Protecting a tropical treasure – the Banana - Bayer CropScience

COURIERThe Bayer CropScience Magazine for Modern Agriculture 1/07Setting the Standard inProduct StewardshipDiverse Herbicides forDiverse Rice CulturesProtecting atropical treasure– the Banana

Contents2 Protecting a tropicaltreasure – the Banana8 Setting the Standard inProduct Stewardship12 We’ve got it in the can!15 Managing insecticideresistant whiteflies18 Shifting the View on Water24 Curbix – the long-lastingsolution againstbrown plant hoppers28 Diverse Herbicides forDiverse Rice CulturesProtectinga tropicaltreasure –the BananaThe banana might well have been foundgrowing in the Garden of Eden. After all, itshistory does go back to the earliest days ofmankind. Some scientists consider the bananaas being mankind’s first domesticated crop.Published by: Bayer CropScience AG, Monheim / Editor:Bernhard Grupp / With contributions from: A. Dollacker, K.Doughty, M. Haas, A. Holl (free lance journalist), K. Kirsch /Design and Layout: Xpertise, Langenfeld / Lithography:LSD GmbH & Co. KG, Düsseldorf / Printed by: DynevoGmbH, Leverkusen / Reproduction of contents is permissibleproviding Bayer is acknowledged and advised byspecimen copy / Editor’s address: Bayer CropScience AG,Corporate Communications, Alfred-Nobel-Str. 50, 40789Monheim am Rhein, Germany, FAX: 0049-2173-383454 /Website: www.bayercropscience.comForward-Looking StatementsThis news release contains forward-looking statementsbased on current assumptions and forecasts made byBayer CropScience AG management. Various known andunknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could leadto material differences between the actual future results,financial situation, development or performance of theBayer CropScience AG or our parent company, Bayer AG,and the estimates given here. These factors include thosediscussed in Bayer AG's public reports filed with the FrankfurtStock Exchange and with the U.S. Securities and ExchangeCommission (including Bayer AG's Form 20-F).Neither Bayer AG nor Bayer CropScience AG assumes anyliability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statementsor to conform them to future events or developments.2 COURIER 1/07

Although the plant that bears this age-old fruit appearstree-like, it is actually a herbaceous perennial of thegenus Musa (family Musaceae) that grows in humid tropicaland subtropical climates. The jungles of Malaysiahave been identified as the center of origin of this genus.The fruit is rich in carbohydrates, fibers, vitamins andminerals. Its nutritional properties are recognized as beingsuperior to those of rice, yucca, potatoes and maize.In other words, it can be considered in many ways as theperfect fruit.A crop conquers the worldBananas vary in their taste and texture. Depending on thevariety and the stage of ripeness, the flesh can be starchyor sweet, firm or mushy. Plantains and cooking bananasare the staple foods of many Latin American, Asian andAfrican populations, whereas in temperate countries, it ismainly the dessert or sweet varieties that are eaten.The banana is the world’s most widely – produced and– exported fruit, second only to citrus fruit in value terms,and globally the fourth most important export crop afterwheat, rice and corn. The biggest banana-producingcountries are India, Brazil and China, but these countriesare not of major importance for trade, as their productionis predominantly for local consumption. Only a fifth oftotal banana production is traded internationally. Accordingto the FAO, total world exports amount to 13 milliontonnes, worth US$ 4.3 billion a year. Production for exportis concentrated in Ecuador, Philippines, Colombia,Central America and West Africa. The biggest consumersare the Europe, USA and Japan.Natural diversityThe banana originally contained rather large seeds, butover the millennia, the fruit’s popularity undoubtedly increasedwith the availability of seedless varieties. Today,bananas come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colours andflavours. Gros Michel, Gran Nain, Valery, Williams,Dwarf Cavendish, Cuban Red, Lady Finger, Blue Java,Orinoco, Popoulu – the list of varieties is as long as it isexotic. However, breeding modifications in the banana,brought about to improve edibility, have also increased itsgenetic vulnerability. The seedless banana cannot reproducesexually, but has been able to survive for some10,000 years through vegetative propagation by sideshoots (suckers).This genetic vulnerability is illustrated by the fact that40 years ago, Panama Disease, caused by a soil fungus(Fusarium oxysporum) that attacks banana roots, wipedout the world’s then-favorite export variety, Gros Michel.Plantations switched to the Cavendish subgroup of varieties,which now play the major role in trade. Crop protection(especially disease control) is still an essentialcontribution to yield and quality production.1/07 COURIER 3

Distribution of World Gross Exports in 2004 (mio tonnes)Ecuador4.537Others2.259Guatemala1.05817.6%35.3%8.2%Source: Banana statistics 2005 FAO, May 200614.0%10.9%14.0%Philippines1.797Costa Rica1.793Colombia1.395Total 12.839 = 100%Black Sigatoka, caused by the fungus Mycoshaerella fijinesis is one of the most important leafdisease of industrially-grown bananas.The Threat of DiseasesNowadays, the most important leaf disease of industrially-grownbananas is Black Sigatoka. This leaf spotdisease is caused by the fungus Mycosphaerella fijiensis.Black Sigatoka was first described in Fiji in 1963,and subsequently reported throughout the Pacific regionand Asia. In 1972, it reached Honduras and wenton to spread across Central America, the northern partof South America, to Peru and Bolivia, and to theCaribbean. It was first detected in the Amazon regionof Brazil in 1998, and in the southern state of SaoPaulo in 2004.The first detection of Black Sigatoka in Africa occurredin Zambia in 1973. The disease then spreadalong the western African coast, reaching Cameroonand the Ivory Coast, and eastward, across the Congo,reaching as far as Kenya.Mycosphaerella fijiensis belongs to the ascomycetefamily of fungi. The first symptoms of the disease aredark brown, 1 - 2 mm long streaks on the lower leafsurface. These streaks later develop into necrotic lesionswith yellow haloes and light-grey centers. Thelesions can eventually coalesce and destroy large areasof the leaf tissue, leading to earlier ripening of thefruit, and reduced yield.The pathogen has a life-cycle involving both asexualand sexual reproduction (see figure). Sexualreproduction occurs through the development of ascospores,which are disseminated over long distancesby wind; this is considered to be most important stagein disease development. During asexual reproduction,conidia are produced and then disseminated short distancesacross the plant surface by water movement.After germination of ascospores or conidia, thepathogen may grow across the leaf surface for sometime before penetrating into the leaf via stomata. Underoptimal conditions, M. fijiensis can undergo thecomplete cycle from germination to secondary sporeproductionin 21 days.The highly damaging effect of Black Sigatoka diseaseon banana yield and quality means that sophisticatedcrop protection programs have to be implementedin the banana plantations. These programs include diseasemonitoring, good soil drainage, cultural practicessuch as the removal of infected leaves, and fungicidetreatment programs.Controlling Black SigatokaQuality check of banana bunches after harvesting.Chemical control of Black Sigatoka began in the1930s with the application of Bordeaux mixture andmineral oil. Today, mineral oil is still an importantcornerstone of Black Sigatoka control. It is usuallyapplied at 5 to 10 l/ha, often in tank-mixes with conventionalfungicides.Over the years, intensive research by crop protectioncompanies such as Bayer CropScience has producednew, more effective fungicides from variousfungicide classes, such as the dithiocarbamates,morpholines, benzimidazoles, triazoles and strobilurines.4 COURIER 1/07

Development of Black Sigatoka disease caused byMycosphaerella fijiensis87Release ofascospores1Developmentof peritheciawith asciBlack SigatokaSexual CycleAscosporesland on theleaf surface6Fertilization ofhyphee (female) byspermatia (male)AGerm-tubedevelopmenton the leafsurface25Development ofspermogonia andrelease of spermatiaDLocal disseminationof conidiaBlack SigatokaAsexual CyclePenetration intothe leaf throughstomataB3Penetration into theleaf through stomataDevelopment of conidiophoresand production of conidiaMassivemycelium growthCMicroscopic detailsLeaf symptoms4112 3Stage I Stage II Stage III2Stage IV 4 Stage V 7 Stage VI 71/07 COURIER 5

