitochondrial DNA can cause plants to be male-infertile, meaning they don’t produce pollen.

This is known as cytoplasmic male

Step 1: Production of a male-sterile maternal line

Maternal Line A

X

rr

Paternal Line A (maintainer)

Paternal Line B (restorer)

X

S Male Sterile Step 3: On farm seed production by self pollination

RR F or S Fertile

Hybrid

Rr S = Sterile cytoplasm rr = homozygous for maintainer gene S

F = Fertile cytoplasm Line lacks dominant restorer gene in nucleus Fertile RR = homozygous for dominant restorer gene Line has two copies of dominant restorer gene in nucleus Rr = heterozygous for restorer gene. Line is male fertile

hybrid barley in this way, the team pioneered the use of the Cytoplasmic Male Sterility hybrid breeding system (see side box). Using this method, 12 barley hybrids have been developed and brought to market since 2000.

Scaling up production Having developed the inbred parental lines and identified the hybrids for commercialization, cost-effective largescale production became the problem.

Normally, hybrid seed is produced by sowing strips of the paternal plant among the maternal plants. The paternal plants sometimes take up 50% of the field, meaning only 50% produces hybrid seed. To increase productivity, the team adopted a method first seen in hybrid rye production. Instead of being grown in strips, the paternal line is mixed in a defined ratio with the maternal line and they are sown together. This enables 100% of the field to be used for hybrid production. The F1 hybrid that is harvested contains some of the inbred paternal line.

However, seed lots usually contain less than 10% inbred seed, and because of the increased productivity of the hybrids, this is acceptable to the famers and to national registration authorities.

Delivering the benefit to farmers The development of hybrid barley offers farmers unmatched yield potential.

Under the best growing conditions,

For commercial production, hybrids are created by crossing an inbred male-sterile maternal line A, which can’t self-pollinate, with a genetically distinct inbred paternal line B (step 2). Line B contains the nuclear genes that restore male fertility, meaning that the F1 hybrid produced is fertile and will self-pollinate to produce seed when the farmer grows it (step 3).

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S F

Male Sterile Fertile

Maternal Line A Step 2: Production of hybrid seed

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mitochondrial DNA are inherited from the maternal line only.

hybrids have produced up to 13.7 t/ha compared with the normal 8-10 t/ha achieved with traditional inbred lines.

In addition, hybrid barley is much more tolerant of climatic variation, offering farmers yield stability in a variety of conditions. Although inbred lines can match hybrid lines in some weather conditions, it is impossible to predict which ones will be successful, and if unsuccessful, inbred yields can drop to 5 t/ha.

Hybrid barley has a different growth habit from the inbred lines, requiring a new agronomic approach. Using the breadth of its knowledge and technology, Syngenta has devised protocols for agronomic practice, fertilization and crop protection to ensure farmers achieve the best yields with hybrid barley. These protocols are developed annually, depending on the weather conditions, and Syngenta advisors go out in the field with the farmers to help them make the best decisions.

Production of the inbred male-sterile maternal line A is maintained through crosses of maternal plants with the CMS mutation and paternal plants from the same inbred line A, without the CMS mutation, neither of which have the nuclear restorer gene (step 1). All seed from this cross will produce male-sterile plants because mitochondrial DNA is inherited from the mother only.

range of hybrid barley into Eastern Europe, accessing new and diverse genetic populations and creating hybrids for this critical production area.

Hybrid barley offers farmers unmatched yield potential and is much more tolerant of climatic variation.

Gunther Stiewe Head Barley Breeding

Gunther has a university diploma in Agriculture and a PhD in Plant Breeding from Göttingen University.

He started his professional career as an oat breeder for a family owned plant breeding company. Gunter

The combination of hybrid barley and integrated growing systems is unique and, as Gunther points out, “Syngenta is at the leading edge of this innovation, which is very exciting. The next generation of 15 hybrids that we have in registration will give a step change in seed production and yield.” The team also plans to expand the geographic

joined Syngenta in 2000 as breeder for hybrid oilseed rape. In January 2011, he became Global Head Hybrid Barley Breeding, responsible for the strategy and technical aspects of the hybrid barley breeding program in Syngenta. In May 2012, he became Head Barley Breeding.

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Contact: gunther.stiewe@syngenta.com

Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

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It is essential to develop products that can deliver the active ingredient to the crop in an effective way

Maximizing product potential through cost-effective delivery of the active ingredient For Syngenta formulation chemists, the challenge of converting active ingredients (AI) into products that are effective, safe, and convenient for farmers to use, is all in a day’s work. Using an innovative approach, David Stock and his colleagues have developed and registered a new ‘built-in’ adjuvant for Axial® (pinoxaden), which is now the leading cereal graminicide in the USA. Getting a herbicidal AI from the factory to its target site in a plant is a complex problem. During development, AIs are optimized for in-plant activity and often don’t have the best physical properties for stability, spraying and uptake in the field. As David Stock, Formulation Technology Group Leader, explains, “plants can be viewed as a complex solvent system with lots of partitioning barriers, and the aim is to maximize the amount of AI that gets through from the surface to the target site. The challenge is to use simple, cost-effective chemistry to optimize the delivery of the AI.”

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Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

Axial®, based on the pinoxaden AI, is the first product from a new class of selective grass herbicides for use in wheat and barley. It offers fast, effective, broad-spectrum grass weed control, unrivalled crop tolerance and flexibility of use in a variety of climatic conditions.

It is a key component of Syngenta’s weed control portfolio.

During the development of pinoxaden, research showed it ideally needed an adjuvant – an inert chemical that aids the delivery of the AI to the plant – to fully exploit its potency in the field by maximizing its penetration across the

‘Space in a formulation’

Water Adjuvant Anti foam Biocide Antifreeze Antisettling agent Dispersing agent Active ingredient

A typical suspension concentrate contains many compounds that ensure delivery of the active ingredient to its target site

waxy cuticle on plant leaves. Research on known adjuvants, in collaboration with Prof Markus Riederer at Würzburg University, found that most had an imperfect efficacy with pinoxaden; so for the initial launch, Syngenta developed a proprietary adjuvant, Adigor®. Although Adigor® maximized the effect of pinoxaden, limited chemical compatibility of the adjuvant with the AI meant that it wouldn’t fit into the formulation (see side box).

Pinoxaden was therefore launched with Adigor® as a tank-mix adjuvant.

Although pinoxaden with Adigor® was a successful product, tank-mixes are not ideal. They increase the amount of handling required on the farm, and can lead to mistakes being made in the mixing. Also 4 liters of Adigor® were needed per liter of formulated AI, increasing the total volume sprayed, adding substantially to the cost of warehousing and transport, and creating additional waste packaging. This created substantial desire in the market for a single formulation.

Developing a new adjuvant The challenge was to find a simple, cost-effective chemical that was compatible with the AI and that would maximize its potency when added in small quantities. An additional constraint was the need for the chemical to be available on an industrial scale. It was also preferable to file and be granted patents covering the final formulation if possible. Finally, it would be ideal if the chemical were in use in another industry, so that regulatory data were available, thereby minimizing development costs and increasing speed to market.

Single pack formulations offer convenience for farmers. The challenge is to pack all the ingredients needed to stabilize and maximize the delivery of the active ingredient (AI) in a manageable volume. The primary aims are to get the right concentration of AI and ensure that it is dissolved (Emulsifiable Concentrate) or suspended (Suspension Concentrate) across the likely temperature range during storage and use. The volume needed to achieve those objectives

determines the space that is left for the other ingredients, such as dispersing agents, anti-freeze, and adjuvants. Finding inert ingredients that produce desired effects from small amounts of material, and that are compatible with the AIs, is key to getting everything into one pack.” Smaller formulation packs increase convenience for the farmer, decrease transport and warehousing costs, and reduce the environmental impacts of disposing of waste packaging.

