Hilleshög is the global sugarbeet brand for Syngenta, a world-leading agribusiness committed to sustainable agriculture through innovative research and technology. Syngenta helps growers around the world increase their productivity with high quality seed and crop protection products. With global investments of $2.6 million per day in research and development (R&D), Syngenta is helping to address the worlds growing demand for food, feed and fuel.
Syngenta utilizes innovative R&D practices, including disease screening, breeding, variety selection and technology evaluation at specially designed facilities in Longmont, Colo., Glyndon, Minn., Nyssa, Ore., and Akron, Mich.
Currently, the United States research team efforts are focused on the yield-robbing diseases Rhizoctonia Root and Crown Rot, Rhizomania, Aphanomyces Root Rot, Fusarium Yellows, Root Aphid, Curly Top and Cercospora Leaf Spot.
Integrated with Syngenta's global R&D platform, these programs provide the best results to growers world-wide and establish strong disease packages for the various segments for the U.S. market, resulting in higher returns to Syngenta's valued customers.
Rhizoctonia Root and Crown Rot (RRCR) has long been a major concern for sugarbeet growers in the U.S. and worldwide. Planting of alternate hosts, shorter crop rotations and sowing of susceptible varieties has contributed to a higher incidence and increased severity of Rhizoctonia.
As the industry leader in Rhizoctonia tolerance, Syngenta's Hilleshög brand invests in R&D to identify varieties that fit the needs of sugarbeet producers and the beet sugar industry as a whole. Syngenta began breeding for Rhizoctonia tolerance more than six decades ago in Longmont, Colo. Our established focus on Rhizoctonia tolerance continues to yield Hilleshög brand varieties that have significantly reduced infection levels, increased sugar yields and improved storage quality.
Rhizoctonia Root and Crown Rot can have a devastating effect on sugarbeet yield, quality and storeability. The first signs of Rhizoctonia infection include small areas of a field that begin to lay flat as if short of water or under high heat stress. These small patches often continue to expand, most commonly down an infected row but also across rows in the affected area. Severe infection leads to sugarbeet death with only a carcass remaining and no harvestable return to the grower and co-op members.
Hilleshög brand sugarbeet seed varieties offered by Syngenta today result from over 100 years of research and breeding activities worldwide. Their U.S. history dates back to 1910 where, then owned by Great Western Sugar, an experimental research station was established in Longmont, Colo. Work on Rhizoctonia tolerance began in 1940 where the first lines were screened for genetic tolerance to Rhizoctonia infection. The Longmont area continues to be the hub for research and discovery of tolerant varieties to this day.
Through the expansive work on Rhizoctonia over many decades Syngenta's Hilleshög brand has emerged as the global leader in Rhizoctonia tolerance worldwide.
Consult your local Hilleshög representative or visit hilleshog-us.com to learn more on how to control Rhizoctonia Root and Crown Rot on your farm in 2011.