Fungicides from different classes inhibitdifferent cell functionsMSIDMIMulti-Site Inhibitors (MSI) suchas propineb, mancozeb orchlorothalonil interfere with anumber of cellular functions.DMIs are Class I SBIs acting as C 14-DeMethylationInhibitors of fungal sterol biosynthesis.SBIAmines are Class II SterolBiosynthesis Inhibitors that donot block C 14 demethylation butrather two other steps in sterolbiosynthesis.ASIQolAnilino-Pyrimidines are Aminoacid Synthesis Inhibitors thatblock the synthesis of methionine,which is needed in allproteins.Quinoline outside Inhibitors (QoI), such asstrobilurins, block fungal respiration at theouter site of mitochondrial complex III.Established productsBaycor ® and Folicur ® are two well-knownBayer CropScience triazole fungicides thathave been used successfully for BlackSigatoka control for many years.Baycor shows loco-systemic actionagainst Black Sigatoka. It penetrates intothe leaf tissue and stays where it is neededmost for disease control.Baycor is more lipophilic than othertriazoles: it binds strongly to the surfacewaxes and the cuticle of the leaf, ensuringexcellent rain-fastness. Once bound to theleaf surface, the active ingredient is in theright place when the pathogen starts to infect.If applied with mineral oil, Baycormoves across the leaf surface and remainsselectively close to areas of sap flow, therebyproviding enhanced protection of theleaf rib and veins.Folicur penetrates rapidly into the deeperleaf tissues. Its systemic properties allow itto move easily through the sap, so that itquickly spreads within the leaf. It movestransversally and becomes evenly-distributedwithin the leaf, thus giving protectionof the whole leaf blade.Baycor and Folicur complement eachother ideally, facilitating disease control atall phases of disease development, andchecking the pathogen’s development bothon, and within, the leaf.Growing portfolioMore recently, the strobilurin class of fungicideshas been introduced. Tega ® , one ofBayer CropScience’s strobilurins, is a highlyeffective compound of this class availablefor Black Sigatoka control in bananas.Tega shows mesostemic action, and exhibitsan excellent combination of chemodynamic properties. It has a great affinityfor the waxy layer on the surface of the bananaleaf. Once applied, it soon forms aweather-protected depot, from whence itgradually penetrates into the mesophyll ofthe leaf. Tega is also redistributed acrossthe leaf surface in water; along with super-ficial vapor movement, this protects partsof the plant surface that did not receive theproduct directly during spraying. The consequenceof the product’s translaminaractivity and its excellent rain-fastness is along-lasting residual effect. This combinationof properties makes Tega an excellentsolution for Black Sigatoka control.Bayer Cropscience has recently complementedits range of banana fungicidesfurther with Siganex ® , the only anilinopyrimidineavailable for Black Sigatoka control,and Impulse ® , which belongs to a newchemical group, the spiroketalamines.Both products show excellent phytocompatibilitywith banana plants; no leaf or fruitspeckling is observed when the productsare applied as instructed on the labels.The mode of action of Siganex is new.Siganex inhibits the pathogen primarily byinhibiting germ-tube extension andmycelial growth. Fungal secretion of enzymesrequired for the infection process isalso disrupted, and nutrient acquisition bythe pathogen is blocked. As a consequence,plant cell destruction is prevented.6 COURIER 1/07

We have all it takes to fight BlackSigatoka effectivelyMaximize efficacy – minimize resistance riskMSI DMI Qol SBI ASI40 sprays/season 8 8 3 15 630 sprays/season 7 7 3 8 520 sprays/season 4 5 2 5 410 sprays/season 3 2 1 2 2LegendAbbreviation Target Group nameMSI Multi-site Inhibitor Contact fungicidesDMI Demethylation Inhibitor TriazolesQoI Quinoline outside Inhibitor StrobilurinsSBI Sterol Biosynthesis Inhibitor AminesASI Amino Acid Synthesis Inhibitor AnilinopyrimidinesSustainability through diversityIntelligent use of all available modes of action minimizes the resistance risk and allows more stableprotection against Black Sigatoka. Bayer CropScience offers a broad fungicide portfolio for managingBlack Sigatoka effectively and efficiently, helping you to grow a healthy crop.Golden rules of astable anti-resistancemanagement• Fully implement FungicideResistance Action Committee(FRAC) guidelines.• Don’t exceed the maximumnumber of alloted number ofsprays/year for each specificmode of action.• Use the full range of modesof action available.• Consider the regular use ofmixtures of specific fungicideswith multi-site compounds.• Don’t under-dose the mixingpartners. They are of little usein resistance management ifthey can’t stand on their ownat the rate used in the mixture!The greater the number of differentfungicide classes used,the more stable the system!Sustainability through diversity!Siganex shows excellent spread, distributionand uptake into the leaf. These characteristics,and the nature of the product’sinteraction with the leaf wax structures,lead to an excellent rain fastness and verygood efficacy. No cross-resistance hasbeen observed with other fungicide classes,so Siganex is an ideal tool for avoidingor managing fungicide resistance in a Sigatokacontrol program. All in all, Siganexrepresents a real innovation in Sigatokacontrol.Impulse is a systemic compound thatpenetrates the leaf quickly and spreads uniformlythrough the plant tissue, givingboth preventive and curative control ofBlack Sigatoka. It is an ideal fungicide foralternating with, or using in mixtures with,triazoles such as Baycor or Folicur, or withstrobilurins such as Tega, in order to managepotential or existing resistance risks.Impulse is a modern fungicide that is idealfor enhancing Black Sigatoka control programsfor quality production.Bayer CropScience offers what can trulybe described as one of the most comprehensive,innovative and technologicallyadvancedfungicide portfolio for BlackSigatoka control. This gives banana growersa tool-box that allows them to manage thedisease, according to local climatic conditionsand disease pressure.Resistance Management –A continuous challengeThe Black Sigatoka pathogen has an exceptionalability to develop fungicide resistance,especially in areas where temperatureand high rainfall favor reproduction.Fungicide spray programs must be highlysophisticated, based on resistance monitoringinformation, product rotation, and applyingspecific fungicides together withmulti-site fungicides and mineral oil.With its strong product portfolio, BayerCropScience has developed an approach toresistance management that is based on researchspecialists’ knowledge and practicalexperience, gained over many years.The fundamental priniple is that themore modes of action you use, the morestable the cultivation program is – sustainabilitythrough diversity. Certain “GoldenRules” need to be followed in order toachieve the right balance between the variousmodes of action for the respectivenumber of applications per year (see box).This concept is illustrated by the “DiamondModel”, developed by Bayer CropScience:here, the modes of action available for controllingBlack Sigatoka are shown acrossthe top of the diamond; below each modeof action is an alloted maximum number ofapplications of that mode of action, dependingon the anticipated total number ofapplications to be made within a season.The number of applications by mode of actionin the top row reflects the maximumnumbers recommended by the internationalFungicide Resistance Action Committee(FRAC).Bayer CropScience offers a treasure ofdiversity in terms of fungicide modes ofaction for the control of Black Sigatoka. Theintelligent use of all available modes of actionallows the grower to minimize the resistancerisk, and to maximize efficacy. ■1/07 COURIER 7

Setting the Standard inProduct StewardshipFor Bayer CropScience, taking care that ourproducts are used safely and responsibly iscertainly not a matter of paying lip service tooutside expectations. Product stewardship livesas a corporate philosophy and is expressedthrough a multitude of projects sponsored byour country organizations.8 COURIER 1/07

Although crop protection products are abeneficial technology, essential to securingthe world’s food supply, they regularly hitthe headlines under suspicion of harminghuman health and the environment. However,the incidents that are reported mostlyinvolve inappropriate use or handling ofthese chemical substances. In order to preventsuch product abuses, and to avoid accidents,the major crop protection companiesare committed to providing extensiveproduct stewardship. Bayer CropScience isat the cutting edge of promoting the responsiblemanagement of our products,within the company, in the field, and beyond.Product stewardship starts with the inventionof an active substance and continuesthroughout the product life-cycle, up toand including the disposal of empty containersor obsolete stock. Every year, BayerCropScience evaluates its activities and assessesthe level of compliance with its productstewardship policy. This policy and thekey requirements derived from it, arebased on the International Code of Conducton the Distribution and Use of Pesticides,set up by the Food and AgricultureOrganization (FAO) of the United Nations.The Product Stewardship Program ofBayer CropScience has its roots in ResponsibleCare – a program sponsored by theChemical Manufacturers Association. Thefeatures of the principles include in particularthe consistent application of productstewardship across the entire value-addedchain, and a management system approachto all aspects of safety, health protectionand environmental protection. Bayer Crop-Science goes an extra mile with ProductStewardship as will be shown in the followingexamples.Paper does not blush but Bayer Crop-Science product stewards would if one oftheir substances posed a danger if handledand applied properly. We have 88 stewardsworking around the globe, each of whom iscommitted to the cause of ensuring the safeuse of our products.The annual assessment produces somereassuring figures. Take one example: the2006 Bayer CropScience safe seed-treatmentcampaign in the Ukraine, whichreached 4,000 farms via direct contacts,and some 18,000 farms through the media.Dr. Peter Ohs, Senior Safe Use Manager atBayer CropScience, is pleased with thesuccess of this project: “The campaign significantlyincreased the percentage ofusers wearing protective equipment to a remarkableextend. But this was not our onlyconcern. Above all, we wanted to raise operators’awareness and convey the benefitsof safe product use.”One Philosophy, two targetsThe safe-use campaign in the Ukraine isonly one of many country- and productspecificprojects in progress, all of whichadd together to form a well-rounded policy.“Within Bayer CropScience, product stewardshipis a philosophy that influences allcompany operations”, Peter Ohs underlines.He makes it clear that stewardshipimplies more than just rescue work wherehazards arise for health and the environment:“product stewardship has two maintargets: minimizing potential risk, andmaximizing the benefits derived fromproduct use, both for farmers and for ourcompany”.To ensure the successful implementationand monitoring of its product stewardshipapproach, Bayer CropScience has fixedtwelve stewardship principles, each ofwhich leads to concrete instructions. Thecompany guidelines comply fully with theFAO Code of Conduct on the Distributionand Use of Pesticides. One of the twelveBayer CropScience principles focuses onObsolete StockManagementICM & UsersTrainingthe training of staff and customers in all aspectsof responsible product use. The companyruns training programs for users in allcontinents; the project in the Ukraine isjust one example.“In the Ukraine, we aim to advancesafety standards when applying BayerCropScience products through two parallelstrategies: the instruction of farm workers;and winning their belief in product stewardship”explains Evgenia Ustimenko, theproject leader. The safe-use campaign precededthe launch of Lamardor ® , a fungicidalseed treatment product based on prothioconazole.The campaign comprised educationaladvertising in the national media,public discussion meetings, and trainingevents for retailers, farmers and farmworkers. The participation of the latter twogroups was further encouraged by settingup a competition for the best on-farm implementationof product stewardship.As the Ukrainian project scored so wellin the company-internal annual assessmentof product stewardship projects, it is nowbeing expanded into Moldavia and Romaniain 2007. However, project activities alwayshave to be adapted to local conditions,because different countries vary insize and agrarian structure. The annual as-Product Stewardshipis a Life Cycle ApproachProductStewardshipRegistration, MarketingResearch andDevelopmentContainerManagementManufacturingWarehousing1/07 COURIER 9