The waxy cuticle on a plant often has crystalline structure within it, and the team believed that this was not helping the uptake of pinoxaden. Finding an adjuvant that made the cuticle less crystalline was a primary objective of the formulation team’s research. Using their knowledge of structure-activity relationships, the team identified plasticizer compounds as a source of compounds that might transiently reduce crystallinity in the cuticle, increasing permeability and uptake of pinoxaden, but leaving the crop undamaged.

currently being launched across Europe, and will be launched in Canada in 2013.

With the target properties defined, the team began a search of chemicals from other industries. Tris-2-ethylhexyl phosphate (TEHP), a chemical used in the flame retardant industry, was identified as a potential adjuvant for pinoxaden. Glasshouse tests and field trials showed that as an adjuvant TEHP had a potency four times that of Adigor®, as well as excellent rain-fastness owing to rapid uptake of the AI. This extra potency meant that smaller volumes could be used, and created an opportunity for a ‘built-in’ formulation. The Development team led

by Dr Rudolf Schneider managed to develop a formulation of AI and TEHP that was chemically and physically compatible, and established a costeffective level of purity for TEHP.

The new formulation has been very successful. As David points out, “it has earned a 98% customer satisfaction rating from US wheat and barley growers, and it is satisfying to know this is underpinning very significant sales.”

David is also clear about the learning: “We have seen that it is valuable to develop, patent and register our own formulation inert ingredients. Novel formulations increase and extend the effectiveness and competitiveness of our products.”

David Stock Syngenta Fellow and Formulation Technology Group Leader

David has a degree in Pure & Applied Biology from Oxford University and a PhD from Bristol University.

He has worked in the agrochemical industry since 1991, originally with Schering. He joined Syngenta in 2000 working in the Formulation Technology Group, where he where he became a Syngenta

Simultaneous with the formulation development, a Syngenta regulatory team was able to achieve a fast registration for the new ‘built-in’ formulation using public information and a few additional tests. Axial® built-in adjuvant formulation was first launched in the USA in 2008 (as Axial® XL), is

Fellow in 2006. The main focus of his work has been enhanced bio-delivery of pesticides and Adjuvant Technology. He is currently also Scientific Officer for the International Society for Agrochemical Adjuvants (ISAA).

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Contact:

david.stock@syngenta.com

Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

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Knowledge is power Tackling fungicide resistance Mycosphaerella graminicola causes Septoria tritici blotch (STB), a major threat to wheat worldwide. It can be controlled by fungicides, but rapidly develops resistance. Isopyrazam is the first Syngenta compound from a novel class of fungicides with improved potency against fungal diseases of cereals. Gabriel Scalliet explains how research on resistance mechanisms may prolong the efficacy of isopyrazam against STB. for resistance to several SDHIs. Changes in the SDHs of the mutants were also analyzed. The team characterized over 400 resistant mutants and discovered 27 types of amino acid change in SDH. Some mutants showed significant resistance to all SDHIs tested, while others were resistant to a single SDHI.

Left: Untreated Right: Isopyrazam treated

Isopyrazam belongs to a new class of fungicides known as succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (SDHIs). It is highly potent against STB, and provides broad-spectrum disease control in cereals and other crops. As their name suggests, SDHIs work by inhibiting the enzyme succinate dehydrogenase (SDH). Affinity of SDHIs to SDH in the target organism is a primary determinant of potency. Hence, changes in SDH that affect SDHI binding are a means by which resistance to these fungicides could evolve.

The Syngenta Mode of Resistance team studied how M. graminicola might evolve resistance to SDHIs. The pathogen was exposed to UV light to create mutants, which were tested

Resistant mutants do not necessarily lead to resistance in the field: a change in SDH that reduces SDHI binding may render the pathogen unable to infect the crop, even though it can survive in the laboratory. All the resistant mutants had reduced SDH activity. However, the team found that reductions in activity of up to 90% did not prevent survival of the mutants on wheat, indicating the importance of resistance management for isopyrazam.

be treated as a single class for resistance management. The Fungicide Resistance Action Group – a crossindustry group set up to manage resistance – now recommends the use of SDHIs in mixtures with fungicides with different modes of action, and limitations on the number and frequency of sprays.

The work on SDHIs will inform work on other products. As Gabriel Scalliet, Team Leader, Mode of Resistance, explains, “working across disciplines, sharing knowledge and learning from each other was vital to our success.

As well as providing crucial information to support the mode of action, molecule design and resistance management in SDHI’s, the team has developed a platform that can be used for looking at potential resistance development with other compounds and pathogens.”

Applying knowledge to manage resistance DNA tests will be developed to detect the frequent mutations that confer high resistance to SDHIs and maintain virulence to wheat. The tests will allow monitoring of field populations of M. graminicola for the first signs of resistance to isopyrazam. The discovery of mutants resistant to several SDHIs showed that these compounds should

Gabriel Scalliet Team Leader Mode of Resistance

Gabriel studied biochemistry at the University Left: Untreated Right: Isopyrazam treated

of Lyon and Enzyme Engineering at the University of Technology of Compiègne (BSc). For his PhD he undertook research on enzymes involved in plant secondary metabolite production at the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon. He first joined Syngenta in 2004 as a post-doctoral fellow in the biochemistry department in Basel. He was appointed Research Scientist in 2007 and is currently a Team Leader in Stein working on modes of resistance to fungicides.

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Contact:

gabriel.scalliet@syngenta.com

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Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

Reducing the complexity of combining traits in corn Traits introduced by biotechnology are key tools in protecting yield and quality in corn. Combining several traits in a single crop is a convenient way to provide multiple benefits to farmers. However, the development and industrial-scale production of crops with multiple traits are complex problems, as Dirk Benson explains. of resistance in that pest. Existing stacked products are relatively simple, containing two or three traits. By 2020, it is expected that products will contain 10 or more traits; these might be ‘base traits’ that are in all products, as well as ‘differentiating traits’ targeted at particular regions or markets.

Insect control and herbicide tolerance traits are widely used to protect corn yield and quality. Traits that increase the effective use of water and nitrogen, as well as those that improve the nutritional value and ease processing of the crop are reaching the market.

Combinations (or “stacks”) of these traits in one crop will give farmers multiple benefits conveniently through a single product. Stacks are also important tools for managing resistance: products with two or more modes of action against a pest slow the evolution

Developing stacked trait products New traits are introduced into plants by transformation – the insertion and stable integration into the plant’s genome of DNA containing a gene that produces the trait. Transformation is usually achieved using bacteria or by firing DNA-coated pellets into plant cells.

Traits introduced by independent transformation events are combined through cross-breeding of plants containing the trait genes and then DNA analysis to select the desired offspring. The aim is to create plants, called breeding stacks, homozygous for all of the traits; that is, for each trait, a copy of the trait gene has been

inherited from both parents. This ensures that when the crop is multiplied, each seed will contain all the traits.

The number of offspring that must be screened to find a homozygous plant depends on the number of independently introduced genes. To have 99% confidence of finding one plant homozygous for three genes requires screening of 21 plants, but for 11 genes, this number rises to over 5,000 plants.

The problem of screening thousands of plants to produce breeding stacks may be reduced by molecular stacking: the introduction of multiple traits on single pieces of DNA. If 11 traits were introduced on three pieces instead of 11 pieces of DNA – say, four traits on DNA 1, four traits on DNA 2 and three traits on DNA 3 – 21 plants would need to be screened to find a plant homozygous for all traits. Screening 21, rather than over 5000 plants would greatly reduce costs and the amount of nursery land required to produce the stack.

