Bayer Agro Arena 2016: Journey into the World of Innovations

This spring, Bayer demonstrated the strength, dynamics and high potential of its commercial portfolio on three modular platforms – in Karnobat, the village of Popgrigorovo, Dobrich region, and Kneja. Professional farmers from across the country received exclusive information on the latest trends and technological concepts in top-class crop protection, as defined by the corporate management of the world’s leading agrochemical and seed company.

The reporting team of the magazine “Plant Protection” was at the DMO portal in Kneja, where more than 400 agricultural producers from Northwestern and Central Northern Bulgaria were waiting to learn the latest news. The big surprise was the creative way of visualizing and staging the event, which took place for the first time in Bulgaria. With the help of computer audio technology, the field trials, the commentary on formulating decisions for action in the respective phytosanitary situation, and the results from the application of the different crop protection technologies and products were “transferred” to a huge screen under the roof of the tent. In this original way, every participant in the event had a personal option to become thoroughly acquainted with all the details of what had happened in the field, to participate actively in the dialogue, and to express their personal impression, position and assessment.

The meeting was opened by the new Bayer Manager for Bulgaria, CropScience Division – Mr. Gabor Ravicki. He greeted the highly professional audience and assured them that Bayer would continue to responsibly fulfil its mission – to offer innovative products, technologies and services for achieving sustainability, management and high intensity of crop protection. Bulgaria is a target market for Bayer, Mr. Ravicki emphasized, which means that the company’s corporate investment resources have all the parameters required to achieve excellent results in protecting agricultural crops from pests under conditions of a changing and uncertain phytosanitary environment. He gave as an example Capreno, a super-innovative technology for weed control in maize, launched for the first time in Europe in Bulgaria and Hungary. Mr. Ravicki personally congratulated the hosts of this key event from the company’s marketing calendar, which attracted such a large audience – Krasimir Pelovski, Dimitar Dekov and Evgeniya Saivanska.

Bayer’s global leadership in the agrochemical industry is to a decisive extent due to the incredible innovative boom in its product portfolio, achieved through a smart and adequate investment policy – substantial financial resources and high-quality scientific potential. This large-scale project fulfils high expectations and generates new energy and new dynamics in the world of crop protection. It has created an environment for major technological breakthroughs, defining mechanisms and tools for risk management, predictability, prevention, symptomatology, diagnostics and therapy. With a single goal – achieving a high health status of plants under conditions of a changing and often uncontrollable phytosanitary environment. In other words: Bayer, the world’s leading company, participates responsibly and with commitment in the large-scale transformation, modernization and intensification of crop protection.

The logical question is: which and what are the innovations in the product portfolio? The answer is not unambiguous. We will give only a few examples within the scope of what was demonstrated and seen at the platform in Kneja. For example, all Bayer herbicides in maize (including soil-applied herbicides) have a built-in safener system. It helps maize – one of the crops highly sensitive to herbicide pressure – to successfully overcome herbicide stress. On the other hand, tembotrione, the active substance of the herbicide Laudis, is the most selective product in this segment. Tembotrione has a different mode of action from all known products. In addition to its broad spectrum, rapid penetration and translocation, it has another unique property – it blocks carotenoids, which protect chlorophyll, and ultraviolet light degrades it. Weeds die from an overdose of ultraviolet light.

Merlin Flex, Adengo, Capreno – these are convincing examples of how Bayer develops, energizes and upgrades the formats, visions and strategies in the fight against weeds in maize! The result: in the short term, the success index increases.

If we look in another direction – the fight against diseases in cereal crops – we will again see with what and how Bayer wins the competitive battle on a global scale. Falcon, Sfera Max, Prosaro, Soligor and Zantara outline the new trends and reveal the scale of Bayer’s innovative activity and effectiveness. The appearance of Falcon caused a mini-revolution on the world market. For the first time, a three-component shock force (two triazoles + a pyrimidine) was positioned, which gave the “green” light to several top ideas. More precisely: the pyrimidine spiroxamine improves and accelerates the absorption of the triazoles and their proper distribution in the plants. Falcon exhibits a new biochemical mode of action. It convincingly proves that there is no cross-resistance. The continuation of the journey in Bayer’s world of innovation is Sfera Max, the modern “microcrystalline” combination of a strobilurin and a triazole with an excellent effect against fusarium and net blotch. The strobilurin ensures a “green” effect and increases resistance to stress factors. Prosaro contains a third, latest-generation triazole – prothioconazole, which is a clear indication that Bayer continues at a high pace and with strong motivation to develop its project in the field of triazoles. Soligor is a combination of three active substances – two triazoles (prothioconazole and tebuconazole) and the pyrimidine spiroxamine. Zantara is the next confident step forward. In addition to the traditional triazole (tebuconazole), it contains bixafen, belonging to the newest group of active substances – carboxamides with an SDHI profile. The combination of bixafen + triazole provides a very broad spectrum of activity and a strong physiological effect. Zantara increases yield even in the absence of diseases! The “star” team also includes the premium brand Yuntra Quattro for seed treatment of wheat and barley. This is a high peak, reached in an impressive way by Bayer. The product has a unique content of 2 insecticides – clothianidin and imidacloprid, and 2 fungicides – prothioconazole and tebuconazole. The result: the highest level of protection of seeds and young plants from all pests and diseases for a long period of time. In addition – a physiological effect that ensures faster germination and emergence, more vigorous plants and greater tolerance to adverse abiotic factors such as low temperatures and drought.

And one more fact. Part of the characteristics of Bayer fungicides is their versatility. Namely, Prosaro and Soligor are registered for use on all cereal crops, while the others – Falcon, Sfera Max, Zantara and Yuntra Quattro – on wheat and barley.