MINNETONKA, Minn.—To help sugarbeet growers produce high-quality, high-percentage sugar content, Syngenta has introduced seven new Hilleshög brand varieties tailored to combat regional pest issues and deliver top genetic performance.
Drawn from a robust genetic portfolio, the new varieties feature improved disease tolerance with two offering tolerance to nematodes.
The new nematode-tolerant varieties will be offered to growers within the cooperatives of Michigan Sugar Company, Wyoming Sugar Company and Western Sugar’s southern region in Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming, where nematodes have been an ongoing issue in sugarbeet fields.
“We developed beets with nematode tolerance as a direct response to what we were hearing from growers,” said Tyler Ring, head of sugarbeet seed product management at Syngenta. “These new varieties continue the Hilleshög legacy of putting the best seeds and genetics in the growers’ hands to help produce high quantities of quality sugar.”
Other new varieties offered for 2014 feature increased disease control tailored for growers to tackle the disease issues within their growing region. American Crystal and the Southern Minn Beet Sugar Cooperative will add Hilleshög varieties with Rhizoctonia and Aphanomyces tolerance. Growers in Wyoming will now have a nematode/curly top-tolerant variety available. For Western Sugar’s southern region growers, a new variety with nematode and Fusarium tolerance will be available for 2014.
“Our industry-leading Rhizoctonia tolerance traits will continue to deliver outstanding protection,” Ring said. “We are confident our new varieties will live up to Hilleshög’s long-standing reputation for quality. With the recent announcement from Syngenta to increase global R&D for diverse field crops, which include sugarbeets, we look to continue providing growers with seed solutions to their most pertinent pest and diseases issues.”
Available on all Hilleshög brand varieties, CruiserMaxx Sugarbeets combination insecticide/fungicide seed treatment can increase sugar yield. CruiserMaxx Sugarbeets complements Hilleshög genetics by delivering superior early-season protection from pests like Rhizoctonia and wireworms while boosting crop vigor and stand establishment.
For a complete list of cooperative-approved Hilleshög varieties available for 2014, visit www.syngentaseeds.com/sugarbeets.