Innovation is a tradition - Bayer CropScience

COURIERThe Bayer CropScience Magazine for Modern Agriculture 1/0650 years of Courier:Innovationis a tradition

Contents2 Courier is 50 years old!6 Automatic navigation system:Right on course!10 From the spray tank intothe plant – the formulationis the key14 Colombian exotic fruits:A bright future lies ahead18 Double Performance:Consento ® and Sereno ®in potatoes20 Keeping aphids under control –Resistance management withneonicotinoids24 Visions allowed –turning ideas into reality.28 Decis ® : Results Today –Success Tomorrow.Published by: Bayer CropScience AG, Monheim / Editor:Bernhard Grupp / With contributions from: P. Baur,K.-U. Brüggen, R. Dickmann, K. Doughty, A. Elbert, A. Holl(free lance journalist), U. Schmidt, K. van den Eynde /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.comThe farmer in the year 2001“Automation defines the farm of the future:all operations are directed from the bridge byremote control”. This is what our artist hadin mind when he created the vision of thefuture. But will the farm really come to lookmore and more like a factory?Forward-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 andExchange Commission (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.Automation in agriculture; here’s how it was foreseen by the visionary who contributed to a Germanedition of 1958, and how it later beacame reality, for example in the form of satellite-controlledpositioning systems. Looking into the future has always been a feature of the Courier’s reporting.2 COURIER 1/06

Courieris 50years old!A partner to agriculturefor half a centuryTried and tested, but neveroutdated: even in its fiftieth year,Bayer CropScience’s magazinecontinues to report reliably ondevelopments in agriculture.Right on course!The use of automatic navigation systems inagriculture is on the advance around the worldPrecisely marked-out fields stretch as faras the eye can see. The landscape is dottedwith radio masts that receive signalsfrom the farm’s control centre. At thepress of a button, the sun drives the rainfrom the field. A Maglev-combinebrings in the harvest. The cows in thefactory buildings know the meadowonly from television: a duct blowsfresh alpine air into their stalls. Harvesters,hay wagons and the milkingparlour – all of the equipment isoperated by robots. Far removedfrom his fields and animals, thefarmer sits in the control room infront of a panel of meters andswitches and from there, directsproduction on his farm.This vision of agriculture in the21 st century was presented in a1958 edition of Courier. Eventhen, just two years after itsinception, Bayer Crop Protection’smagazine was alreadyforward-looking. At least some of thepredictions made then have become reality– farming has seen vast numbers of technicalinnovations in the intervening years.1/06 COURIER 3

The Courier changing with time.At the same time, the Courier itself hascontinued to develop and modernize.Courier magazine first appeared inJune 1956, originally with four editions ayear. At first, it was printed only in German,but starting in 1960, extra editionswere produced in four further languages:French, Flemish, Dutch and Swedish. Thefirst English-language edition appeared ayear later. At the time, the printers wereThe Courier has also been available on theinternet since the year 2000. Here’s theaddress: www.agrocourier.comstill binding the 300,000 or so copies ofeach edition by hand.The contents, and particularly the designof the early editions, reveal much about theprevailing spirit of the times. On the titlepage, an aphid grins roguishly, and colourfulcartoon figures lead the reader throughthe magazine. On the other hand, the topicsthat were covered often show how timelesssome of the problems facing agricultureare. For example, an early Courier editionfrom 1957 describes the biology and overwinteringbehaviour of pest insects, underthe heading “Insects are real survivors”.The same topic was covered in 2004 underthe title “Quarters for cold days”. This isn’treally surprising, because pests continue tothreaten the farmer’s harvest just as theydid 50 years ago, even if the methods usedto control them have changed in the meanwhile.This example of continuity reflectstwo aspects of Courier’s reporting: it is targetedat the reader’s interests, and is alwaysup-to-date.4 COURIER 1/06