A successful stacking strategy must ensure that the multiple introduced traits do not interfere with each other, or with native crop genes that control agronomic performance. As Dirk Benson, Head Trait Project Management, comments, “multiple molecular stacks offer a technology that is at the frontier of science.

Strategies that enable the industrial production of such commercial seed require careful planning and early stage work in the laboratory to define and build the the best possible stacks to meet the needs of corn farmers.”

Dirk Benson Head Trait Project Management for Corn Dirk has BSc and PhD degrees from Cornell University. He has had numerous positions in a number of companies in the seed industry including sales management, international marketing, corn breeder, breeding management and development

Multiple traits can be combined in a crop by independent transformation events followed by breeding, or by a single transformation event that introduces the traits on a single piece of DNA. Reducing the number of independent transformation events simplifies breeding and lowers the cost of producing crops with multiple traits.

manager for biotech projects. He joined Syngenta as a Project Leader in 1996 and is currently Head Trait Projects Management for Corn.

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Contact:

dirk.benson@syngenta.com

Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

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Turning the tide on glyphosate resistance Glyphosate is the world’s most widely used herbicide, selling more than the next 15 herbicides combined. However, its widespread use in association with glyphosate-tolerant crops has led to the rapid evolution of glyphosate-resistant weeds, which have significant commercial impact. Clear communication and decisive action is now needed to preserve this important herbicide for future use, as Deepak Kaundun explains.

Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide providing broad-spectrum weed control in many crops, including corn and cereals. In agriculture, it has traditionally been used for ‘burn down’ – the removal of weeds prior to planting.

In 1996, a new use emerged with the introduction of Roundup Ready® glyphosate-tolerant (GT) corn, cotton, soybean and canola. These geneticallyengineered crops contained additional genes that conferred tolerance to glyphosate, enabling the herbicide to be used over the crop as a postemergence herbicide.

The commercial introduction of GT crops was very successful; for example, over 70% of corn and 90% of soybeans grown in the United States are

glyphosate tolerant. Glyphosate provides excellent weed control at all growth stages, without needing adjuvants or mixing with other herbicides, and therefore GT crops give farmers great flexibility in weed management. Lower labour costs make GT crops more profitable for farmers despite the higher cost of seeds.

GT crops have environmental advantages. They are well suited for no-till cultivation, which limits soil erosion, preserves soil quality and increases carbon sequestration.

Glyphosate is also environmentally benign, with low soil persistence and mobility, reducing the probability of its movement into groundwater.

Emergence of resistance Herbicide resistance in weeds emerges quickly where there is little variation in weed control methods. In 20 years of use prior to the introduction of GT crops, there were few reported cases of glyphosate-resistant weeds.

Glyphosate’s lack of residual activity in the soil meant that selection for resistant weeds was weak. Furthermore, glyphosate was often used with other herbicides, mechanical weed control, and biological control from grazing animals and crop rotation. This diversity of weed control methods minimized the opportunities for resistance to evolve.

Nevertheless, despite the relative rarity of genes conferring glyphosate resistance in weed populations, glyphosate-resistant weeds emerged

The growth of pigweed in a commercial cotton field is an example of glyphosate resistance

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Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

and spread quickly after the introduction of GT crops. It is estimated that by 2013, one quarter of GT crops in the USA will be affected by resistant weeds, possibly forcing a return to ploughing and hand weeding, with the potential for creating environmental and economic harm.

Resistance arose mainly because farmers adopted a simple “glyphosate only” approach, which virtually eliminated the use of other herbicides.

Also reduced tillage, despite providing environmental advantages, meant that fewer weeds were controlled mechanically. Finally, crop rotations often contained only GT crops – for example, GT corn and GT soybeans – resulting in glyphosate applications year after year in the same fields. These factors created a huge selection pressure that allowed resistant weeds to evolve and spread rapidly.

Managing and minimizing resistance Glyphosate resistance in arable cropping systems was first reported in the USA. It is now appearing in Argentina and Brazil, where there has been rapid adoption of GT crops and glyphosate-only management. However, in Canada, where glyphosate-tolerant canola is grown in rotation with glufosinate-tolerant canola and conventional crops, evolved glyphosate resistance has not been reported. As Deepak Kaundun, Herbicide Resistance Team Lead, points out, “the key learning is that where diversity of weed control is maintained, it is possible to delay the evolution of resistance and maintain glyphosate as an effective herbicide.”

Resistance is a global problem and the diversity of weed control must be increased in areas of heavy infestation, and in areas without resistance as a preventative measure. Exact approaches will vary by region and agronomic system, but are likely to include use of herbicides with different modes of action and new agronomic practices.

As Deepak explains, “the biggest challenge is getting farmers to change their practice – they are mainly driven by economics and practicality, but we also need to help them see the longer-term impact. Farmers start listening when we have new knowledge to share, so we need to keep at the leading edge and provide practical tools to help them take a more strategic approach to managing resistance.” Syngenta is actively

pursuing opportunities to address glyphosate resistance: increased knowledge, provision of tools, and practices and education are at the core of the campaign.

Understanding the science behind the problem Deepak and his team have a number of collaborations investigating molecular mechanisms of resistance. One mechanism is a genetic mutation that alters the target enzyme so that its activity is no longer blocked by glyphosate. Resistance to glyphosate can also occur because the plant produces large amounts of the target enzyme, or because of impaired uptake of the herbicide into the plant.

The discovery of the mutation helped the team to develop a rapid test to detect glyphosate resistant weeds using leaf samples from the field.

Subsequently, they developed a diagnostic tool that identifies functional resistance irrespective of the mechanism. The Syngenta RISQ (Resistance In Season Quick) test uses small seedlings grown on agar plates containing discriminative doses of glyphosate. The test is able to identify resistant weeds within 10-15 days.

The rapid results from these tests enable farmers to take timely decisions on the use of alternative herbicides to glyphosate.

Syngenta is advancing practical preventative measures against glyphosate resistance by working on a theory that predicts resistance development. In collaboration with the Universities of Warwick (UK) and Arkansas (USA), Deepak’s team have built a mathematical model that enables assessment of the impact of different weed species, cropping patterns, crop protection protocols and agronomic practices on the occurrence and development of resistance. The model simulates experiments that would be time-consuming and costly in the field. It enables the team to work through multiple seasons and quantify the effect of each factor, and to evaluate different protocols and practices that aim to reduce the probability of resistance evolving.

has led to recommendations for early planting, and reinforced the importance of using pre-emergent herbicides with different modes of action. In addition, using multiple herbicides, in combination and in sequence with glyphosate, reduced the number of glyphosate sprays. Syngenta has been developing new herbicide mixtures to support farmers in adopting this strategy.

Educating farmers is vital to effective implementation of resistance management; therefore, Syngenta is working with regulators, academics and distributors to provide a clear and consistent message to farmers. In the USA, Syngenta has developed an innovative website called ‘Resistance Fighter’ (www.resistancefighter.com) to raise awareness of glyphosate resistance and to provide direct advice to solve the problem. As Deepak says, “it’s very satisfying to see that the knowledge and tools we developed are really helping farmers practically to tackle the issue of resistance.”

Furthermore, “Syngenta will continue to conduct fundamental research to better characterize the basis of glyphosate resistance. We are also actively investing in the development of new chemicals and herbicide-tolerant crops, as well as promoting sound agronomic practices in order to reduce the evolution of glyphosate resistance.”

Roundup Ready® is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC

Deepak Kaundun Syngenta Fellow and Lead Herbicide Resistance Research Team

Deepak holds a BSc, MSc and PhD in biochemistry (2005) from University of Lyon, France.

