Syngenta launches canola seed program

Syngenta Canada Inc. announced that it will be bringing canola varieties to market for the 2014 growing season, marking the advent of the company’s canola seed program in Canada. Based on grower and market needs, Syngenta will continue to increase its number of canola seed offerings over the coming years.

Syngenta has a long history of participating in the Canadian canola segment with enabling technologies such as seed treatments, herbicides, fungicides and insecticides. Experience and expertise gained from these products and from abroad, where Syngenta is a leading provider of canola-quality oilseed rape varieties, facilitates the delivery of a new seed portfolio for western Canadian growers.

"This is an exceptional time to be in the canola seed market given the extent of breeding and varietal development activities going on across the country,” explains Dave Sippell, Head of Diverse Field Crops in North America for Syngenta. “Our approach is to take advantage of the best that these activities have to offer – allowing us to collaborate with a variety of canola providers and breeders to select the germplasm and traits that will deliver the greatest benefit to growers, and commercialize the resulting varieties.” SY4135 will be the first canola variety Syngenta brings to market, with commercial quantities available in fall 2013 for seeding in 2014. Future varieties will also be developed using leading technologies growers desire, offering strong yield and optimal weed control. Efforts in 2013 will focus on strategic trialing of new canola varieties at the field level with commercial growers.

The current Syngenta canola portfolio features a range of seed care and pesticide products for canola, including Helix® Vibrance seed treatment, Astound® fungicide and Matador® insecticide. Touchdown Total®, a glyphosate-based herbicide, can also be used on SY4135.

"Syngenta is very excited to continue the growth of our canola portfolio. We look forward to bringing commercialization expertise and support to seed breeders while also delivering strong new canola varieties to growers that address their unique production needs,” concludes Duane Johnson, Head of the Western Commercial Unit for Syngenta Canada.