In the late 1960s, the development ofthe Courier was characterized by a generaltrend towards factual reporting: the articlesbecame longer, and more scientific, withfewer drawings and landscape photographsand more emphasis on illustrations showingdetail. In the middle of the 1980s, themagazine once again became more colourfuland varied. The title page was given amore graphical design, and the articlesbegan to cover themes relating to agro- andenvironmental politics more often.Courier’s appearance has always beenstrongly influenced by the fashions of thetime, but also by developments in Bayercorporate design. Over its 50-year history,the magazine has changed its face severaltimes – but its intent has remained thesame: to cover a variety of topics, to capturecurrent agricultural and agro-politicaldebates and to report on Bayer Crop-Science’s progress and ever-growing experiencein practice.Readership surveys, carried out at regularintervals by independent institutes,have given an insight into the thinking andopinions of Courier’s readers. The resultshave shown that our readers support theconcept underlying the Courier, and ratethe magazine highly. They particularlyappreciate Courier’s modern presentationand the high level of technical competencebehind its articles.„As a well-reputed magazine for cropprotection and agriculture, we want to provideour customers with something reallyuseful and informative”, says BernhardGrupp, the magazine’s current editor, whois based at Bayer CropScience’s Headquartersin Monheim, Germany. In Grupp’sopinion, it is simply not enough to copyother agricultural publications. “We try todecide for ourselves which topics to cover,and we concentrate on areas we know areof interest to the farmer, in which BayerCropScience’s expertise is particularlystrong”, says Grupp.Each edition of Courier is the result ofclose co-operation between the editorialteam in Monheim and various colleaguesfrom Bayer CropScience affiliates aroundthe world. Without their help, no editionwould ever get off the ground. A magazinelike the Courier has to contain materialthat is relevant for its readers – and this canonly be achieved on the basis of localknowledge.Alongside the German-language edition,two editions of the InternationalCourier – which appears in English andSpanish – are published each year. Themain issues are also produced as nationaleditions for Greece, Italy, Poland, Rumania,Spain and Hungary. Even the Brazilian“Correio” contains articles that have beenacross the desks of the central editorialteam at one point. About 250,000 copies ofeach edition are distributed in the variouslanguages via Bayer CropScience affiliatesaround the world.For those who have difficulty obtaininga printed copy, the Courier has been availableonline under www.agrocourier.comsince the year 2000. The articles can beread on-screen, or complete editions canbe downloaded. But the online edition ofthe Courier is more than simply a one-toonecopy of the printed version. Many ofthe stories found there are exclusive to theinternet edition. The online edition of theCourier also takes advantage of the possibilitiesoffered by the medium, andincludes animations and film clips.In this way, Courier is keeping up withthe times – not only technically, but also inits coverage. Whether it’s a discussion ofglobal climate change, or the latest newsabout world agricultural markets, eachedition contains articles on the mostimportant themes of the day. And with thearticle on automatic navigation systems inthe current edition, the Courier is provingthat it is “right on course”. Agriculturalmachinery equipped with GPS – theGlobal Positioning System – is now to befound in action on increasing numbers offarms.And how did the artist of 1958 portraythe farmer of 2001? “Automation will bethe norm on the farm of the future: allwork will be controlled from the navigation“bridge”. Congratulations to thatvisionary of yesteryear! ■1/06 COURIER 5

Right on course!The use of automatic navigation systems inagriculture is on the advance around the worldDr. Oliver Schmittmann, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, BonnAutomatic Navigation Systems definitely aren’t simply thelatest fad, or just toys for boys. Under the right commercialconditions, these systems can actually help to achieveconsiderable cost savings.

