Syngenta released SY7717 sunflower hybrid,first to use new trait naming system

Syngenta has released SY7717, a new mid- to late-maturing, high oleic sunflower hybrid with outstanding downy mildew tolerance and stress performance. The first Syngenta sunflower hybrid to utilize a new naming system that makes it easier for growers to identify sunflower hybrid characteristics, SY7717 will be available for planting across all geographies this spring.

“With market-leading genetics for downy mildew tolerance, we’re expecting SY7717 to have strong yield potential for growers in 2014,” said Shannon Wyman, oilseed product lead for Syngenta. “When combined with CruiserMaxx® Sunflower plus Bion® insecticide/fungicide seed treatment, a combination of separately registered products, SY7717 delivers excellent early-season disease and insect protection.”

SY7717 is a mid- to late-maturing hybrid with a relative maturity of 97 days. In addition to the latest downy mildew tolerance traits, SY7717 features excellent seedling vigor and drought tolerance. Trials show this hybrid delivers outstanding performance under stressful conditions.

For 2015 planting, SY7717 will be available with Unistand™ pelleted seed coating technology, which makes sunflower seeds a uniform size and helps growers achieve up to 99 percent singulation for straighter rows with fewer gaps. The seed coating technology is currently available on select Syngenta hybrids.

New hybrid naming system

Growers ordering SY7717 will be the first to experience a new naming scheme Syngenta is launching in sunflowers. By looking at the digits following “SY,” growers can quickly decipher the components of a hybrid, as each digit represents a different characteristic.

“Our new sunflower hybrid naming system makes selecting hybrids easier than ever for growers,” Wyman said. “Just by looking at the name of our new 2014 hybrid, SY7717, growers can quickly tell it is a high oleic, late-maturing variety with herbicide tolerance.”

Using SY7717 as an example, the table below details what each digit represents:

• The first digit signifies oil segment: 7 represents high oleic; 3 represents NuSun®; and 2 is for linoleic. SY7717 is a high oleic hybrid.
• The second digit indicates relative maturity: 1-3 stands for early maturity; 4-6 for middle maturity; and 7-9 for late maturity. SY7717 is a mid- to late-maturing hybrid.
• The third digit reflects herbicide tolerance: 0 means no herbicide tolerance; 1 means the hybrid features Clearfield® technology; and 9 means it features Clearfield Plus technology. SY7717 is a Clearfield-compatible hybrid.
• The final digit is randomly selected and does not carry any meaning.


“With market-leading genetics for downy mildew tolerance, we’re expecting SY7717 to be a strong yielder for growers in 2014,” Wyman said. “When combined with CruiserMaxx® Sunflower plus Bion® insecticide/fungicide seed treatment, a combination of separately registered products, and Unistand™ pelleted seed coating, SY7717 delivers excellent early-season disease and insect protection. Unistand also achieves more than 99 percent singulation, so crops develop evenly, pest-free and poised for high yields.”

As the high oleic market continues to grow, Syngenta is committed to bringing tailored hybrid options to growers. In addition to introducing SY7717, Syngenta will evaluate two more new sunflower hybrids, SY7815 and SY7891, in trial plots next year. Like the commercially released SY7717 hybrid, both trial plot hybrids feature late-maturity, high oleic traits and are compatible with the Clearfield herbicide program.