The product stewardship campaign of Bayer CropScience in the Ukraine led to anincreased percentage of users wearing protective clothes.The product stewardship project in Southand Latin America is called “Agrovida”. Theproject logo is widely used and draws theattention to this project.sessment of all product stewardship projectsserves a double purpose, as Dr. Ohspoints out: “The evaluation gives immediatefeedback to our country organizationsas to how they can further improve theiractivities. Furthermore, experience fromthe countries provides the basis for formulatingglobal product stewardship strategiesand developing global projects.”Projects are making an impactFor instance, the “Safe Use in Seed Treatment”is a global campaign, which issteered from Bayer CropScience Headquartersin Monheim, Germany. A CD-ROM “Guide to responsible seed treatment”has been produced and is availablein various languages; it is aimed at differenttarget groups, i.e. for both farm and industrialuse. This resource is used in extensionand training. Another training kit targetsresponsible product use in greenhouses.An example of the use of these materialsis a pilot project in Turkey, which willbe transferred to other countries around theMediterranean area after it has been evaluated.“We have to target our resources to alimited number of projects. But these areprojects that make an impact”, reasonsPeter Ohs.In line with this prioritization approach,Bayer CropScience is currently concentratingon offering training for crop protectiontraders and extension officers, becausethese people act as knowledge multipliersin their regions. In Brazil for example - thecompany has started a certification schemefor retailers who are capable of providingthe appropriate product stewardship knowhow.Distributors who have been awarded acertificate are audited regularly. Anotherexample is the training of retailers by BayerCropScience China, under the BayerKey Retailer project. Projects like thiscomply with another principle of the productstewardship policy that relates to ourbusiness partners: they are expected to applythe same level of responsibility as isdemanded within Bayer CropScience as acompany.These product stewardship principles(and indeed all of the twelve) accompanythe full life-cycle of a crop protectionproduct. They start right at the time of selectingand testing new substances, andcontinue to apply to product registration,labeling, and formulation. “You can pack alot of safety into the formulation of an activeingredient”, explains Andreas Stork,Team Leader of Insecticide FormulationTechnology at Bayer CropScience. “Forexample, improved adhesion and penetrationof a substance reduces the necessaryapplication rate.” In another project, BayerCropScience researchers have developed astem-injection system for palm trees thatminimizes the product exposure of usersand the environment. Closely connectedwith this stewardship principle is the developmentof innovative product packaging,for example, with a built-in measuringcup.10 COURIER 1/07

Dialogue and discussion are the best means of promoting the safe use of crop protectionproducts.The optimal protective outfit for working with crop protectionproducts was promoted in a safe use project in Turkey.Responsible care atall product stagesIn cooperation with other stakeholders,Bayer CropScience runs projects on thedisposal or recycling of empty containers –by far not in each country an industry organizationor the state takes care of thistask. The company is also involved in thesafe disposal of obsolete pesticide stocks,especially in developing countries. Expertsestimate that this is a problem on a largescale – 500,000 tons of product, oftenstored under poor conditions and sometimesinvolving older, more hazardous substances.But even before a product is sold to retailersor users, its safe development andmanufacturing on Bayer CropScience sitesmust be ensured. A “Quality, Health, Safetyand Environment Policy” (QHSE) andQHSE Management Systems govern thehandling of chemical substances at all ofour sites. The transport and storage ofproducts is organized in accordance withlegal requirements. Bayer CropScience alsomaintains up-to-date Material Safety DataSheets for each commercial product andmakes them available to all stakeholders.Bayer CropScience does not tolerateany unapproved use of its products. “Dependingon the particular circumstances,we have the option of applying for a labelextension by providing the necessary studiesin order to enable the farmer to use theproduct legally; otherwise, we try to persuadethe farmers to use alternatives”, PeterOhs explains. When Bayer CropSciencelearns of a health hazard or an ecologicalrisk posed by one of its products, additionalproduct stewardship efforts are made, or,if the risk cannot be thus excluded, marketingof the product may be stopped, andsubstitutes are sought. “Take the insecticidealdicarb, graded class I by the WorldHealth Organization but authorized forspecified uses in United States. In cooperationwith the national authority, we haveset up strict rules for farmers intending toapply aldicarb-containing products safely,”Peter Ohs adds.Dialogue promotesproduct stewardshipBayer CropScience has initiated a projectcalled “AgroVida” in a number of countriesin South and Latin America. This is aPublic Private Partnership used as an instrumentto support Sustainable Developmentin rural areas, which involves localauthorities, unions, industry and farmers’associations. “In so-called ‘farmer clubs’,opinion leaders in a certain micro-regionmeet to discuss agricultural problems, butthe topics are not necessarily restricted tosafe product use”, reports Margot Börgartz,Safe Use Assurance Manager atBayer CropScience. Latin America is hermain region of activity, and she is very familiarwith the “Agrovida” campaignthere.Peter Ohs is convinced that dialogueand discussion are the best means of promotingthe safe use of crop protectionproducts. “Whether fostering the philosophyof product stewardship within ourcompany or passing it on to farmers, ourexperience is the same: Responsible Care,in the majority of cases, is realised throughan exchange of thoughts, by listening to ar-guments, and by reflecting on them.”Moreover, product stewardship needsconcerted action. So Bayer CropSciencetends not to organize projects by itself, butrather brings various stakeholders together.For example, a project on safe use ingreenhouses in Turkey brought togethermanufacturers of protective clothing, aproducer of spraying devices, regional authorities,and retailers.Stakeholders are unified by a commongoal: and this refers not only to minimizethe risks associated with a product; butalso to maximize its benefits. “Productstewardship is not a matter of charitableactivity: it must fulfil criteria for sustainabilityfor our company”, points out PeterOhs. “We want to set the standard in productstewardship towards the safe use of ourproducts and their compatibility to the environment.But for us, product stewardshipis also connected with economic sustainability.Product stewardship yields a profit,not only in terms of reputation, but also interms of money.” ■Links to Product Stewardship• www.bayercropscience.com• www.croplife.org• www.fao.org1/07 COURIER 11

We’ve got itFranz-Peter Schueller, Headof the Packaging Technology atBayer CropScienceVentilating cap for bubble-free filling12 COURIER 1/07

in the can!The modern crop protection market not only makeshigh demands of active substances and their formulations:it also presents significant challenges in terms ofpackaging design. The materials that are used mustprotect the product from the effects of external factors;but at the same time, they must also protect the user,and the environment, from the product itself.Franz-Peter Schueller, Head of the PackagingTechnology Department at Bayer CropScience,answers our questions about the best approachesto packaging crop protection products.Courier: What are the challenges that packagingfor crop protection product must meet?Schueller: Crop protection products are usedseasonally, so they must sometimes be stored forprolonged periods, and the packaging materialmust not change during this time. On the onehand, it must protect the environment and theuser from the crop protection product, so it is essentialthat there are no leaks (for example ofsolvents). On the other hand, the crop protectionproduct must retain its quality over long periodsof storage, in spite of the various environmentalfactors that could degrade it, such as light, temperatureand moisture.The stability of our packaging is proven instringent, specially-designed tests that closely relateto practical conditions. Among these aresimulations of the type of accidents that can happenduring transport or storage; these are verysevere tests of the packaging! We need to be ableto show that our packaging can withstand severecompression or extreme environmental conditions.Besides durability and stability, ecologicaland economic considerations are also particularlyimportant. We do our best to develop packagingwith the smallest possible volume and the lowestpossible weight in order to optimise transportcosts. Here, modern materials offer us many possibilitiesfor innovation. Our packaging is alsodesigned to be stacked easily, fitting as well aspossible onto palettes – these are important criteriafor the trade.One very important consideration is that ourpackaging must be easy to empty and to rinseout. Here, the requirements are particularly demanding:every new container that is designedmust be capable of almost complete emptying -less than 0.01 % of the original contents shouldremain after a standard rinsing action done underpractical conditions.The user has expectations too. Containersmust be as light as possible, and easy to emptyand rinse; easy opening and secure re-closing ofthe packaging are also considered to be particularlyimportant.Courier: Which materials are used forpackaging?Schueller: Because every container must be suitedto its particular contents and use, various differentmaterials are used. The most common types ofcontainer are cans and bottles, which are generallymade of “High Density Poly-Ethylene“ (HDPE).Some crop protection products contain certainsubstances that are capable of penetrating throughHDPE. For these products, an additional protectivelayer of polyamide or Ethylene Vinyl alcohol(EVOH) is used inside the standard HDPE containers.These plastic coatings are in fact relativelyexpensive.Courier: Where do you get your ideas fornew types of packaging?1/07 COURIER 13

