Syngenta Thrive - 2Q/2013 - 15

SYNGENTA HONORS RESISTANCE FIGHTERS

Crop Rotation
product lead for herbicide tolerance. he also says
growers can increase herbicide diversity with premixes
and tank mixes to avoid selecting for resistance, since
weeds missed by a single herbicide will more likely be
controlled by the mixture partner.
> Following Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
strategies. IPm is the foundation of sustainable crop
production, says Savinelli, who notes that scouting is the
first step to determine which pests, weeds and diseases
may need treatment. Also pay attention to economic
thresholds, and use cultural practices like tillage or crop
rotation when appropriate.
> Rotating crops. more corn-on-corn production can
contribute to corn rootworm resistance issues, says Jill
Wenzel, Syngenta product lead for commercial traits.
“A good rule of thumb is to avoid having more than three
years with any one system—so try not to plant corn-oncorn more than three years in a row.” Secor encourages
growers in his area to use a three- or four-year crop
rotation that includes corn, sugarbeets, wheat, soybeans, potatoes or dry beans.
Syngenta Invests in Solutions
Since there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to resistance
management, Syngenta is focused on providing growers
with a variety of tools, traits and technologies to manage
resistance. Team members work closely with resistance
management groups, including the Insecticide Resistance
Action Committee and the Fungicide Resistance Action
Committee, to extend the useful life of existing crop
protection products. “having choices is vital for managing

RESOURCE DIRECTORY

When experts conﬁrmed herbicideresistant weeds in his area of
Georgia in 2005, Jeremy Kichler,
a University of Georgia extension
agent in Macon County, knew he
had to take action.
“This situation knocked my
growers for a loop and affected
everything we did to manage
resistance at the local level,” says
Kichler. “I knew education was the
key to help growers manage resistance and alleviate heartache down
the road.”
Kichler’s hard work earned him the
distinction of becoming the ﬁrst
Syngenta Resistance Fighter™ of the
Year in 2009. (See page 4 for an
announcement of the 2012 Resistance
Fighter of the Year winners.)
“Syngenta developed this
program to recognize the courageous extension agents, retailers
and other ag professionals who’ve
led the charge to advise growers
about the risk of resistance,” says

Chuck Foresman, Syngenta global
corn lead.
Understanding the consequences
of resistance is not intuitive,
especially when resistance has
not impacted a grower directly,
Foresman adds. Ten years ago,
many people tended to think that
concerns about resistance were
overstated—until glyphosate
resistance couldn’t be ignored.
“Glyphosate is a 1-in-100-year
discovery,” Foresman says. “The
people who stand shoulder to
shoulder with growers play a key
role in encouraging growers to
preserve precious technologies like
this on their farms.”
Syngenta is pleased to support
the retailers, extension specialists,
consultants and farm managers who
make this happen, Foresman says.
“It’s an honor to work with leaders
like Kichler and other Resistance
Fighters of the Year who effect
positive change.”

specific pests, diseases and weeds, as well as managing
resistance,” Savinelli says.
Because traits also can be vulnerable to resistance
when they are overused, Syngenta is developing new
technologies in several crop areas. For example, miller
says new soybean-seed technologies currently under
development with Bayer will offer tolerance to three very
effective herbicides: mesotrione, glufosinate-ammonium and
isoxaﬂutole. “There’s a lot more innovation coming in the next
five to 10 years to offer growers more options for sustainable
weed management.”
managing resistance requires a team effort, says Secor,
who appreciates the thought leadership from Syngenta.
“Progress is made when university researchers, extension
specialists, growers and companies like Syngenta work
together to find solutions.”
These opportunities offer tremendous promise, miller
adds. “Syngenta is determined to provide the solutions
growers need not just to manage resistance, but to achieve
the highest yield potential possible.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION on resistance issues,
visit www.resistanceﬁghter.com.

2Q/13 · thrive · 13

Syngenta Thrive - 2Q/2013

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