For many growers, elite corn hybrids with the most current trait packages are the pivotal factor behind strong yield and profit potential. To give growers highly informed choices, Syngenta increased genetic trailing by more than 30%, offering a deeper, more extensive understanding of how hybrids perform in different environments and soil types.
“A greater understanding of how our pipeline performs in local environments means we can place products on farms with a higher level of confidence because we’ve tested them in research and development (R&D) trials under a wide variety of environments,” said Drew Showalter, strategic marketing manager for corn at Syngenta Seeds.
The Trait Conversion Accelerator, a $30 million corn breeding facility in Nampa, Idaho, is home to the Syngenta R&D and seed production site where a majority of Syngenta North American corn trait conversion work takes place.
The site features state-of-the-art greenhouses and laboratories that provide reliable, controlled growing environments where Syngenta incorporates desired genes from trait donor sources into elite cultivars or breeding lines. The site ultimately furthers the Syngenta commitment to agronomic innovation.
These investments and trials test for regional challenges like yield consistency and standability by simulating various growing environments. Testing products in extensive, controlled environments and implementing comprehensive data collection allow Syngenta to bring fully tested, specialized corn hybrids and seed traits to market that meet the needs of specific local geographies with varying conditions.
“We develop products with growers’ production problems first and foremost in mind,” said Tim O’Brien, PhD, Agrisure traits manager at Syngenta. “We’re not just developing hybrids, varieties or traits for the sake of building a portfolio — we direct our research to solve the problems that keep farmers up at night.”