He held several post-doc positions in France, South Korea and Japan in population, molecular and quantitative genetics of tea and conifer trees prior to joining Syngenta. Since then he has led the herbicide resistance research team focused

The modelling indicated that in addition to reducing the selection pressure, minimizing the accumulation of resistant seeds in the soil was important in limiting the evolution of resistance. This knowledge

on understanding the molecular basis of resistance and managing herbicide resistance in weeds through new active ingredient research.

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Contact: deepak.kaundun@syngenta.com

Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

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Increasing productivity sustainably in the developing world Feeding increasing populations and creating economic growth in the developing world require substantial improvements in farm productivity. In Tanzania, Syngenta and fertilizer company Yara are undertaking a pilot project – “Environment and Climate Compatible Agriculture” (ECCAg). Syngenta’s Mike Bushell and Peter Sutton discuss the project.

Increasing agricultural productivity in an environmentally sustainable way is critical for global food security.

However, agricultural production itself also impacts the environment and climate. Conversion of non-agricultural land, such as forests, to agriculture destroys biodiversity and increases greenhouse gases emissions, so maximizing efficient production on land already under cultivation is vital.

Developing protocols that will increase productivity in developing countries while minimizing harmful environmental

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impacts are at the heart of the ECCAg study in Tanzania. This collaboration between Syngenta and the fertilizer company Yara, and the help of the the Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) in Tanzania and the University of Life Sciences in Norway, began in December 2010.

Assessing environmental impact Using environmental expertise from Syngenta, Yara and external experts, the ECCAg team developed a set of indicators of the environmental impact

Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

of agriculture. The indicators comprise a framework to assess environmental impacts from on-farm activity, efficiency across the value chain, and land use change. Environmental sustainability must align with economic development, so the team is also developing methods to assess productivity and profitability. Although the long-term objective is to test these frameworks in a variety of farming systems, the first demonstration projects focus on corn and rice grown on smallholder farms (<2ha) in Tanzania.

Listening to local growers in order to

Practical advice can help local growers

Farms need to support several generations

understand their needs

to improve yields

and productivity gains play a vital role

Demonstration sites in Tanzania Corn and rice farmers in Tanzania face a range of problems that can be solved by appropriate training in basic agronomy and conservation agriculture.

Soil quality is poor, with high acidity and low nutrient and organic matter content, and is often worsened by excessive tillage. Access to inputs, such as nitrogen fertilizers and lime, is costly and made difficult by poor roads. Typically, farmers use minimal amounts that are insufficient to cover the needs of the crop. Realistic mineral fertilizer inputs can easily raise potential yield from the national average of 1.5 t/ha to 5-6 t/ha.

If applied at a regional scale, the methods could reduce the need for land being converted to cropping, and more land retained as forest.

Adding fertilizers and micro-nutrients not only improves the crop potential, but also increases weed growth. Most farmers don’t have access to machines or herbicides, so weeding is done by hand. Labor is limited and expensive, because everyone needs to work on their own land at the same time. Use of a pre- or early post-emergent herbicide can substantially limit weed growth and minimize the need for labor.

In both corn and rice, insecticidal seed treatment helps young crop plants to become established. This, along with early season weed control, is the key to the Syngenta package. Later in the season, disease control is vital, because Fusarium species can infect the seed head and produce aflatoxin, a mycotoxin that is a serious public health problem. Insect damage provides sites for Fusarium infection, so good insect control helps to reduce mycotoxin contamination. Finally, much of the land is sloping, with the risk of irreversible soil loss through run off under heavy rainfall. Mini-terraces, bunds, and grassing the margins help to retain moisture and soil, while the herbicide regime helps avoid soil surface disturbance. The demonstration sites allow the villagers to see and learn these techniques first hand.

New protocols with encouraging results The objective of the first year of study was to establish protocols for corn and rice that improve yield and profitability without increasing adverse environmental impacts. Early protocols focused on the use of seed treatment and fertilizer at planting, followed by a herbicide for weed control, and additional micro-nutrients. Excessive tillage or hand weeding was avoided.

Split-field demonstrations were set up, one part using existing practice and one part using the Yara/Syngenta/SUA protocols.

The first results were very encouraging.

Productivity and profitability gains were significant, with up to 82% increase in yield and 110% increase in net profits.

From an environmental perspective, production of greenhouse gases using the Yara/Syngenta/SUA protocol was the same per tonne of corn, despite the doubling of yield.

The project is expanding to include more farmers and the SUA farm, in order to gather further data and provide demonstration farms to encourage wider adoption of the protocols. But as Mike Bushell, Syngenta Principal Science Advisor explains, “this project is at an early stage, and whilst it is very exciting to be taking steps to understand how we can increase agricultural output in an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable way, there are still many challenges to be addressed.”

Mike Bushell

Peter Sutton

Principal Scientific

Ecological Risk

Advisor

Assessor Environmental Stewardship

Mike has a degree and PhD in organic

Peter has a degree in Botany from Cambridge

chemistry from the University of Liverpool/

University and has worked for Syngenta as an

University of California at Davis. He joined the

agronomist and later as an ecologist. He has

company in 1980 as a chemistry team leader at

extensive experience leading field work across all

Jealott’s Hill, and has held a variety of management

regions on a wide range of crops and products.

positions in R&D, including Head of Strategy and

Peter is currently an Ecological Risk Assessor

Head of External Partnerships. Mike is currently

and leads the “Environmental Stewardship” team,

Syngenta Principal Scientific Advisor, working in

which sponsors various collaborative research

Corporate Affairs.

projects with particular emphasis on soil, water and biodiversity.

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Contact:

mike.bushell@syngenta.com

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Contact:

peter.sutton@syngenta.com

Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

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Protecting pasta production Think of Italian food and you think of pasta. Italy produces 3.3 million tonnes of pasta annually, representing 26% of world production. However, production is seriously affected by a fungal disease that causes up to 50% yield loss in the durum wheat used to make pasta. Claudio Campagna explains how Syngenta is leading the search for an integrated crop solution to this complex problem.

Durum wheat is valued for pasta production because of its high content of protein and high-quality gluten.

Worldwide, 12.8 million tonnes of durum wheat are produced annually, with almost half of this used in European pasta production.

Fusarium Head Blight (FHB), a fungal disease of wheat, can have a devastating effect on grain size and quality. However, it also causes a more sinister problem. FHB produces

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deoxynivalenol (DON), a mycotoxin that causes harmful effects in mammals.

Government agencies monitor levels of DON in wheat, and any crop that exceeds set limits cannot be used in the production of food. FHB and DON contamination in wheat is a worldwide problem, but commercial varieties of durum wheat are particularly affected.

In Europe, the estimated cost is â&#x201A;Ź 200-300 million annually, and for individual farmers, the inability to sell because of crop contamination can

Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

be disastrous. In Italy, damage from FHB meant that durum wheat had to be imported from Canada to meet demand.

A cross-discipline approach Reduced FHB infection of the crop leads to a decrease in DON levels.

Claudio Campagna, Solutions Development Manager for cereals, explains, â&#x20AC;&#x153;we know that FHB levels are orang-utan affected by and so The has several become afactors symbol of finding a solution will of need an integrated conservation in the forests Indonesia

Grain availability and quality affect the price of wheat, which is the most significant cost in pasta production. approach. We are really pleased to have led the formation of a network of external experts to work on a range of measures to tackle FHB.” The network, the first of its kind in Italy, brings together specialists in pathology, agronomy, and genetics, in addition to experts from seed and food production companies. “Working together we have been able to understand the key risk factors for FHB, and to identify ways to minimize its development,” notes Claudio.

To find a quick solution to FHB, the network first studied the effects of agronomy, seed treatments and fungicides. The team found that FHB levels are significantly affected by previous crops. If corn or sorghum were grown before wheat, FHB levels tended to be high because the crop residue provided a refuge for the pathogen.

Growing other cereals before durum wheat is preferable, but they are less profitable than corn for the farmer.

