Syngenta’s leadership ensures a strong future for Gramoxone Group L herbicide in Australia

Syngenta first introduced the Group L Herbicide, Gramoxone®, to Australian growers more than 50 years ago, long before glyphosate. This enabled the pioneering of the most important development in Australian agriculture – no-till cropping.

Since then, Syngenta has continued to invest in the development and stewardship of their paraquat based products.

Syngenta is proud to be a longtime financial supporter of research into discovering science-based facts about paraquat. While farmers in other countries are losing access through politically driven deregistration, Syngenta continues to defend paraquat’s reputation - securing its future in Australia.

In the past 5 years, Syngenta Australia has invested more than $15 million in:
1.    Providing best practice training & resources
2.    R&D investment in new technology and solutions
3.    Scientific defense to maintain our license to operate

Providing best practice training & resources:

As a part of Syngenta’s Good Growth Plan initiative, Syngenta conducted 6 workshops across Australia in 2016, educating 110 young agronomists and rural merchandisers on topics including:

•    Resistance management
•    Safe use and handling
•    Application best practice
•    Mode of action attributes
•    Performance optimisation

Attendees took an exam at both the beginning and the conclusion of the workshops and showed an increase in average knowledge from 69% to 93%. They also participated in practical applications which allowed them to improve their confidence in handling and applying the chemistry.

The workshops are backed by Syngenta’s QUEST Academy online modules, along with an extensive array of tech notes and resources available via their website.

R&D investment in new technology and solutions

When it comes to paraquat and diquat, Syngenta has an unrivalled portfolio of high quality solutions, designed by their formulation chemists in Europe, and manufactured right here in Australia.

GRAMOXONE® B-POWER has been formulated specifically for Australian growers. Its dual mode of action includes the addition of Butafenacil (Group G), offering faster burndown and increased control of hard to kill weeds compared to standard GRAMOXONE®. Currently under APVMA evaluation, launch is anticipated in 2018.

Just two years since launch, GRAMOXONE® 360 PRO is fast establishing itself as the leading brand of solo paraquat. It brings 30% efficiency savings in storage, handling and freight, and flexibility to growers to optimize performance.

Other recent developments include an enhanced formulation for SPRAY.SEED® launching in January 2017, with improved anti-foaming properties. Additionally, REGLONE® had a label extension for post-emergent suppression of Wild Radish in wheat launched in early 2016.

Scientific defense to maintain our license to operate

As part of their continued Global investment in scientific studies to support the facts about paraquat, Syngenta Australia commissioned Deloitte Access Economics to undertake a study titled: The Economic Impact of Parquat.

Presented to politicians and industry stakeholders at Parliament House in Canberra, the report concluded that if paraquat were to be removed from Australian agriculture:

•    It would cost the Australian economy $10 billion over the next ten years
•    Many growers would cease cropping altogether
•    Approximately 600 jobs would be lost nationwide