Schueller: Most of the time, we receivesuggestions from our colleagues in theMarketing Departments and Field Services.They know what the trade demandsand what the users prefer, and are able toprovide us with suggestions as to how weshould be packing our new crop protectionproducts. But we also obtain ideas for improvements,or even entirely new concepts,from our network of partners, includingcontainer- and packaging-material suppliers,production sites, and Research andDevelopment departments.Courier: How do you keep track of themany types of packaging you deal withand the concepts underlying them?Schueller: In order to manage our packagingsand their associated concepts, we usean SAP-application that has been specially-adaptedto meet our requirements. It offersa good platform to be able to exchangeand balance the large amount of data wehave to handle. Our European databasealone currently contains around 30,000items of information. This is a lot of dataof course – but there is a separate entry foreach of the different containers, whether itbe a 1 l bottle, a 10 l can or a 200 l drum,and for each of the various labels for thedifferent crop protection products.Courier: What are the steps involved indeveloping a new packaging?Schueller: The development of a new packagingtakes roughly six to twelve monthsfrom the original order to final production. Itis a process that involves many partners,from the original requester to the various expertfunctions. The process can be dividedinto five phases. First, the innovation/creativityphase, during which our team’s pre-liminary ideas and solutions are collected. Inthe second phase, we identify the suggestionsthat promise rapid realisation, and determineprovisional time-plans and cost-estimatesfor them. In phase 3, we select the bestof these suggestions, after having checkedthat certain legal and practical requirementshave been met. Phase 4 involves applying forofficial approval, holding negotiations withsuppliers and production sites, and producingtest batches. If the test batches lookgood, we proceed with phase 5 – productionlinemanufacture of the packaging.But before a new packaging can enterthe market, it has to undergo certain teststhat are stipulated by the registration process.These are run in partnership with FormulationTechnology. We test the performanceof the packaging per se, but we alsoinvestigate its suitability in connection witha particular plant protection product. Thelegally-required dangerous goods validationis then done by an accredited Institute.Courier: What is the philosophyunderlying your work?Schueller: Packaging means thinking theprocess through to its end! We understandthe packaging process as a closed concept.When developing a new packaging, a balancemust be made between the numerousdemands made of it. We aim to achieve thisbalance, and at the same time to take theuser’s preferences into consideration. I amconfident that PacTec – as my Function isoften called – will always continue to respondrapidly and creatively to the everchangingneeds of our market through itscustomary combination of excellent packaging-and manufacturing-concepts.Courier: Herr Schueller, thank you fortalking to us. ■ManagresistaFungicide Herbicide Insecticide Seed treatment OthersClear and unambiguous labelingBesides carrying the legally-required dangerous goods identification, Bayer CropScience’sproducts carry easily-readable labels on pallettes and cartons. Every individual containerhas a strongly-fixed label that gives advice on the safe use of the product, and providesuseful information on its application.Standardized colour-coding is used to mark the labels of different types of productsin order to allow them to be recognised easily. All of Bayer CropScience’s labels have acharacteristic lay-out: we use a standard color-scheme that is readily recognized by ourcustomers.14 COURIER 1/07

Whiteflies are small homopterans (familyAleyrodidae) that are typically foundfeeding on the undersides of plant leaves.Sucking damage by whiteflies can reduceyields directly, but it is their ability totransmit viruses that makes them a majorcause of losses in food production. In thetropics and subtropics, whiteflies have becomeone of the most serious agriculturalpests. Their biological properties – highreproductive rates, multiple generationsper year, and the ability to attack a largenumber of different crops – mean thatwhiteflies such as Bemisia tabaci havebeen able to develop a high degree of resistanceto several classes of conventionalinsecticides. Affected chemical groups includethe organophosphates, carbamates,pyrethroids, insect growth regulators andchlorinated hydrocarbons. Where resistanceexists, new, efficient tools are neededin the form of innovative insecticides withing insecticident whitefliesalternative modes of action. Only the intelligentuse of such products will prevent thedevelopment of multiple-resistant whiteflypopulations, with their potential to causedisastrous problems for farmers all overthe world.The tobacco whiteflyThe problem of resistance development inwhiteflies can be overcome through intelligentmanagement practices – includinga block spray approach using neonicotinoidand ketoenole insecticides. Examplesfrom the USA and Guatemala show howeffective these systems can be.The species complexes of whiteflies underthe genus Bemisia are important transmittersof plant diseases. The tobacco whiteflyBemisia tabaci and the closely-related silverleafwhitefly Bemisia argentifolii transmitmore than 60 different phytopathogenicviruses, including African cassava mosaic,bean golden mosaic, bean dwarf mosaic,bean calico mosaic, tomato yellow leafcurl,tomato mottle, and other Begomoviruses.Bemisia argentifolii is an emergingspecies that has been spreading aroundthe world, increasingly causing severe croplosses. To make things worse, Bemisiatabaci has developed high levels of resistanceto the conventional insecticides usedin many agricultural systems around theworld.1/07 COURIER 15

The greenhouse whiteflyThe greenhouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorumis endemic to the world’s temperateregions. It is a primary insect pest ofmany fruit, vegetable and ornamentalcrops, and is frequently found in glasshousesand other protected horticulturalenvironments.Crop damage occurs mainly through directfeeding; but honeydew, the excretedby-product of feeding, can also be a majorsource of damage. The adult whitefly alsotransmits several plant viruses. The principalcrops attacked by this species are vegetablessuch as cucurbits, potatoes andtomatoes; but a range of other crop andnon-crop plants (including certain weedspecies) are susceptible, and can thereforeharbor whitefly populations.Neonicotinoids – a powerfultool for controlling whitefliesThe chemical class of the neonicotinoids –with its prominent representative imidacloprid(in products such as Confidor ® ,Admire ® , and Gaucho ® ) – is particularlyactive against a range of homopteran pestspecies, including whiteflies. Imidaclopridis used in seed treatments and soil or foliarapplications; its systemic properties allowextensive uptake and distribution withinthe plant, resulting in an excellent protectionof the young, growing plant. Like otherneonicotinoids, imidacloprid acts agonisticallyat the insect nicotinic acetylcholinereceptor. Insect populations that have developedresistance to conventional insecticidesare controlled very effectively byneonicotinoid-containing products.Resistance development in whitefliesoccurs through genetic changes that arisein the pest population. Variations in thestructure of the target site (which make itimpossible for the active substance moleculeto bind to its receptor in the insect)have been detected for many classes of insecticides,but not so far for the neonicotinoids;where resistance to neonicotinoidsdoes occur, it is based on the enhancedproduction of enzymes (e.g. microsomalmonooxygenases) that are able to detoxifythe insecticides.1 E. g. Pflanzenschutz Nachrichten Bayer, Volume, 58,2005. This issue is also available for download at ourwebsite www.pflanzenschutz-nachrichten.com2 Source: J Palumbo, C Ellsworth, TJ Dennehy. CrosscommodityGuidelines for Neonicotinoids in Arizona.The University of Arizona. . A Cooperative Extension.IPM Series No 17, 2/2003 (modified)Sustaining the efficacyof neonicotinoidsApplying the resistance-management strategiespublished in the Bayer CropScienceresistance-management guidelines 1 alongsideintensive resistance monitoring programshas helped to maintain the excellentfield performance of neonicotinoids againstwhiteflies and various other pests in manycountries of the world. The cornerstones ofour resistance-management recommendationsare as follows:• Limit the number of neonicotinoidapplications against a particular pestspecies to a maximum of three per croppingcycle• Make the three applications in a singleblock, in order to limit to one pest generationonly the selection pressure forresistance to neonicotinoids• For any additional treatments, use productswith modes of action different fromthat of the neonicotinoids• Use all products according to the instructionson the manufacturer’s label• Apply products such that beneficial organismsare not harmed• Apply any relevant Integrated PestManagement measures (appropriatecultivation, resistant varieties, physicalcontrol measures etc.)Two recent examples of efficient whiteflyresistance management – from the USAand Guatemala – are given below.Sustainable InsecticideUse in GuatemalaIn some areas of the world our field monitoringhas revealed a localized reduction inthe sensitivity of whiteflies to neonicotinoids.This is the case in Guatemala, wherethe lack of effective chemical alternativeshas led to the development of whitefly resistanceafter multiple neonicotinoid use incertain tomato- and melon-growing areas.Moreover, increased problems with theResistance management in a multi-crop CommunityYuma, Arizona, USAThe following resistance-management recommendations were followed by growersin a multiple crop community (melon, vegetables, cotton and alfalfa):a) Invest in crop sanitation (e.g. removal of post-harvest residues) and crop sequencing.b) Use only recommended CNIs (neonicotinoids) at the stipulated rates.c) Use action thresholds that have been determined through research.d) Do not apply CNIs in alfalfa or cotton stands grown as escape crops (refuges).e) Do not use more than one particular CNI product per crop.f) Do not apply a foliar CNI spray after a soil CNI application has already been made.Independent researchers acknowledged that sustainable and effective multi-yearuse of imidacloprid is possible if the farmer complies with the above described typeof resistance management strategy.Resistance management – whiteflies 2Preserve a neonicotinoid-free period in multi-crop communities (e.g. Yuma-recommended)MelonsVegetablesCottonRelative WhiteflyPopulation AbundanceNeonicotinoidF13 F1 F2IGRs andConventionalF3 F4 F5 F6Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov DecF7F8F9F10 F11F1216 COURIER 1/07

Whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci)Whiteflies (Trialeurodes vaporariorum)virus diseases (e.g. geminivirus, TYLCV)spread by mixed whitefly infestations ofBemisia sp. and Trialeurodes sp. have beenreported. Hence at the beginning of 2005,a locally-tailored integrated crop managementconcept was established, which includesrecommendations in terms of cropsanitation, keeping periods free of hostplants, applying good agricultural practice,and practicing science-based resistancemanagement:• The melon-producing companies allagreed to plant and harvest simultaneously,thus limiting the availability ofhost plants for the pest in the inter-croppingperiod and thereby reducing theneed to use insecticides.• Almost 100% of the producing companiesuse Agribon ®1 nets (a screen tocover the crop) for the first 25-30 daysafter transplanting, as an effectivemeans of protecting against early whiteflyinfestations.• Neonicotinoid applications are restrictedto one Confidor ® soil-drench throughthe irrigation system before the screensare set up, or to 2 foliar spray applicationsonly, in rotation with applicationsof other chemistries (e.g. Oberon ® .)This integrated resistance-managementapproach was developed in close collaborationwith local experts, including theWhitefly National Commission and thevegetable-producing companies. By the®1 = registered trademark of Polymer Group Inc.,Charleston, USAsecond half of 2005, it had already led tothe recovery of full neonicotinoid sensitivityin the whitefly populations, and an outstandinglevel of success in terms of whiteflycontrol.Oberon – support forthe neonicotinoidsOberon (spiromesifen) is a new and powerfultool for the control of whiteflies. Itsmarket introduction has been just at theright time, allowing it to fulfill a valuablerole in resistance management. It is amember of the new Bayer CropScienceexclusiveclass of ketoenoles, with a totallynew mode of action. Oberon provides asolid basis for preserving not only imidacloprid,but also our newer neonicotinoidsCalypso ® (thiacloprid), and Poncho ® (clothianidin)for seed treatment.ConclusionsFarmers in Guatemalause Agribon nets to protectcrops against earlywhitefly infestations.Cultivation system formelons and tomatoes inGuatemalaDespite the use of Confidor for whiteflycontrol for over 15 years, resistance toimidacloprid and other neonicotinoidsremains quite localized in field-derivedpopulations of Bemisia spp. This success isbased on the proactive exercise of resistancemanagement, e.g. limiting the numberof neonicotinoid applications to a maximumof three, and on applying an additionalrange of effective Integrated PestManagement tactics.Bayer CropScience continues to workwith local affiliates and independent researchersto develop and promote effectiveregional resistance-management conceptsfor neonicotinoids, as well as for the rest ofour portfolio. This will ensure the sustainableuse of valuable agrochemicals as thebasis for high-quality food production intothe future. ■1/07 COURIER 17

Shiftingthe Viewon WaterWater as a basicnecessity in farming,as in life, is self-evident.To different people,however, water canmean many differentthings – and have manydifferent meanings.

Kofi Annan, the recently retired SecretaryGeneral of the UN, agreed and pushedhard to get water on the international political,economic and development agenda.“We shall not finally defeat AIDS, tuberculosis,malaria, or any of the other infectiousdiseases that plague the developingworld until we have also won the battle forsafe drinking-water, sanitation and basichealth care,” he said.For 1.1 billion people lacking access tosafe drinking water and the 2.6 billionlacking safe sanitation – toilets – the perspectiveis completely different. For them,lack of access to what some call a basic humanright impedes their ability to come outof poverty and live healthy and productivelives.“I do wish that I get married in a familywhich has the facility of toilet and separatewater tap,” said Barkha, age 12, of theSanjay Amar Colony, Delhi, India. “It is adream for me.”A Watershed YearIn many ways, 2006 was a watershed yearfor water, pardon the pun. The United Nationssystem increased its focus on waterrelatedissues through publication of twomajor reports, the World Water DevelopmentReport and the Human DevelopmentReport.Diverse organisations such as the WorldWildlife Fund and the World BusinessCouncil for Sustainable Development followedsuit with reports which didn’t alwayspaint rosy pictures for both developing anddeveloped countries.The Comprehensive Assessment ofWater Management in Agriculture (CA)released a landmark assessment of 50years of water management practices in orderto find ways to end hunger and protectthe environment over the next 50 years.And, attendance has soared at “expert”meetings like the annual World WaterWeek in Stockholm, the tri-annual WorldWater Forum, and countless specialisedmeetings in all sectors having to do withwater in one way or the other.Clearly, something is going on with water.Why? Let’s take a step back to look atsome fundamental facts about water onPlanet Earth in the year 2007.The World Water SituationWater is the integral fabric in the quilt oflife. The Earth’s ecosystems, societies andindividuals need it. Without it, food securityand human health, energy supplies andindustrial production would be unobtainable.Plants and wildlife and their ecosystemsneed water. Shortages and poor managementcan lead to loss of biodiversity andagricultural production, increase in malnutritionand disease, reduced economic growth,social instability and conflict. Water helpsregulate the global climate – and as we arecontinuing to see, water resources themselvesare affected by global climatechange. Losses (human and financial) fromgreat natural catastrophes (flooding, hurricanes)were seven times as high in the tenyears from 1996 to 2005 than in the 1960s.Water is, for better or for worse, the linkbetween climate and human society.Clearly, reliable and clean water supplyis fundamental for agricultural productivity.Partly or fully irrigated agriculture claims70% of the world’s developed water supplies.Industrial agriculture, however, isconstantly under pressure to produce morefood with less water, due to water demandsfor increased domestic and industrial needs,and for servicing essential ecosystems.SIWI, the Stockholm InternationalWater Institute, says that “water isthe key to socio-economic developmentand quality of life.” To SIWI,problems of poverty, hunger, disease,illiteracy, environmental degradationand gender inequality can in largemeasure be solved with water andsanitation as the key entry points.Unfortunately, while the above-mentionedreports said the “water crisis” is acrisis of “governance” (management) andnot true water scarcity, it is only partiallytrue. There is physical water scarcity, sincewater resources are not uniform in theirglobal distribution. In many of the world’sfastest growing areas, particularly in thedeveloping world, water is indeed physicallyscarce or will soon become so.Further, water demand is outpacingsupply in many countries, and the qualityof that supply is rapidly declining. Fourhundred and fifty million people in 31countries already face serious shortages ofwater. By 2025, the UN projects that onethirdof the world’s population is expectedto face severe and chronic water shortages.This is partly due to physical scarcity, butalso due to economic or managementscarcity – lack of infrastructure, lack ofproper management and lack of planning.Though it is a blue planet, water is alimited and finite resource. Really, lessthan 2.5% of the water can be used andreused as freshwater. Less than half of thatis readily – or with some effort – accessible.Unfortunately, the water which is accessibleis often being contaminated beyonduse – a “water hydrocide” in the eyesof some – making it unavailable for further1/07 COURIER 19

human use and threatening the health ofpeople, not to mention lakes, rivers, andwetland ecosystems they support. Coastaland ocean systems are also under threatfrom the impact of a broad range of humanactivities.Water for FoodDrip irrigation is a water-saving irrigation method that applies water slowly to the roots of plants.A rainwater harvesting system in India thatachieves “supply from the sky”.A challenge of modern agriculture: makingwater use more efficient.So, per person, the amount of water to beavailable will continue to diminish whilethe food needs will continue to increase –and food consumption is moving towardsmore water-intensive items. Daily humanneeds for water are around 50 to 100 litres.Unless you count food. Then it is 3,500 litres.A Big Mac itself is, essentially, 1,000 litresof water.In addition, irrigation possibilities whichfuelled the initial “Green Revolution” inthe 1960s are limited, and agricultural landis shrinking. Much of the latter may, infact, be converted to producing crops ultimatelyintended for use in biofuel gastanks, not human mouths. Unless steps aretaken to improve the way water is managed,twice the world’s current water consumptionmay be needed by 2050 to feed aglobal population of some 9 billion.The demand for food will increase with50% every generation. How big the increaseultimately will be depends in largepart on the purchasing power of consumersand on the number of people that will inevitablyinhabit this planet. According toprognoses of the Food and Agricultural Organisationof the United Nations, averagedemand will be 3,000 kcal per person perday. Even considering wastage, if a highcalorie intake becomes the social norm forall of humanity – particularly in fast-growingplaces like India and China – the increasedpressure on natural resources –above all, water, will be dramatic. An additionalvolume of water equal in size to allof the water used in households, industryand agriculture today (5,600 km 3 ) wouldbe required by 2050.This is because production of food is ahighly water-consuming activity. It takes550 litres of water to produce enough flourfor one loaf of bread – a fraction of theroughly 1,500 litres used to produce 100grams of grain-fed beef. Already in large20 COURIER 1/07