Research also demonstrated that ploughing and burying the previous crop residue reduced FHB levels. However ploughing increases farmers’ costs.

Treating seeds with the fungicide fludioxonil resulted in significant reduction of FHB, particularly when used alongside ploughing. This practice kept DON levels below government limits even under significant FHB pressure. Foliar fungicides can be difficult to use for FHB control because the window for application around flowering is narrow. However, the team developed a method of applying azole fungicides in mixtures with other fungicides that reduced not only the incidence but also the severity of FHB. Working with farmers To implement the new FHB control methods, the network developed a ‘Good Practice Guideline’ for farmers, which contains protocols covering agronomy, seed treatment and

fungicide use. They also developed a diagnostic tool to help farmers assess FHB damage. As Claudio points out, “finding the right balance of tools, balancing effectiveness and cost to the farmer has been the key challenge. We have demonstrated that it is possible to reduce FHB and DON production, but it requires a combination of tools and there is an increase in agronomic costs for the farmer. However, in years of FHB infestation this extra cost is offset by the preservation of the crop, and we are working hard to educate the farmers to this very real benefit.”

Further research Claudio believes that there are still many opportunities to improve the situation.

“Development of FHB-tolerant varieties of durum wheat would be a big advance in our ability to control FHB and is the most exciting opportunity.” Syngenta is actively looking to use its markerassisted breeding technology to accelerate the breeding of native traits for FHB resistance into durum wheat.

Other research focuses on new fungicides, seed treatments and biotic antagonists of FHB. Finally, there are efforts to develop further new agronomic practices that mitigate FHB. “Working across the network of experts with a focus on developing customer solutions, rather than just products, is vital to tackling this problem”, states Claudio.

“I believe this collaborative, innovative way of working provides the best chance to solve the FHB problem and will be a model for future agribusiness research.”

Pasta is consumed by young and old – it is vital to avoid contaminated durum wheat

Claudio Campangna Solution Development Manager Cereals and Rice, Italy

Claudio studied Agronomy and Plant Protection at Bologna State University, Italy, where he graduated with honors in 1984. His first employment was in 1984 at Sandoz Agro as

With this work underway, the future looks brighter for wheat farmers in Italy.

Being able to make pasta from Italian durum wheat enables producers to charge a higher price for their pasta, which in turn raises the price paid for Italian durum wheat and the profitability of Italian farmers.

Product Biologist Fungicides. From 1997 to 2010 he was Technical Manager Arable Crops in Syngenta Italy, responsible for Research, Development and Technical Service. Currently Claudio is Solution Development Manager Cereals & Rice in the territory Italy.

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Contact: claudio.campangna@syngenta.com

Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

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Leveraging scientific knowledge to help the developing world Protecting and increasing wheat production in the developing world is vital to preserving health and enabling economic development. Syngenta and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) are collaborating to help wheat farmers in these regions, as Rollie Sears explains.

In the developing world, wheat is a significant source of food energy.

It provides 500 kcal per capita per day in India and China, and up to 50% of the daily calorie uptake in Central and West Asia, and North Africa. The fungal disease stem rust is a constant threat to this crop, sometimes causing complete yield loss in affected areas.

Fungicide use is often not economic in these areas. However, until recently, stem rust had been controlled through the use of resistant varieties.

In 1999, a new variant of stem rust, Ug99, emerged in Uganda and has spread to wheat in several countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Ug99 is virulent against all the major genes that provided stem rust resistance in the varieties of wheat grown in these regions. Almost a quarter of world wheat production, feeding 1 billion people, grows in the ‘at risk’ zone. Protecting wheat against Ug99 is a critical problem, and one that the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA) was keen to solve.

Using complementary expertise Despite the virulence of Ug99, it was known that some adult plant genes still provided resistance. Because these genes were hard to track in breeding programs, it was difficult to use them to develop new resistant varieties. In 2009, SFSA brought together Syngenta and CIMMYT in a two-year publicprivate partnership to identify and create markers for these genes for use in marker-assisted breeding programs.

The collaboration was based on CIMMYT’s unrivalled phenotyping capability and their regional field facilities, and the state of the art

24

molecular marker and high-throughput DNA analysis facilities established

by Syngenta.

breeding, offers the opportunity for hybrid wheat varieties with increased yield potential and consistency.

CIMMYT identified unique parental lines with phenotypes resistant to Ug99.

Syngenta analyzed the DNA of these lines to find the key genes for resistance and to identify markers for them. The team is now creating rapid throughput markers, and hopes to release these to the global wheat-breeding community later this year. The markers will enable breeders to select for resistance genes in parental lines and breed resistant varieties for commercialization in the zones where Ug99 has already appeared, and also for other regions as a protection against the further spread of Ug99.

The second collaboration, Integrated Growing Systems, aims to combine the best of Syngenta’s fungicides, herbicides and seed treatments with the best CIMMYT germplasm and the combined agronomic knowledge in the two organizations. The team will create protocols for wheat agronomy and plant protection that can be shared widely with farmers, teaching them how to maximize their yield and return.

Two new programs As Rollie Sears, Cereals R&D Manager, explains, “working together on the Ug99 project, we recognized our common interest in maximizing yield to ensure food security for a growing population. Organizations understand the need for both the public and private sector to collaborate if we are to meet future production needs of 2-2.5% yield growth per annum.” Building on the success of the Ug99 collaboration, Syngenta and CIMMYT have started two new programs, Hybrid Wheat and Integrated Growing Systems, which make use of their complementary expertise.

Working in these collaborations is a powerful way to bring technology to the developing world. As Rollie says, “building trust and respect for each other has opened up the possibility to more widely use this kind of approach to address the critical issues in agricultural production.”

Rollin G. Sears Senior Syngenta Fellow and Cereals R&D Manager, North America

Rollin earned his degrees at Montana State University (MS) and Oregon State University (PhD).

Prior to joining Syngenta in 1999, he was a professor at Kansas State University. Rollin has

CIMMYT has had a pivotal role in germplasm development in the developing world, and has access to the most diverse genetic populations of wheat. Combining these populations with Syngenta’s capability in hybrid

Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

received many awards for his research and he is a Fellow of both the American Society of Agronomy and the Crop Science Society of America.

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Contact:

rollin.sears@syngenta.com

The power of public-private partnerships Building on the success of the joint project on Ug99, catalyzed by the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA), Syngenta and CIMMYT established a number of further collaborations. To learn more about this exciting new way of working, Science Matters asked three of the key collaborators, Hans-Joachim Braun from CIMMYT, Derek Cornes from Syngenta and Mike Robinson from SFSA, to share their insights on public-private partnerships.

Why do you think public-private partnerships are important in agricultural development?

we can collectively provide advice on the best combinations of technology and agronomic practice.

MR: Increasing agricultural productivity sustainably requires new business models, particularly in the developing world, where sustainable systems, not point solutions, are needed. Combining the different scientific strengths in the private and public sectors can provide powerful solutions that drive agricultural productivity, creating economic and social development.

H-JB: This partnership is really helpful in taking our technology to market.

Private companies are much more effective in promoting new varieties, using field days and demonstration plots, and this creates a pathway for CIMMYT research to get to market.

H-JB: As partners we have complementary expertise. CIMMYT has phenotyping expertise, a wide diversity of germplasm and a global network that can reach farmer populations in developing countries. Syngenta has advanced genotyping capability and molecular tools, such as markers, which help to identify new traits and speed up breeding.

DC: Combining both partners’ germplasm broadens the breeding programs and increases the likelihood of bringing new traits to market. Syngenta can also combine its chemical technology with this diversity of genetics to make integrated solutions, and then create protocols for the local varieties that maximize yield. But it isn’t just about technical collaboration. CIMMYT has the ability to access farmers in the developing world that we can’t reach.