Automatic navigation systems based onGPS (the Global Positioning System) havebeen available from a number of manufacturersfor several years now. The developmentof these tools began in the middle ofthe 1990s, when the first manual paralleltracking systems came onto the market.These satellite-controlled “orientation supports”used a light-beam to show the driverwhether he was deviating from the designatedpath. So-called auto-pilots for tractorsand other self-propelled agriculturalmachinery such as pesticide sprayers andcombine harvesters have been availablesince the year 2000. Here, the automaticnavigation system controls the steeringapparatus through an electro-hydraulicregulator, keeping the vehicle automaticallyon course – the driver no longerneeds to steer, and can therefore concentratefully on the machinery’s other controls.How it all beganGPS was originally developed for militarypurposes, as a system for improving theaccuracy of navigation for the US-Americanarmed forces. During the conceptionphase in the 1960s, civil use of the systemwasn’t even considered. The highly-accuratesatellite-based service used by the militarywas eventually made available forcivilian use – but in a form made artificiallyless precise. With accuracy to thenearest 100 metres or so, this service wastoo imprecise to be broadly useful. Fiveyears ago, the artificially-induced inaccuracywas removed, opening the way forgeneral civilian use. Since then, streams ofinteresting new possibilities for using thissystem have been developed, with agricultureamong the many beneficiaries.Steered by an invisible hand –how does it work?Three main components underlie the principleof satellite positioning with GPS. Themost important is the Space Segment. Thiscomprises 24 earth-orbiting satellites situatedat a height of about 20,200 kilometresabove the earth’s surface. The solar-drivensatellites, each weighing around 2 tonnes,describe their orbit at a speed of approximately11,000 kilometres an hour, performinga complete orbit of the globe inabout 12 hours. The satellites are positionedsuch that at least five are always inline of sight from any point on the earth’ssurface at any given moment in time. Thesecond component is the GPS Control Segment,comprising five static, earth-basedcontrol stations: these permanently checkthe correctness and precision of the datasent by the satellites, making adjustmentsif necessary.The User Segment is basically the GPSreceiver, which can calculate informationsuch as position, height and speed wheneverneeded. The GPS receiver calculatesspeed as the quotient of the distancebetween two measurement positions andthe time taken to travel between these twoFigure 1: Principle of orientation using the Global Positioning System (GPS). Simplified representation,further details in the text.1/06 COURIER 7

positions. Put in simple terms, the definitionof the receiver’s position is based onthe determination of the differing amountof time needed by separate signals (sentsimultaneously by at least four differentsatellites) to reach the GPS receiver. Eachof the 24 satellites has an in-built atomicclock, allowing them to transmit precisetime data. Simultaneous reception of signalsfrom four satellites also allows thereceiver to calculate elevation. If youimagine the area within which the GPSsignal from a particular satellite can bereceived as a circle on the earth’s surface(Figure 1), then you can assume that ifyour GPS receiver detects this signal, yourposition is somewhere on the edge of thiscircle. If two satellite signals are receivedsimultaneously, then it’s obvious that yourposition lies at one of the points wherethese two circles “cross”: Only with simultaneousreception of the signal from a thirdsatellite can your exact position be determinedwith accuracy.One of the main factors affecting thequality of the system is how precisely thereceiver measures time: even the smallestinaccuracies make the calculation of positionvery rough. GPS receivers do not generallyhave atomic clocks in them – thecost would be prohibitive – so small inaccuraciesare common. For example, mismeasurementof time by as little as onemillionth of a second can lead to a mis-calculationof position of 300 metres on theearth’s surface. It’s to solve this problemthat a simultaneous signal from a fourthsatellite is needed.Precision, and sources of errorAs already indicated, the GPS-user’s currentposition is calculated from the informationprovided by a combination of severalof the system’s satellites. Here, ofcourse, the accuracy of position determinationis a significant factor in the system’susefulness to agriculture. Under ideal conditions,a conventional GPS receiver canachieve accuracy to the nearest 10 metres.Using statistical methods, the accuracy caneven be improved to 5 metres, although thiswould need to involve several measurementsbeing made from exactly the sameposition.There are many factors that lead to inaccuracyin measuring, including atmosphericinterference in signal transmission,problems with the clock in the receiver,false positioning of a satellite in its orbit,or reflection of the GPS-signals off ofobjects and buildings, all of which can leadto the generation of false co-ordinates.Shadowing at the edges of woods canalso be a big problem: if the direct line ofsight between a receiver and a satellite isinterrupted, then the exact position can nolonger be determined.For some agricultural operations, thislevel of accuracy in determining position isalready sufficient. But for others, especiallyfor the automatic parallel tracking ofagricultural machines, and the positionspecificagronomic treatment of fields,increasingly more accurate data areneeded.For applications needing greater precision,differential GPS (DGPS) is used.Here, it is possible – according to whichcompany is providing the service – toachieve accuracy down to the centimetrelevel. DGPS depends on being able toreceive a correction signal, which is broadcastat a particular frequency. This correctionsignal is calculated at a base station,and can be picked up by suitably-equippedreceivers situated within a particular distancefrom it. The base station – the exactposition of which is known – determinesthe position of the receiver via GPS. Asthere are a number of different factors thatcan disturb the determination of position,the measured result differs from the knownposition. Put simply, this difference is usedto calculate the right correction factors,which are then transmitted to the receivers.Such signals are available from variouscompanies, either without charge, or for afee: the latter are usually considerablymore accurate.Even with simple GPS receivers, thereis the option of receiving the Wide AreaAugmentation System (WAAS). This alsoinvolves the use of a correction signal, buthere, the signal is transmitted by satellitesin geostationary orbit. These can be used tocreate virtual reference stations, allowingan even higher level of accuracy.Competition from EuropeAn alternative to the American GPS systemis under development – the European“Galileo” satellite navigation system. Thiswill be even more accurate and dependablethan GPS. The structure of the Galileo systemis very similar to that of the GPS. Butin the case of Galileo, there are 30 satellitesorbiting the earth at a height of 23,000km. The Galileo receivers will be cheaperand smaller, but still compatible with GPSand with the equivalent Russian system“Glonass”. However, it is still not certainwhen Galileo will be available. The latestprediction is that Galileo will be usablearound the world by 2011. It remains to beseen to what extent this will then open upnew areas of use for satellite-based navigationin agriculture.The European satellite-navigation system is currently under development. It should be available around theworld by about 2011. Photo: Galileo Industries8 COURIER 1/06

