Bayer showcases seed innovation, new fungicide at Showtec, AgroBrasília

The health and nutrition multinational, Bayer, presented at two major fairs in the country in May, which are Showtec, the largest agricultural event in Mato Grosso do Sul that took place in Maracaju (MS) from 23rd to 25th May; and AgroBrasília, a traditional agricultural event in the Midwest focused on innovation, held between 23rd and 27th May. With global investments of more than €2.8 billion per year in Research and Development (R&D) for agriculture, the company will present innovations in seeds, a unique fungicide for soy farming, state-of-the-art digital tools and new business models, directly contributing to the growth of agricultural production in a sustainable manner.

The most recent advancement in the company’s strategy of bringing innovations that allow greater production on the same hectare can be seen firsthand by visitors of Shouter and AgroBrasília, which is Fox Supra, a new systemic fungicide that is ideal for controlling diseases in soy cultures. The formulation has two active ingredients, Prothioconazole and Impirfluxam, which jointly act effectively in various stages of the infection process of diseases, such as Asian rust, target spot, brown spot, anthracnose, cercospora and powdery mildew.

For corn, two innovative products will support farmers in addressing some of the main problems affecting the crop, which are the nematicide, Verango Prime, which offers effective and long-lasting control against nematodes in corn, such as nematode nematode (Pratylenchus zeae) and nematode nematode-galls (Meloidogyne incognita); and the insecticide, Curbix^®, which has a highly efficient contact effect against both leafhoppers and bedbugs, helping in the integrated management of pests.

″The incomparable pressure of pests and diseases in Brazilian tropical agriculture demands that we deliver solutions that help to sustainably achieve all existing productive potential. Bayer is proud to participate in the crucial moments in the evolution of agriculture alongside producers,″ said Marcio Santos, commercial leader of Bayer's agricultural division. 

"We are very excited to personally show Showtec and AgroBrasília visitors the innovations we developed so they produce more per hectare while reducing their environmental impact, through a smarter and more efficient decision-making process based on data from their properties,″ he added.

According to Santos, the company's mission is to act as the main partner of rural producers in decision-making regarding their crops. "We do this based on knowledge and investment in data science, seeds, biological products and agrochemicals, so we now have the most complete crop protection portfolio on the market," he said.

At Showtec, visitors can learn about the benefits offered by Impulso Bayer, the company's loyalty program, in addition to the exclusive cashback campaign for customers who are part of the program. They can also ask a Bayer representative for a simulation of pesticide purchases to verify the amounts they would receive back in cashback. The calculation is progressive, so the more products purchased, the greater the financial return.

Digital solutions to shape the future

In addition to the Bayer portfolio, visitors at Showtec and AgroBrasília can view solutions developed by the company to digitize the countryside and unlock new opportunities to transform agriculture, said Alexandre Pimenta, Director of Climate FieldView.

The area of digital solutions presents the most recent advances in this segment. At AgroBrasília, visitors will have access to an exclusive FieldView space to learn more about the platform, through demonstrations and conversations with specialists.

Visitors can obtain more information about innovative solutions and business models, such as Bayer VAlora, which aims to optimize the population density of corn seeds based on personalized recommendations for each productive environment, as well as data and science models built by the company, or Barter+ Powered by FieldView, the latest modality launched by the company, which customizes transactions made via Barter according to data from each farmer's property.

"We are on the side of the producer, working more efficiently in different production environments and focusing on higher profitability," Pimenta said.

Fields of innovations

Owner of the most modern biotechnologies in soy and corn, Bayer has planted areas with the latest launches in hybrids and varieties, with a complete focus on the region. For soybeans, visitors can check out the new Intacta2 Xtend^® Platform, which has already yielded more than 100 bags of soybeans per hectare in dozens of properties during the last harvest.

The platform offers an unprecedented concept for crops, a technology that offers protection against the six main caterpillars affecting soybean, through three different proteins that act simultaneously, providing more comprehensive protection with an emphasis on two more relevant species, Helicoverpa armigera and Spodoptera cosmioides, as well as weed control.

Another benefit of the platform is the Xtend^® Biotec varieties, which achieves new levels of productivity for non-Bt areas. Both technologies can be associated with the management of the Xtend^® Herbicides portfolio, which is highly efficient in controlling broadleaf weeds, such as horseweed, caruru, morning glory and black beggarticks.

The company's already established brands, Monsoy and Agroeste, are also present at the fairs, presenting their lines which already jointly offer more than 20 varieties for soy with the new biotechnology platform, adapted for each region of the country and offering producers the best tool for obtaining real gains and new levels of productivity.

For corn, producer can view the VTPRO4^® biotechnology, which provides strong protection against pests in the aerial parts, such as cabinet caterpillar, stem borer, threadworm and elasmo caterpillar, and roots, such as pinworm, in addition to flexibility in weed management, such as tolerance to the Roundup herbicide, in high-yield hybrids adapted for the whole country.

Still for corn, at Showtec, Sementes Agroceres will showcase the hybrid, AG 8701 PRO4, which combines differentiated protection and high productive potential, and AG 8065 PRO4, which delivers precocity and tolerance to white spot. Dekalb will present DKB 255 PRO4, a hybrid with a very high productive ceiling and an early cycle and excellent response to the use of technology, and DKB 380 PRO3, which has good productive potential and wide adaptability, improving leaf health and stem quality. The Agroeste brand will present hybrids such as AS 1868 PRO4, which achieves excellent productivity, stability and foliar health, and AS1844 PRO4, a hybrid that combines stability, leaf health and good tolerance to bacterial streak. At AgroBrasília, some of the hybrids that will be taken are the AG 8606 PRO4, which combines stability, health and productive potential, DKB 335 PRO4, which offers differentiated productivity with an emphasis on leaf health, and the AS 1820 PRO4, which offers excellent performance in all environments.

Crop protection

In a country such as Brazil, which has a tropical climate, agricultural pesticides are allies that guarantee the protection of crops in the fight against pests, diseases and weeds. During the fairs, producers can learn about some of the most innovative solutions in this field, such as the herbicide for the pre-emergent management of weeds in corn, Adengo^®, which is an alternative with a broad spectrum of control and two modes of action, Isoxaflutole and Thiencarbazone, acting on both wide and narrow leaves. In addition, the solution has a stable and long-lasting formulation with proven efficiency in the field.

Also noteworthy is the fungicide, Fox^® Xpro, which combats the main diseases of soybeans, corn, cotton, winter cereals, sunflowers and beans, providing protection and helping increase productivity. Composed of three active ingredients, Fox^® Xpro offers triple action against the main diseases that affect crops, such as the dreaded Asian soybean rust.

For insects that are difficult to control, such as bedbugs and corn leafhoppers, in Bayer's portfolio, producers have the insecticide, Curbix 200 SC^®, which controls these insects in two ways, either through ingestion or contact when insects move across the surface of plants that contain the product, providing a prolonged period of control. Additionally, the application of Connect^® is recommended as it has a translaminar translocation action, which affects nymphs. The insecticide has a prolonged control period against bedbugs and leafhoppers.

As for the control of nematodes, Bayer offers Verango^® Prime for soy and corn, with the active ingredient Fluopyram, which is an innovative molecule that offers effective and long-lasting control while requiring a low dosage per hectare. A broad spectrum of control against the most diverse species of nematodes is fundamental for the management of this pest. It is also worth mentioning that the nematicide, Verango^® Prime, has a healthy and synergistic coexistence with biological products, such as Serenade^®, a bactericidal fungicide with multiple modes of action that is used in various crops, such as citrus, soybeans, cotton, beans and horticultural crops.