Working through their global network,

What are the challenges in setting up such public private partnerships and how have you overcome them?

MR: These partnerships are very powerful for funding cross-over ideas that fall outside of the core focus of the individual partners, and this is where SFSA can step in to give them a kick-start. The projects become harder to set up the closer they are to the market, where ownership of outputs is a key issue.

DC: It is important to ensure that all parties get a good outcome, so it is necessary to spend time understanding what good looks like for everyone and then patiently work towards a sound plan. Aligning the projects with the partners’ strategies and creating good business models will attract investment and effort.

H-JB: Getting clarity on the goals and outcomes at the start is key – based

on frank and open conversations aiming at making sure that everyone’s interests are understood and accommodated.

From CIMMYT’s point of view, the public availability of outputs needs particular attention, while also ensuring return for the private companies DC: Building these partnerships requires transparency, and a willingness to give and take to maximize the shared benefits of the program.

MR: The project set-up and the culture are also important. The partners need to work hard at these aspects, and good project management is a big help.

H-JB: Working with the private sector is similar in many respects to working with public sector organizations: once an agreement is in place, execution is smooth, and benefits of course from the program management skills of the private sector.

What are the scientific benefits of these collaborations and what has each party been able to bring?

MR: Increasing food production is dependent on creating the best possible crop varieties in each agro-climatic region. The public sector, funded by governments concerned with food security, is the custodian of global diversity in germplasm.

The orang-utan has become a symbol of conservation in the forests of Indonesia

Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

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DC: CIMMYT has a broader range of wheat varieties adapted to geographic areas where Syngenta has a limited presence. In addition, combining the diversity of germplasm across the two organizations provides opportunities to breed high yielding hybrids, which could create a step change in productivity.

H-JB: Syngenta brings state of the art genotyping technology, which allows us to understand the links between phenotypes and the genes that produce the traits. They can also develop molecular markers that enable faster breeding for particular traits, and these are shared publicly to maximize their impact. Also, the collaboration will allow a better understanding of the effects on wheat yields of applying chemicals.

DC: As well as developing better varieties, combining the agronomic skills in both organizations allows us to use all our technology to better manage the crop. Bringing together the strength of Syngenta in chemical use and the strength of CIMMYT in areas such as conservation agriculture can bring real benefits.

What about the Syngenta CIMMYT collaboration has given you the most satisfaction?

H-JB: Being able to bring molecular markers into the public breeding

programs is very exciting – the potential to improve varieties is huge. Additionally, the cooperation with Syngenta is open and constructive, with mutual understanding and a shared view of the critical challenges and opportunities.

DC: The technical exchange has been very beneficial and we are now starting to see the results of our efforts in the market. We have a very positive collaboration where we are working well and combining our complementary skills. We are driven by a shared passion for increasing productivity in wheat and supporting the move from subsistence to productive farming in the developing world.

MR: The most satisfying aspect for me is the forward thinking that these partnerships are producing. With all the partners looking at the future challenge together, breaking down traditional barriers and learning to work together, there is a real prospect of significant development in wheat, and also in other crops where similar partnerships could be created.

What are your hopes for the collaboration? What areas will you focus on?

MR: The collaboration has created some good momentum in R&D. I hope we can also focus on delivery to the

farmer and on some of the broader issues in the developing world, such as increasing access for farmers to input and output markets, and availability of finance and infrastructure.

H-JB: I am very excited about some of the new areas of collaboration such as hybrid wheat and seed treatment protocols. I very much hope that we can continue these very open collaborations which are vital to improving productivity. Wheat is a crop that hasn’t received a lot of investment, but it is a key food crop and the public private partnerships are important in combining scarce resources to create maximum value.

DC: This partnership is strategically important for increasing wheat yields and is going from strength to strength.

We are very much looking forward to expanding the projects into other areas such as abiotic stress tolerance.

MR: I hope we are able to fund similar collaborations in the future, which act as early ‘seed projects’ to wider programs. SFSA has developed significant understanding of agro-economic systems in the developing world and this expertise can help develop new opportunities for farmers, creating economic growth and the investment funds needed to bring in new technology to revolutionize production.

Hans-Joachim Braun

Derek Cornes

Mike Robinson

Director of Global

Cereals Crop

Chief Scientist

Wheat Program

Protection R&D Lead

Syngenta

CIMMYT

Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture

Director of CIMMYT’s Global Wheat Program

Derek Cornes graduated in Applied Biology from

Mike studied Applied Biology at Nottingham

since 2006, Hans-Joachim Braun has an MSc

the University of Bath, UK. He joined the

Trent University and then graduated with a PhD

from the University of Stuttgart-Hohenheim and

company in 1984 as a trials officer at Whittlesford,

in molecular plant nematology from Leeds

a PhD from the University of Hohenheim. His

Cambridge. In 1993, he moved to Basel to become

University and Rothamsted Experimental Station

achievements include contributing to the

a global technical manager for Herbicide. A two

in the UK. After more than 20 years working in

development and release of 44 winter wheat

year stint in Calgary, Canada as marketing manager

R&D at Syngenta and legacy companies, he joined

varieties grown on nearly 1.5 million hectares in

for Axial®, was followed by a return to R&D in Basel

the Syngenta Foundation as Chief Scientist in

Central and West Asia, and he is main author or

to lead the Herbicide Technical Management Team.

2009 where he has established and managed

co-author on more than 120 scientific articles,

Derek became Cereals Crop Protection R&D Lead

several global collaborative research programs

including 36 in refereed journals. In 2003 he

in 2010.

with academic and commercial organizations.

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Contact: mike.robinson@syngenta.com

received the Chinese Friendship Award for his contributions to wheat improvement in Gansu Province.

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CIMMYT website: www.cimmyt.org

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Contact:

derek.cornes@syngenta.com

Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

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Partners of choice ThoughtseedersTM If you have an idea for a novel technology to address the global food security challenge, how do you make your idea more widely known, perhaps even brought to life?

Syngenta’s Thoughtseeders™ website is one way of doing this.

This online portal is a one-stop destination to house your ideas, monitor the status of projects, catalog submissions and receive feedback.

The website is designed to stimulate and accelerate collaborations with external parties for the development of new, integrated solutions in agriculture. “Open innovation has always been an important part of our R&D strategy. We believe the future relies on maximizing the use of new and combined technologies to discover and develop innovative value added products for agriculture,” says Sandro Aruffo, Syngenta Head of Research and Development.

Syngenta is particularly interested in discovering crop solutions for growers which comprise genetics, chemistry or novel technologies that could help in the areas of weed control, disease control, insect control, nematode control, environmental stress tolerance, breakthrough yield and crop output quality. The website serves as a central destination for individuals, private organizations and academic institutions with cutting-edge technologies, ideas and knowledge to seek out collaboration with Syngenta.

To find out more, or to initiate a collaboration with Syngenta, visit www.syngentathoughtseeders.com

Innovation is fundamental in driving efforts to sustainably increase agricultural production. With nearly 5,000 employees working in R&D worldwide, at Syngenta we know that the knowledge and passion of our people is a tremendous asset.

We also know that we will not solve global food supply problems on our own, and that extensive external scientific expertise can complement our in-house capabilities.

We currently have over 400 external collaborations worldwide with universities and major agricultural institutes, enabling us to develop technologies through mutually beneficial partnerships.

One example is a collaboration on trait development and genetics with Metabolon, a US biotechnology company. Metabolon has extensive experience in profiling the biochemistry of plants and how crop traits manifest themselves at the cellular level. Their unique platform will be increasingly important for the development of innovative new products in the agriculture industry.