Doubling WATER needs in agriculture by 2050Km 3 /year15,000Today 2050The challenge12,40010,0006,8005,0001,8003,3001,5008001,800improved efficiencyin rain-fed ag, expansionirrigation efficiencyirrigatedAdditionalneed of Water(+5,600 km 3 )5,0005,000rain-fed0Source: SIWI: Stockholm International Water InstituteBlue Water = irrigated agricultureGreen Water = rain-fed agricultureGreen and blue water flowPRECIPITATION– THE BASIC WATERRESOURCERAINSOIL MOISTUREGROUNDWATERWATER DIVI DECITYSource: SIWI: Stockholm International Water InstituteTERRESTRIALECOSYSTEMSINDUSTRYGREENWATERFLOWRAINFED CROPSIRRIGATIONRETURNFLOWSAQUATICECOSYSTEMSFISHERIESBLUEWATER FLOWdoubling of production in large parts ofAfrica. Also, better use of the rainwater inthe soil – so-called “green water” can helpfuel the agricultural revolution needed toend hunger.One place where this is happening is inIndia. Ms. Sunita Narain, whose Centre forScience and Environment won the 2005Stockholm Water Prize, has promoted rainwaterharvesting, often using traditional“kundi” catchment systems. Such smallscale,local systems, has been and will continueto be critical to helping 300 millionpoor people to feed themselves and improvetheir lives. “The supply is in the sky,”says Ms. Narain.Double Sided Dilemmaparts of the world, water is the most limitedand most uncertain resource, both infood production and for different ecosystems.A fundamental consequence forcrops grown in the open landscape is thatlarge quantities of water evaporate back tothe atmosphere from vegetation and soil,particularly in hot climate regions.Reduced RiversAlthough the world produces more foodthan ever, it has come at a cost: the drasticreduction of water in a number of riversand sinking groundwater levels around theworld. There is no water flowing in the Yellow,Colorado and Indus rivers in largeparts of the year. Previously large lakes,like the Aral Sea and the Lake Chad, arenow mere shadows of their former selvesalthough climate also plays its role here.Other uncertainties exist: some predict thatthe 40 poorest countries, with a total populationof some 1-3 billion, will lose on averageup to a fifth of their cereal productionpotential in the 2080s because of climatechange.These factors, combined with the growingneeds of cities and industries for water,will minimise the food gains resultingfrom increased or more effective use of irrigatedwater in agriculture. The mostpromising solutions identified come fromrain-fed agriculture. Using rain more efficiently,“rainwater harvesting,” is a timetestedpractice in some parts of the worldthat improved land management needsstrong support to come into wider use. Amore effective use of precipitation in combinationwith land care has already led to aThe nature of the problem, unfortunately,is double-sided. In some parts of the world,supermarkets are overflowing with producefrom all over the world. Literally, theshortage of food is a distant problem in thiscontext. Yet, interestingly enough, the overconsumptionof the developed world leadsto the same problem as the under- and malnourishmentin the developing world: theyreduce the chances of “productive andhealthy lives”.Deservedly, the attention to the causesand consequences of obesity and hungerhas been growing together with the will ofthe international community to tackle theproblem. But behind the question of sufficientand healthy food lies another reality:the way it is produced, distributed and consumedundermines a cornerstone of sustainabledevelopment.1/07 COURIER 21

Green water accounts for 80% of crop use,irrigated water 20%, with big regional variationsAreas in green:agriculture mainlyunder rain-fedAreas in blue:agriculture mainlyunder irrigationCircles depict totalcrop depletion (IET)Status: August 2006Source: SIWI; StockholmInternational Water InstituteThe Critical ConsumerThe old and fundamental questionabout how to produce more and betterfood without further undermining ourenvironment still lingers. But a newcrucial question begs for an answer;how can food demand and intake beequitable, sound and within theearth’s biological production potential.Though farmers, governments andtechnicians can puzzle on technical solutionsforever, it is the consumer who facesfundamental choices: for good and healthyfoods and for food that is produced in asustainable manner. Factual information onthe way food is produced and what societaland environmental costs it brings can helpraise consumer awareness. Choices in thesupermarket each day are not only choicesfor a healthy or unhealthy lifestyle, butalso have profound impacts on the lives ofpoor communities and on their environmentfar away.Not All Gloom and DoomDespite the above, there should neverthelessbe enough water – in 2025, 2050 andbeyond, for everyone, including water forfood. Research shows that better governanceand management of water, morecrop per drop, improved technologies and ahost of other tools, techniques and strategiescan make it happen.Moving back to Barkha, in search of hiswater tap and toilet, it has been shown thatthe returns on investment in water and sanitationare tremendous. Countries with itgrow faster. Think where ourWestern countries would be if wehadn’t invested in sanitation! In fact,the British Journal of Medicine inJanuary of this year called the improvementin sanitation as the greatesthuman accomplishment of the last 170years – ahead of the development of antibiotics,the invention of the computer andthe discovery of the structure of DNA. Oras his Royal Highness Crown PrinceAlexander of the Netherlands said in hiskeynote presentation at the 2006 WorldWater Week in Stockholm, quoting WHAuden, “Thousands have lived withoutlove, not one without water.”Reducing by half the number of peoplewithout access to water and sanitation is atarget of the global development agendaknown as the UN Millennium DevelopmentGoals (MDG). Health is indeedwealth, as meeting the MDG target couldyield benefits of USD 3 to USD 34 for everdollar invested, or USD 65 billion annually.The benefits are tangible: health turns towealth, poor people move from poverty toproductivity, better lives for women areachieved, and increased educational possibilitiescreated literate young peoplewhose livelihood opportunities are improved.Industry is taking a more pro-active rolefor it knows that without water, businessesfail, and where it is, investment occurs.And when industry invests – as manymultinational corporations are doing increasinglyin developing countries – itlooks to secure water for its operations.Sometimes, securing a safe water supplyfor facilities also means securing it forthose living around them – not least to securethe health of their employees.Technological advancements will continueto make water use more efficient,with closed industrial loops and more waterreuse. Desalinisation will continue tobecome a more viable option for drinkingwater, though it will always only be a marginalcomponent. As agriculture withdrawsaround 70% of global average fresh water,improved agricultural water managementmust, therefore, be a top priority. While theefficiency of irrigation water use meritsthe highest attention for action in agriculture,water collecting technologies in rainfedagriculture and improved land managementsystems should also help to maximizethe “crop per drop”.22 COURIER 1/07

And clear signs of a water-deficit drivenimport of cereals – so called virtual waterflow – and intensifying water stress in thesemi-arid tropical regions of the world maybring about a major switch in global foodtrade. Food production in water rich regionsmay come to play an increasing roleto alleviate hunger in water-short countries.The concept, which links food availabilityin water rich regions with the ameliorationof water deficits in water shortregions via trade, offers great possibilities.The water issue will be one which continuesto affect, in one way or the other,everyone from the smallest farmer inKenya to the biggest European agribusinesses.■For further information please visit thefollowing websites:www.bayercropscience.com · www.siwi.orgwww.unep.org · www.worldwaterweek.orgwww.watergovernance.orgDave Trouba, StockholmInternational Water Institute,SwedenThe contribution of Bayer CropScienceto water use efficiency and protectionThe focus of Bayer CropScience’s research and development activities is cropprotection and enhanced seeds, which contribute to improved agricultural productivity.An integral element of this is seeking to contribute simultaneously to waterprotection and, where possible, water use efficiency improvements for farmers.Although much smaller in scale, efficient water use in our manufacturing sitesand other facilities will continue to be achieved through systematic “in house”reviews. Improved water management approaches and the growing co-operationthroughout the agricultural value-chain will also complement the many achievementsso far.Bayer CropScience contributes to water use efficiency and protection by:• Developing stress tolerant and drought resistant crops;• Providing solutions for healthy plants as these use water more efficiently;• Providing weed management tools to prevent competition with crops for water;• Protecting water through integrated Research & Development and productstewardship activities;• Promoting land management approaches which support improved watermanagement;• Enhancing water-saving schemes at our manufacturing and other sites.By these and other means, Bayer CropScience will continue to develop and implementpractical water use efficiency and protection solutions to ensure sustainedand enhanced agricultural production into the future.1/07 COURIER 23

thelong-lasting solution againstbrown plant hoppersAfter its introduction to the Thai rice market in mid-2005, Curbix ®was soon accepted by Thai rice farmers as a new tool for controllingthe outbreak of the “brown plant hopper” pest – the cause of“hopper burn”, and a vector for viral diseases. Farmers particularlyappreciate the consistent and long-lasting efficacy this new productprovides, even against pest populations that have become lesssensitive to more established chemistries.24 COURIER 1/07

