Syngenta Thrive - 1Q/2013 - 10

Watch video on tank mixing and water PH.

ASK THE EXPERTS

INNOVATION

Success by Design
A Syngenta veteran invents handling and application solutions
that make growing crops more efficient. | Interview by Susan Fisher
How do you determine the focus of your research?
Dan Kidder, Ph.D., research scientist, Application Technology, Syngenta:
Because our Application Technology group is within the Formulation Development
department, my research is largely focused on making sure that our customers can
apply new Syngenta product formulations safely and effectively through the spectrum
of application devices that they use. Additionally, I spend considerable time helping
customers and our sales force resolve issues that develop in the field.
For example, a few years ago customers were finding it difficult to calibrate granular
insecticide boxes on corn planters. The procedure required hanging collection devices
under each box to catch granules, while the operator drove the planter a predetermined
test distance. The operator then had to measure the granules collected in each container
and make adjustments to the boxes that over- or under-delivered the product. He typically
had to repeat this procedure several times to make sure all the boxes delivered the correct
amount of granules. I was able to work with the Syngenta field sales and tech reps to
develop calibration keys that could
be indexed into the output orifices
“It’s a team effort.
of metering mechanisms. A simple
Success depends
adjustment of the orifice to fit the
on strong partnerkey is now all that is needed to
ships both inside
make each box deliver the correct
and outside of
amount of product without having
Syngenta.”
to repeatedly measure or handle
—DAN KIDDER
the insecticide granules. These
calibration keys are currently
available from Syngenta sales reps
for the most common planter
insecticide boxes.

Dan Kidder, a
research scientist at
Syngenta, developed
calibration keys to
simplify the delivery
of the correct
amount of granular
insecticides from
boxes on corn
planters.

8 · thrive · 1Q/13

What is the most interesting
part of your job?
As a research scientist, I have
some flexibility to work on innovative projects that I see benefiting
Syngenta and our industry. Often
this is the most interesting and
rewarding part of my job, because
I can work on concepts that the
industry may not even be thinking
about yet.
For example, I have recently
done research on chemigation,
which is the practice of injecting

PHOTOS: (THIS PAGE) ALEX MANESS; (OPPOSITE PAGE) JOHN DEERE

Syngenta Thrive - 1Q/2013

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