John Ryals, Metabolon CEO, describes our collaboration: “Syngenta is a forward-thinking, well-organized company, which makes working with them easy. They want their third-party relationships to be valuable to everyone involved and they really work to integrate the work you do. There is a big emphasis on teamwork.”

We have also been working with Professor Robert Edwards, Chief Scientist at the Food and Environment Research Agency and Chair in Crop Protection at the University of York, UK, to understand the mechanics of herbicide metabolism. He explains, “Syngenta is an innovative company that is open to new ideas, and aware of what it takes in terms of time and resource to carry out meaningful research. Their scientists have an excellent reputation, dedicated to research and development. You feel like you are working with some of the

very best people in your field. From the beginning, Syngenta has shown a genuine interest in our work and its results.

“They established clear protocols for our research and associated reviewing processes as well; they continuously provide constructive feedback that lets us know if we are on the right track. We have always felt valued, as if we were partners and not just contractors performing a service.”

To help us effectively manage our global and cross-functional collaborations we have a dedicated group, the Syngenta R&D External Collaborations Team.

“In line with Syngenta’s new corporate strategy, integrating core technologies from within and outside the company is an important part of building Syngenta’s global R&D pipeline,” explains Deborah Keith, Team Head. The team is well placed to extract maximum value from Syngenta collaborations and assets.

As part of this, a software system to streamline external opportunity evaluation has been set up. “This system provides global visibility, enabling us to quickly identify external opportunities that have been previously submitted and to evaluate opportunities that span internal corporate boundaries,” says Deborah. The team has also successfully launched the pioneering Thoughtseeders™ website (see side box) which encourages external parties to share their technology opportunities with Syngenta.

To learn more about some of our external collaborations, go to our “Out & about” section on the next page.

Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

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Out and about “Out and About” illustrates some of the excellent R&D that our external collaborations program is delivering. Carolyn Riches describes some interesting collaborative projects in corn and cereals.

Affordable, Accessible, Asian Demand for corn in Asia is rapidly growing, particularly among the poor in densely populated areas. Higher demand increases the amount of corn cultivated, which puts pressure on resources such as water.

High yielding, drought tolerant (DT) corn is an innovative solution being delivered through a collaborative project between Syngenta and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT).

‘Affordable, Accessible, Asian’ or ‘AAA’ is at the heart of the project. It is funded by the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA).

The AAA Global Project Team at Nuthankal Farm, Hyderabad, India

“This project is a real complementary effort, sharing our skills and building links,” says Dirk Benson. “We have been able to access new DT genes and increase our capability to breed and test lines.”

CIMMYT has access to Syngenta scientific expertise and germplasm - in 2011, the collaborators developed hybrids from CIMMYT and Syngenta germplasm. “The hybrids were tested under optimal and water stressed growing conditions at the CIMMYT research station in Hyderabad, India. From this we were able to select 71 AAA corn hybrids for additional testing,” says Dirk.

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Demonstrating the competitive edge of pinoxaden

Ryegrass treated with ACCase herbicides.

From left to right: Diclofop, Clodinafop, Tralkoxydim and Pinoxaden

A research collaboration with Dr Stephen Moss and Rocio Alarcon-Reverte at Rothamsted Research, UK, has been instrumental in promoting Axial® as a premium product for control of grass weeds in cereals. The active ingredient, pinoxaden, is a new class of selective grass herbicide known as ‘DENs’, which inhibit chloroplastic acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase). This enzyme is also the target of established products like the aryloxyphenoxypropionates (known as ‘FOPs’) and the cyclohexanediones (‘DIMs’).

Ryegrass resistance to FOPs and DIMs is well documented. To investigate the efficacy of pinoxaden versus current ACCase herbicides, the collaborators screened many ryegrass populations.

Using innovative molecular approaches, they were able to explain the resistance mechanisms of FOPs, DIMs and DENs.

AMAIZING! Syngenta is a partner in a consortium of public and private French organizations known as ‘AMAIZING’. “Our aim is to develop innovative breakthroughs in breeding methods and agricultural practices to produce high yielding corn (maize) varieties with improved environmental values, such as water and nitrogen efficiency,” explains Nicolas Ranc.

By having an integrated approach – from genomics to plant selection – the collaborators are able to advance their scientific expertise faster than if working individually.

“AMAIZNG is designed to support the competitiveness of the French breeding sector as well as to meet society’s demand for sustainability and quality,” Nicolas continues. “Being a part of AMAIZING means we can contribute at an international level to better describe the plasticity of the corn genome and together leverage funding from the French Stimulus Initiative.”

This ambitious project will look at combining genetic, genomic and ecophysiology analyses with precise phenotyping. The aim is to analyze a high number of plants in order to identify loci and candidate genes for yield or yield stability under certain constraints. “We will also develop innovative tools and methods to optimize the utilization of genetic resources to help us understand the genetic or epigenetic factors that contribute to the wonderful adaptation capacities of corn,” says Nicolas.

“Our aim is for the SFSA to deliver affordable and accessible seeds that can be easily produced by local seed companies or cooperatives in order to reach the resource-poor farmers in Asia.”

Pinoxaden activity was found not to be significantly affected by FOP specific target site mutations and metabolism, being able to control most of the challenging ryegrass populations that have become resistant to FOP herbicides. “The findings confirmed the competitive edge of pinoxaden over existing cereal selective ACCase herbicides with respect to resistance, explains Deepak Kaundun. “This makes Axial® unique among cereal grass herbicides,” he continues. A few populations, however, were found to be resistant to pinoxaden and all other ACCase herbicides.

Therefore, it is recommended that pinoxaden be used in a resistancemanagement program to maintain its long term sustainability.

Dirk Benson is Head Trait Projects Management.

Deepak Kaundun is a Syngenta Fellow, specializing in weed resistance.

Nicolas Ranc is Genetic Project Lead for Maize in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Contact: deepak.kaundun@syngenta.com

Contact: nicolas.ranc@syngenta.com

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Contact: dirk.benson@syngenta.com

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Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

For more information, visit the project website at www.amaizing.fr

AMAIZING; a collaboration consortium

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Carolyn Riches Carolyn is a Communications Associate at Jealott’s Hill in the UK. Her degree is in soil and plant science, with an emphasis on the agricultural environment. Carolyn joined Syngenta in R&D nine years ago as part of the Discovery Biology Group, before moving into Communications.

Greengrain yields results Denman is the first Syngenta high yielding winter wheat variety to be commercialized from the Greengrain project - sponsored by the UK Government Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Scottish Executive. The Greengrain research goals are twofold: • Increase the value of wheat grain for the bioethanol and grain distilling industries, and as feed for pigs and poultry • Reduce the nitrogen emissions and growing costs of wheat production

“Syngenta was a major contributor to the Greengrain project, aiming to identify traits that result in high alcohol yield and the genetic factors that control them,” says Tracy Creasy. Traditionally, wheat is bred for yield and bread making, requiring high fertilizer use and high grain protein content respectively. “Efficient bioethanol production requires grain with less protein and higher levels of starch (starch is converted to alcohol). Starch also acts as an energy source for animals and is a desirable trait for animal feed,” she explains.

Greengrain research enabled breeding of wheat with high ethanol yields and improved nutritional and agronomic traits.

Along with improved amino acid balance, reduced requirements for fertilizer and excellent disease resistance, Denman gives nearly 4000 litres of alcohol per hectare, the highest of all the varieties tested. “The research will continue to inform Syngenta’s plant breeding programmes aiming to supply the market demand for greener wheat,” says Tracy.

Cutting edge detection of wheat allergens

A chemical strategy to delay herbicide resistance

Cutting edge techniques in mass spectrometry (MS) have played a key role in advancing the detection of endogenous wheat proteins, particularly allergens. The goal is to support GMO product safety and global regulatory approvals. “Wheat is an important crop to Syngenta and it ranks as a top allergenic food,” explains Scott McClain. “The safety concern frequently raised is whether endogenous allergen expression can increase and could this impact risk to allergy patients.”