Hopper control overthe last 15 yearsIf you leave Bangkok by one of the roadsto the north, you soon find yourself drivingthrough endless rice fields, with their freshgreen colors. Here, you are at the center ofthe nation’s intensive rice farming. Alongthe Chao Phraya River, the area under ricepaddies stretches about 400 km from northto south and 150 km from west to east.Numerous dams collect water duringthe rainy season (May to October) and thenrelease it into the well-developed system ofrivers and canals for irrigation during thedry season (November to April). Withoutthe constant availability of water, farmerswould be unable to grow rice so intensively– with an average frequency of 2.5 crops ayear (or 5 crop cycles every two years), andan average yield of approximately 6 t/hafrom each crop. A total harvest of 15 t/harice a year allows farmers to make a goodliving from rice, making them comparativelywealthier than farmers growing othercrops.But the intensity of rice farming alsoleads to the development of a high insectpest pressure, which can significantly reducethe yield potential if left unchecked.Brown plant hopper isa serious concernThree major insect pests are of economicsignificance in intensive rice farming inThailand. Rice is often attacked by riceThe launch activities of Curbix received a very good farmer feedback.thrips (Stenchaetothrips biformis) from theseedling stage to approximately two weeksafter sowing. The larvae and adults laceratethe plant tissue, causing leaf discolorationand rolling.Rice leaf folders (Cnaphalocrocis medinalis)typically attack rice plants beyond30 days after sowing. The larvae removeplant tissue, folding the leaf and sealingthe edges together with silk strands. Theinsect then feeds inside the folded leaf,causing white or transparent streaks on theleaf blade.Both the nymphs and adults of thebrown plant hopper (Nilaparvata lugens)insert their sucking mouthparts into planttissue to remove plant sap from phloemcells. The removal of plant sap, combinedwith the blockage of phloem vessels by theinsects’ feeding sheaths, cause the tillers todry out and turn brown. This condition iscalled “hopper burn”, and it can coverlarge patches in rice fields under heavypest pressure. The brown plant hopper canalso transmit the ragged stunt and grassystunt viruses.For these reasons, the brown plant hopperis the pest problem foremost in the ricefarmer’s mind. In a survey run in 2004, arepresentative farmer group ranked thebrown plant hopper as being by far themost severe rice pest in intensive ricefarming in Thailand.Until the 1990s, Thailand used to experiencea brown plant hopper outbreak onceevery five years on average. With the introductionof new, high-yielding rice varietiesthat are susceptible to brown planthopper, this pest soon started to become aproblem every year. Other factors contributingto this trend included the increaseduse of fertilizer to support thehigher-yielding varieties, and the overlappingof rice growth stages in crops grownall year round. In Thailand’s tropical climate,farmers can sow, grow and harvestrice at any time during the year. As a consequence,rice can be found at all growthstages simultaneously, i.e. from just sownto ready for harvest, at any time during theyear. The now widespread use of machineharvesters has also shortened the time betweensuccessive rice-growing seasons, increasingthe amount of overlap of differentrice growth stages even further.At about the time this intensificationbegan, Bayer developed and introducedimidacloprid, which was first launched inThailand in 1991 as Admire ® EC 050, forthe control of brown plant hopper in rice.The product was quickly accepted by Thairice farmers because of its strong systemicactivity and fast knock-down effect, aswell as for its long-lasting efficacy. Withina few years, Admire had become the standardcrop protection solution againstbrown plant hopper.During the early 2000s, new productswere launched into the brown plant hoppermarket – all of them from the neonicotinoidfamily. By 2002, an estimated 80% ormore of all insecticide applications againstbrown plant hopper were being carried outwith neonicotinoid products.In 2003, the first observations were madeof reduced efficacy of Admire – and otherproducts from the same chemical class –against brown plant hopper. After the initialreports, the phenomenon quickly spread,and in 2004, all of the intensive rice-growingareas reported reduced efficacy ofneonicotinoid products.CurbixAs soon as the first reports of reducedefficacy of neonicotinoid products arrived,Bayer CropScience started to intensifylocal development activities in Thailand.Continuous monitoring of the activitylevels of neonicotinoids under field conditionsaccompanied these development ef-1/07 COURIER 25

Brown plant hopper (Nilaparvata lugens)forts. Trials were carried out at regular intervals,at several locations, in order to assessthe extent and speed of spread of theloss of efficacy. It soon became evidentthat the initial trend was going to intensify.It had to be expected that within a fewyears, neonicotinoid products would nolonger be effective against brown planthopper.At the time, only a few non-nicotinoidproducts were available for the control ofbrown plant hopper. None of these alternativeswere as effective as the neonicotinoidswith respect to overall efficacy levels,and particularly, in terms of the durationof control provided.This opened up an opportunity for anew insecticide from a different chemicalclass than the neonicotinoids: Curbix. Thisproduct contains the active ingredientethiprole, from the chemical class of fiproles.Ethiprole’s chemical properties andmode of action are entirely different fromthose of the neonicotinoids.Curbix blocks the gamma-aminobutyricacid (GABA)-regulated chloride channelin the insects’ central nervous system(whereas the neonicotinoids bind at thepost-synaptic nicotinic acetylcholine receptor).Thus it was to be expected thatCurbix would give good control of brownplant hopper even where neonicotinoidproducts were no longer effective. Extensivelocal trials confirmed this assumption(see figure): Curbix showed a very highlevel of efficacy against both adults andnymphs of brown plant hopper. The outstandingfeature of this product, however,is its remarkably long-lasting efficacy.When applied at the right time (during theearly phase of infestation), Curbix can providecontrol for as long as three weeks.Understandingthe farmer’s needsEven though the conditions already appearedfavourable for a market launch ofCurbix in Thailand, some critical factorshad to be considered in order to succeed, asin any launch of a new product.First of all, it is necessary to understandcurrent market conditions, especially thedynamics of change in the market. Althougha lot was known already, pre-launchmarket research consolidated the understandingof the current market. Brownplant hopper was the number one rice pestfor almost 100% of the farmers interviewedin the pre-launch market survey.Furthermore, about 75% believed thatbrown plant hopper would actually gain inseverity as a rice pest over the course of thecoming years. It was thus confirmed thatrice farmers clearly recognized the need fora new, high-quality hopper-control product.In this context, Curbix promised to bean excellent solution to farmers’ needs,with its high level of efficacy, and especiallythrough the long-lasting control itprovides. However, further investigation ofexisting farming practice revealed that itwould be necessary to educate farmers inthe correct use of the product. For example,with regard to the timing of application:farmers were used to applying insecticidesat a late stage of infestation. Butwith Curbix, they needed to apply at anearly stage of the infestation in order to realisethe product’s potential for long-lastingcontrol.The brand communication for Curbixcentered on two main messages. The firstwas the fact that Curbix presented thefarmer with a new mode of action for thecontrol of brown plant hopper; the secondwas that the product could provide longlastingefficacy. Here, care was taken toemphasize the importance of timing theapplication correctly.Farmer feedbackOne of the most important steps during thelaunch period was the measurement offarmer perception of the new product afterthe first season of use. Representative mar-A farmer shows riceplants assaulted by atroop of brown planthoppers.Hopper burn on rice breaks out.26 COURIER 1/07

ket research done among rice farmers whohad used Curbix showed a high degree ofsatisfaction with the product. Almost100% responded with scores of 1 or 2 on ascale of 1 (very good) to 5 (unsatisfied).The market research also revealed thatfarmers’ experience of Curbix’s efficacyexactly matched estimates of its potentialmade prior to launch. The great majoritygave positive feedback on both the level ofcontrol, and the duration of efficacy.However, an analysis of the usage behaviorof farmers made it clear that despiteall communication to the contrary, about40% of the farmers preferred to use theproduct at the peak of infestation, ratherthan at its onset. This information indicatedthe need to reinforce the application timingrecommendations in future promotionalcampaigns.Conclusion and outlookCurbix was launched in Thailand in mid-2005. It received very good farmer feedbackand continues to enjoy increasingbrand awareness. With its consistently highlevel of efficacy and good longevity ofprotection, Curbix is an valuable tool forthe control of brown plant hopper in the intensiverice-growing regions of Thailand.Furthermore, Curbix is a good exampleof the innovative strength of Bayer Crop-Science; it also illustrates the consistentneed for continuous research and developmentin the field of agrochemicals. ■Rice in ThailandThailand is theworld’s largestexporter of rice.Today, rice is the major agricultural crop grown in Thailand. The rice-growing areacovers a total of ca. 10 Mio. ha, of which about 2.5 Mio. ha are located in centralThailand along the Chao Phraya river. This region is often referred to as the “ricebowl of Asia” for its intensive cultivation of pre-germinated, direct-seeded rice.The complex irrigation system developed for wet-rice agriculture has provided themeans to generate wealth enough to sustain the development of the Thai statethroughout its history, from the 13th century Sukhothai kingdom, right up tomodern times.Farmers grow an average of 5 crops every two years. They can achieve yields ofca. 6 t/ha per crop, with a total of ca. 15 t/year.Rice farmers in central Thailand can achieve a turnover of approximately 33,000Baht (660 EUR) per ha and crop. With an average farm size of 3 ha, this leads toan average turnover of ca. 250,000 Baht, or 5,000 EUR per year.Beyond central Thailand, the majority of rice is grown in the North-Eastern provinces.However, the lack of an irrigation system there means that farmers can onlygrow one crop per year. The crop is dependent on natural rainfall; overall inputsare low, but so are yield levels.In total, Thailand produces about 20 Mio. tonnes of rice every year. The kingdom isthe world’s largest exporter of rice, with an annual export volume of between 5and 7 Mio. tonnes.Trial result using Curbix (ethiprole) for BPH control in Thailand (June 2004, Nakhonnayok)% control10080604020Hopper burn on rice, close up.03 DAA 7 DAA 11 DAA 15 DAADAA = Days after applicationImidacloprid Rate 1 Imidacloprid Rate 2 Competitor CNI 1 Competitor CNI 2 Curbix1/07 COURIER 27

