Stand establishment is one of the most critical factors for a successful sugarbeet crop, and Syngenta is dedicated to providing growers with the quality products and service they need to achieve a strong start.
Through years of research and collaboration with key members of the sugarbeet industry, we are able to continue providing top-tier solutions that help you achieve maximum sugar yield and quality. Because our seeds and crop protection businesses work together to meet your farm’s needs, we are able to help maximize yield potential. Our longstanding commitment to a healthy crop begins with the seed and ensuring that all Hilleshög brand varieties meet or exceed high quality standards in plantability, germination, emergence and vigor.
By choosing the best sugarbeet variety for your field and implementing a proactive plan that includes top-performing seed treatments, growers can manage yield-robbing diseases like rhizoctonia. Following best practices, monitoring fields, and speaking with sugar co-op agriculturists, crop consultants and retailers can help make sound decisions for getting sugarbeets off to a solid start in 2016.
Quality seeds
Hilleshög has emerged as an elite sugarbeet seed brand with a genetic portfolio spanning more than 100 years and delivering best-in-class disease tolerance traits. Backed by a dedicated team of researchers and breeders crossing international borders, Syngenta is able to address production challenges in all sugarbeet regions by specifically tailoring traits to meet local needs. As a result, our Hilleshög brand varieties consistently delivers improved plantability, strong emergence, high-quality sugar content and great yield.
“Sugarbeet growers should connect with their local Hilleshög sales agents or local sugar co-op agriculturist as they begin to select products for 2016,” said Tyler Ring, Syngenta sugarbeet portfolio head. “They should discuss field history and recent variety trials to gauge how well a variety might perform from a quality and yield perspective, and to establish which disease tolerance traits are most important.”
Pending cooperative approvals, Hilleshög plans to introduce six new sugarbeet varieties for 2016 planting. New rhizoctonia-tolerant varieties will be offered to growers within the cooperatives of American Crystal Sugar Company, Michigan Sugar Company, Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative, and Western Sugar’s northern region, where rhizoctonia continues to post a threat to sugarbeet crops. For a complete list of cooperative-approved Hilleshög varieties available for 2016, visit www.syngentaseeds.com/sugarbeets.
Battling rhizoctonia
Sugarbeet growers in American Crystal Sugar Company and Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative experienced significant disease pressure from rhizoctonia, one of the most destructive sugarbeet diseases, during the 2015 growing season. This soilborne fungal disease is capable of causing significant yield loss by reducing tonnage and sugar content, as well as affecting quality in storage piles. The battle against rhizoctonia is fought with proactive and timely management practices beginning at seed selection time.
“Hilleshög brand varieties from Syngenta are leaders in rhizoctonia tolerance packages,” Ring said. “Rhizoctonia tolerance kicks in during the critical time when the plant is focused on maximizing sugar content and yield.”
Rhizoctonia tolerant varieties are helpful, but genetic tolerance generally does not express in young seedlings, so protection during germination and stand establishment is key. Top performing sugarbeet varieties need a strong, healthy start to maximize seed germination and achieve optimal stand establishment. Choosing the right seed treatment is another key to preventing rhizoctonia.
Syngenta’s CruiserMaxx Sugarbeets insecticide/fungicide seed treatment, a combination of separately registered products, plays a critical role in developing a strong and robust stand. CruiserMaxx Sugarbeets protects against both seedling diseases and insects, enhances vigor, improves stand establishment and increases yield potential by protecting the sugarbeet plant as the seed germinates and develops.
CruiserMaxx Sugarbeets combines the power of Maxim 4FS and Apron XL fungicides with Cruiser 5FS insecticide to provide early-season disease and insect protection from a broad range of pests, including rhizoctonia, pythium, sugarbeet root maggot, wireworm, leafminers, beef leaf hoppers, and root aphid.
For enhanced protection against rhizoctonia, growers should select varieties treated with Vibrance seed treatment fungicide, which was recently approved for use on sugarbeets. Vibrance was first introduced to the U.S market in 2012 for use on cereals, soybeans and canola and changed the market significantly with its best-in-class activity against threatening diseases like rhizoctonia across a variety of crops while ensuring yield consistency under a broad range of conditions. Vibrance is the first fungicide from Syngenta developed specially as a seed treatment and works to optimize root health and increase stands by delivering enhanced protection against rhizoctonia.
“Vibrance offers outstanding protection against all rhizoctonia AG groups relevant to sugarbeets including AG 2-2 and AG 4,” said Kris Pauna, Syngenta seedcare commercial product lead. “It mobilizes underground where the active compound moves from the seed into the surrounding soil for protection around the seed and root system. It is then absorbed by roots and translocated in the plant, helping protect the growing hypocotyl from unwanted infections until the plant can grow into its genetic tolerance. This helps produce healthier, stronger stems and foliage, and helps ensure that plant and roots are protected inside and out.”
Invisible pest
Growers sometimes tend to focus only on the insects, weeds and diseases that are causing visible damage to crops as it occurs. Growers sometimes forget there are also yield-robbing pest threats that are quietly eating away at their profit potential below the surface. One such “invisible” pest plaguing sugarbeet growers is the sugarbeet cyst nematode (BCN), which has the capability of causing extensive damage such as reduced stand, stunted beet growth and decreased root efficiency, all of which can lead to yield losses up to 80 percent.
To further enhance protection against BCN, Syngenta offers Clariva pn seed treatment nematicide on select nematode-tolerant varieties in areas with heavy nematode pressure for 2016 planting.
“BCN tolerant varieties do not completely eliminate the feeding and reproduction by the nematode, and alone may not be enough to offset BCN’s impact on sugarbeet yield,” said Pauna. “Clariva pn combined with nematode-tolerant varieties can boost sugar yield and prove to be an important strategy for resistance management to help maintain their long term effectiveness.”
When applied with CruiserMaxx Sugarbeets seed treatment,
Clariva pn delivers triple protection against seedling diseases, insects, and BCN through its unique mode of action, maximizing yield and profit potential.
Stand protection
So young plants can focus their energy on stand establishment and plant growth rather than warding off diseases infections, growers can also consider using a foliar fungicide like Quadris, which offers control of rhizoctonia and a broad range of other diseases. Sugarbeet growers can further protect their stand with Inspire XT fungicide to protect against cercospora leaf spot and powdery mildew. Inspire XT offers rapid uptake for excellent rainfastness and multiple application options.
“Quadris and Inspire XT help protect plants so they can maintain a strong stand, delivering long-lasting disease control and efficient photosynthesis process, helping growers maximize yield and quality,” Ring said.
Planting quality Hilleshög brand seed varieties paired with the strength of CruiserMaxx Sugarbeets, Vibrance and Clariva pn seed treatments, growers can set up their young crop for a successful season. Incorporating Quadris and Inspire XT fungicide applications during the season allows the crop to continue focusing on maximum yield and quality.
Syngenta is proud to be the only company that offers you seed, seed treatment and crop protection solutions for your sugarbeets. We are committed to helping you achieve comprehensive root health and minimize damage from yield-robbing pests and diseases so you can grow more sugar. For more information, visit www.syngenta-us.com/crops/sugarbeets.