Wheat allergens and proteins that trigger celiac disease are listed in a peer-reviewed database (University of Nebraska Food Allergy Research and Resource Program).

Many of these proteins do not initiate a typical antibody-based allergic response in humans, so standard in vitro serum profiling is not possible for GMO safety studies. Until now, reliable quantitative detection of seed proteins has been a challenge, but thanks to the collaboration with Dr Martin Hajduch and his colleagues, specialists in MS at the Slovak Institute of Plant Genetics and Biotechnology, over 60 of the wheat protein have been quantified. “This unique methodology enables a targeted analysis of multiple proteins from a single sample containing the seed proteome. This means we can quickly filter the proteins we are most interested in and quantitatively build a profiling picture of the endogenous allergens,” says Scott.

Scott McClain is a Technical Expert in Product Safety.

Tracy Creasy is Technical and Solutions Manager – Wheat Genetics (Europe North Territory).

The Hajduch lab scientists that worked on this project. Left to right: Ludovit Skultety, Lubica Uvackova, Martin Hajduch

Contact: tracy.creasy@syngenta.com

Contact: scott.mcclain@syngenta.com

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Clean wheat field treated with prosulfocarb

Lolium rigidum is a common weed in winter cereals in north-eastern Spain.

The last decade has seen an increase in herbicide resistant populations – particularly to herbicides inhibiting acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACCase). “This is partly due to intensive use of ACCase herbicides, coupled with limited diversity in agronomic practices,” explains Deepak Kaundun.

Syngenta worked with Professor Andreu Taberner’s group at the University of LLeida, Spain, to develop a chemical strategy to delay and overcome ACCase herbicide resistance. “The study showed that the pre-emergence use of prosulfocarb mixed with trifluralin, chlortoluron or triasulfuron (all non-ACCase herbicides) was effective on most of the populations tested,” says Deepak.

“Minimum tillage is most commonly practiced and farmers tend to look for a chemical solution, relying on the development of new effective herbicides,” he continues. Often the herbicides with the best efficacy–price relationship are used repeatedly for many years.

The study conducted on commercial fields with herbicide-resistant L. rigidum exposed resistance problems faced by local farmers. Over two cropping seasons the efficacy of 20 herbicides and mixtures was tested in weed populations having varying resistance patterns to different modes of action. “Combining our chemical strategy with a diversified cropping program will help to delay the onset of ACCase resistance in this region of Spain.”

Deepak Kaundun is a Syngenta Fellow, specializing in weed resistance.

Contact: deepak.kaundun@syngenta.com

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Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

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Editor’s comments The new editor of Science Matters, Alan Raybould, describes why editing the magazine is an exciting opportunity

Albert Einstein reputedly said, “If I had only one hour to save the world, I would spend fifty-five minutes defining the problem, and only five minutes finding the solution.” As an ecological risk assessor of genetically modified crops, Einstein’s comment rings true to me.

I spend much of my time trying to formulate problems in ways that minimize the effort required to solve them. The problem of estimating the risks from cultivating GM crops can be broken down into a series of clear questions. What ecological effects are unacceptable? How might those effects arise from the use of a particular genetically modified crop? What relevant data do I have already to estimate the probability that those effects will arise? Is the estimate good enough for decision-making? If it isn’t, what is the simplest way to get sufficient data?

Taking time to define the problem like this is better than rushing directly to the laboratory or field to collect data that may prove irrelevant to deciding whether the use of a product poses unacceptable risk.

Problem definition is particularly important for solving the puzzle of how to feed a growing world population in a changing environment while using fewer natural resources and protecting biodiversity. Skillful partitioning of this complex problem into tractable research questions is vital. Learning how Syngenta scientists accomplish this makes editing Science Matters intriguing.

every solution will create unforeseen new problems however long we spend defining the initial problem. So let’s move to some solutions.

The variety of solutions that Syngenta R&D develops is remarkable. As this issue shows, some solutions require high technology, such as markerassisted breeding, whereas others come from relatively simple technology, such as terraces and grassy field margins. Sometimes solutions are repairs to existing technology – in particular overcoming resistance – and sometimes solutions require little or no technology, as shown by the importance of farmer education.

However, the best solutions often integrate several distinct technologies: innovative combinations of new crop rotations, foliar sprays, seed treatments and crop genetics are cracking previously insoluble problems.

Learning about this variety of solutions is another reason why editing Science Matters is so fascinating.

Alan Raybould

Finally, thank you to Stuart Dunbar, the previous Editor of Science Matters, for his help and encouragement while I learn the editorial ropes. Stuart made an immense contribution towards establishing the excellence and popularity of the magazine.

Maintaining those qualities, post-Stuart, is an interesting problem. I hope to find plenty of informative and entertaining solutions.

Syngenta Fellow and Senior Technical Expert in Environmental Safety

Alan has a degree in botany from the University of Manchester and a PhD in population genetics from the University of Birmingham. He worked as a molecular ecologist for the Centre for Ecology and

Alan Raybould

Hydrology for 12 years before joining Syngenta in 2001. Alan is a Syngenta Fellow in Product Safety at Jealott’s Hill, where his speciality is ecological risk

Problem definition can be taken too far.

“Paralysis by analysis” is a neat term that describes the inability to move from defining the problem to finding solutions. Testing solutions often helps us to understand problems better, and

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Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D

assessment of genetically modified crops. Alan is also a Visiting Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Southampton.

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Contact:

alan.raybould@syngenta.com

Through our innovative R&D platform, combining chemical and biological expertise, we harness our knowledge of agriculture and our understanding of growers to develop gamechanging technologies which will drive land productivity in a sustainable way.

About Syngenta Syngenta is one of the world’s leading companies with more than 26,000 employees in over 90 countries dedicated to our purpose: Bringing plant potential to life. Through world-class science, global reach and commitment to our customers we help to increase crop productivity, protect the environment and improve health and quality of life. For more information about us please go to www.syngenta.com.

Our Research & Development (R&D) organization includes over 5,000 employees at R&D centers and field stations worldwide.

With specialist expertise in crop protection, seeds and seed care, and our deep understanding of plant physiology, our people have the knowledge and global capabilities to solve growers’ challenges through the combination of several technologies.

Chief editor: Alan Raybould (Email: alan.raybould@syngenta.com) Editorial team: Isabelle Baumann, Carolyn Riches Main writer: Alison Craig Design & Production: Kre8tive Communications Limited Print: Geerings Print limited Unless otherwise indicated, trademarks indicated thus ® or TM are the property of a Syngenta Group Company. The Syngenta wordmark and ‘Bringing plant potential to life’ are trademarks of Syngenta International AG. © Syngenta International AG, 2012. All rights reserved Editorial completion May 2012.

Science Matters is printed using processes to reduce significantly the use of water and is printed using 80% recovered fiber and the remaining fiber is sourced from sustainable forests.

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements This document contains forward-looking statements, which can be identified by terminology such as “expect”, “would”, “will”, “potential”, “plans”, “prospects”, “estimated”, “aiming”, “on track”, and similar expressions. Such statements may be subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from these statements. We refer you to Syngenta’s publicly available filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission for information about these and other risks and uncertainties. Syngenta assumes no obligation to update forward looking statements to reflect actual results, changed assumptions or other factors. This document does not constitute, or form part of, any offer or invitation to sell or issue, or any solicitation of any offer, to purchase or subscribe for any ordinary shares in Syngenta AG, or Syngenta ADSs, nor shall it form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract therefore.

Science Matters Keeping up to date with Syngenta R&D