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Diverse Herbicides forDiverse Rice CulturesOver the millenia, different techniques for cultivating rice haveevolved around the globe. When it comes to weed control, thesevarious agronomic methods require customized solutions. BayerCropScience’s broad product range of rice herbicides meets thechallenge presented by the diversity of farming techniques andfarmer preferences in different regions.Echinochloa crus-galli – wherever they grow, the rice plants can’t get enough nutrients and just wilt away.Cyperus is a typical example of wide spread weeds that the highly effective herbicides from Bayer CropSciencecombat before they can reduce crop yields.Most herbicide markets are dominatedby a few top-selling products. This is notthe case for rice. Although it is the world’sthird most important cereal, and the mainstaple food for half of the world’s population,rice is produced in a diversity of culturaland natural environments. First of all,the rice-producing regions have differentfarming systems, with either rain-fed or irrigatedfields being the major distinguishingfeature. Secondly, we find a multitudeof different rice varieties being cultivated,accompanied by region-specific weed floras.Finally, local cultural traditions and attitudesresult in diverse weeding practices.The universal herbicide – able to meet allof these different needs – has yet to be developed!All over the world, however, rice farmersare able to find effective herbicides fromBayer CropScience’s portfolio to suit theirparticular situation. The company offers 15different active ingredients marketed undera range of brand names, and in various formulations.The herbicides differ in theirmode of action, the spectrum of weeds theycontrol, their time of application, and theirsuitability for different rice managementsystems. The versatility of Bayer Crop-Science’s portfolio also means that toolsare available for combating herbicide resistancein rice weeds. An exciting new substancethat promises to tackle herbicide resistancehead-on is currently under developmentin our laboratories.According to FAO statistics, 618 millionmetric tons of rice were harvested frommore than 150 million hectares of land worldwidein 2005. In terms of global cerealproduction, rice is topped only by corn andwheat. Considered in terms of the globalherbicide market, the white grain has a peculiarity:“In rice we face a highly fragmentedmarket”, reports Juergen Echle,Product Manager for Rice Herbicides atBayer CropScience. “There is no realblockbuster; a multitude of products combineto give total global herbicide sales ofnearly 1.3 billion US Dollars”, Echle adds.Herbicide market mirrorscultural diversityBayer CropScience is the leading companyin this market. Products such as Ricestar ® ,TillerGold ® , Nominee ® , Zark ® , Innova ® andRonstar ® make up our successful range ofrice herbicides. But none of the products inour portfolio is sold in all rice-growingcountries.“The heterogeneous herbicide marketmirrors the diversity of cultivation tech-1/07 COURIER 29

niques in the countries, or even within ‘ricecultures’”, the Product Manager explains.Juergen Echle had the opportunity to experiencethe rice culture in Japan first-handwhilst working there for Bayer CropSciencefor two years. “The Japanese grower lovesa lush, green field and is willing to spend alot of money on technology”, Echle says.In Japan, all rice is grown in paddies; therice is transplanted with machines, eventhough the fields are small. The temperateclimate allows only one rice harvest per year.Over the past decades, protectionist policieshave shielded the home market fromglobal pressure on prices. So Japan – withroughly 1.7 million hectares of planted rice– has developed into the most attractiveherbicide market for Bayer CropScience.The situation elsewhere is totally different.For example in India, where 42 millionhectares of land are planted with rice –more than in any other country – transplantedrice dominates, and in the fields,most operations are done through manuallabor. “We estimate that only about ten percentof the Indian rice area is chemicallytreated”, says Juergen Echle. Farmers inother rice-growing regions of the world, forexample Latin America, are confrontedwith severe water shortages, so they haveadapted their cultivation systems to thelocal conditions.Transplanted anddirect-seeded riceWhen categorizing the diversity of ricecultivation techniques, experts distinguishbetween transplanted and seeded rice, andirrigated and rain-fed fields. For transplantedrice, seedlings are first grown in anursery, either on a field, or in a greenhouse.The seedlings are generally transplantedto the leveled and puddled fieldbetween 15 and 30 days after sowing –either by hand, or with a transplantingmachine. Transplanted rice yields the largestharvest, but it also requires more water – asfields are irrigated most of the time – aswell as other inputs. Transplanting is commonpractice in Japan, Korea and India,whereas in South-East Asia, North and LatinAmerica, Southern Europe, most of China,and the Middle East, rice grains are sowndirectly, into either wet or dry soil.Above all, it is the timing of rice establishmentin the fields that determines weedcontrol strategies. Rice transplanted intothe field has a growth lead over competingweeds; it is more robust and thus easilydistinguishable from the smaller wildplants. In this cultivation system, herbicidessuch as Innova and Zark ® are typicallyapplied at one shot, shortly aftertransplanting, either before or after theweeds have emerged. Residual herbicides(e.g. Ronstar) are used to control weedsbefore they emerge, so they are applied tothe field before the rice is seeded or transplanted.Foliar herbicides act selectivelyand serve as “rescue” applications at laterrice growth stages.Generally speaking, the more water isavailable for irrigation, the less the needfor chemical herbicides to control weeds.“Water itself acts as herbicide – this is actuallyone of the reasons why rice is grownin paddies”, explains Juergen Echle. Overthe millennia, the rice plant has developeda tolerance for water.But water management is not the onlyfactor affecting the choice of herbicidestrategy and product. Farmers must alsotake their rice variety and weed flora intoaccount. According to the InternationalRice Research Institute, at least 120,000different rice cultivars are known to exist.Most of them belong to the species Oryzasativa, with the two major varieties beingjaponica and indica. “Japonica rice cultivatedin North-East Asia, China and othertemperate climates is much more sensitiveto herbicides than indica”, says Dr. BernhardSchreiber, Head of Portfolio-ManagementRice Herbicides at Bayer CropScience.Weed competition and controlMany weeds compete with rice in the field.The strongest competitors belong to thesame botanical family as Oryza. “Wild redrice and Echinochloa species pose thegreatest economic threat to the ricefarmer”, says Juergen Echle, “because oftheir abundance, and the difficulty in controllingthem.”Grasses are not the only weeds that interferewith rice cultivation. “Take Japan,there perennial sedges are particularlyfierce competitors. You will find sedges inLatin America too, but also a considerablenumber of broadleaved annual weeds”,points out Bernhard Schreiber. Becausethey differ physiologically, sedges andbroadleaves are best controlled with differentactive ingredients. Most rice farmerswork with tank mixes containing up tothree components.Bayer CropScience’s particular strengthlies in controlling grassy weeds: ten of our■ Rice producing countries30 COURIER 1/07

A real innovation for Japanese farmers: applicationwith a granule-applicator at transplanting allowsproducts to be applied more uniformly than theconventional application method.15 rice herbicides work excellentlyagainst grasses.Other products, such asTiller ® Gold, Nominee and Ronstar,act as all-rounders, controllingthe major weeds in the fields. Tiller Gold,for example, bundles fenoxaprop-P-ethyl’sstrength in controlling grasses with thepower of ethoxysulfuron against sedgesand broadleaved weeds; a safener is alsoincluded, to shield the rice plant from theeffects of the herbicide.When combining active substances in asingle product, Bayer CropScience’s researchershave to find the right formulation,one that shows optimum activityagainst weeds. Typically, mixtures are formulatedas liquids, e.g. as a suspension oran emulsifiable concentrate. However, regionalpreferences also shape formulationand application methods: “In Japan, wecould never succeed with suspension concentrates,although for technological reasonsand handiness we would preferthem”, says product manager Echle. “Butrice farmers there continue to demandbulky granule herbicides, just as they haveknown them for decades”, he adds.Trends and innovationsIn 2001, whilst working in Japan, JuergenEchle witnessed a real innovation for farmers:the launch of Bayer CropScience’s Innovagranules. Innova, based on the activesubstance fentrazamide, can be appliedright at the time of transplanting. Transplantingmeans stress for rice seedlings, soherbicides are usually spread onto thefields a few days later. “An applicationzero days after transplanting eases farmers’workload”, says Echle and shows picturesof a granule-applicator fixed to atransplanting machine.However, this type of equipment cannotbe transferred to countries less technologicallydeveloped than Japan, says JuergenEchle: “This machinery needs to be investedin by the individual farmer.” In South-East Asia and some Latin American countries,applying rice herbicides with simpleback-sprayers is the most common technique.In other parts of the world, especiallyin the Americas, aero planes spray tankmixtures onto the fields.Though tightly connected with regionalcultural backgrounds, rice cultivation systemsare also subject to change. “In thissegment, nothing is carved in stone”, observesproduct manager Echle. “Herbicidestrategies undergo constant change.” Forinstance, considered at global level, thetrend is moving towards direct-seeded rice,because it consumes less water. In contrast,Thailand, the world’s biggest exporter ofrice, is currently moving in the opposite direction:transplanting is on the rise. “Theexport orientation certainly drives this development;and so does the spread of redrice, which is easier to control in transplantedrice”, explains Juergen Echle.Changing rice management strategies alsorequire novel and adaptive solutions fromthe herbicide supplier. Scientists at BayerCropScience are currently busy developinga new substance. “Many hopes are pinnedon this active ingredient because it possessesa new mode of action”, Dr.Schreiber explains. The substance is intendedto replace sulfonylurea-based herbicides,against which weeds are reportedto have developed resistance, after decadesof application at high product rates. Thenew product is scheduled for launch in2010.“The rice herbicide market needs heterogeneity”,Jürgen Echle concludes. Regionalpreferences, natural environments, the requirementsof rice cultivation, and economicconditions – all of these influence theapproach to weed control. And within thishighly dynamic market, Bayer CropScienceis driving at constant innovation. ■1/07 COURIER 31

Nature and technologyWhen a ladybird is sitting on a leaf, itsmembranous wings remain hidden underthe red elytra (wing-covers). The wings areonly really seen when the ladybird takes offin flight. On landing again, the beetle neatlyfolds them together and tucks them underthe elytra, which are actually smaller thanthe wings.Technology is also able to provide similarlyingenious folding techniques. The solar panelsof satellites and space stations unfold as soonas the spacecraft reach their orbit. They arethen ready to orient themselves towards thesun’s rays, in order to provide the satellitesand space stations with energy. ■www.bayercropscience.com