GPS and Precision FarmingGPS can also be put to good use in regulating the irrigation of fields, thus saving water and cutting costs.Today, more and more agricultural vehiclesare either equipped with positiondeterminingreceivers, or are capable ofbeing retro-fitted with one. A number ofimportant GPS-supported agriculturaloperations have been established. Theseinclude: precise yield-mapping; pointapplication of fertilisers, growth regulatorsor herbicides; and paired driving in paralleltracking systems. Automatic NavigationSystems based on GPS can improveeconomy and efficiency by virtue of thefollowing benefits:• Reduction in working-time and thus inlabour costs• Reduction in the time machines are used,and thus in machine-related costs• Savings in inputs (fertiliser, herbicides,fungicides)• Extension of operating times (it becomespossible to work 24 hours a day)• Reduced soil compaction• Improved quality of work because driverscan concentrate on other tasksMany farmers have been convinced bythese advantages, and have refused to beput off by the high initial investment costs.They are introducing autopilot systems ofvarious levels of complexity into theirmachinery for use in a number of applications.Autopilots can be used in a number ofways, from seed-bed preparation to harvest:• Soil preparation and seeding conventionallyrequire the use of track markers orfoam markers. For large working widths,these appliances have to be well-built inorder to be stable. Moreover, the workdemands that the driver has to concentratehard over a long period. Autopilotsdon’t just increase efficiency; they alsomake the work considerably easier for thedriver.• Pre-emergence applications (manurespreadingor spraying) have to be madeaccurately. Here, autopilots guaranteeoptimal spreading: less overlap and exactdistribution contribute to the economicand environmentally-compatible use ofproducts.• In mechanical weed-control for rowcrops such as maize, a few centimetreseither way can determine the integrity ofthe crop. Significant deviation from thecentral row can easily result in cropplants being damaged; the autopilotensures that this does not happen.• An autopilot can help greatly in harvestingthat involves large working widths.As well as being able to use the full workingwidth, the driver can concentrate onoperating the machine as effectively aspossible.• Moreover, transfer from harvestingmachinery (combine harvesters, forageharvesters…) to the accompanying traileris made easier. The autopilot ensures thatthe harvester and the trailer remainexactly the same distance from eachother – even if one of the drivers’ concentrationlapses. The accompanyingdriver only has to adjust his speed inorder to keep up.Never going to dowithout GPS againJerry Hull, a farmer from Hugoton, South-West Kansas, cultivates maize, wheat andsunflower on around 800 ha. His biggesttractor has a steering assistant. His mainuse of the system is direct sowing in cereals.The essential advantages of the steeringsystem are the lack of overlapping andthe accuracy of applications.Steering systems are also very much indemand when it comes to applying cropprotection measures. The driver can concentratefully on controlling the sprayer.The system works very reliably, and makesparallel driving considerably easier. Jerry’sstaff are also enthusiastic about the userfriendlysystem. The level of accuracy ofGPS with WAAS lies at between 8 and 10cms. The overriding benefit of navigationsystems to the producer is that less fuel isused, so production costs are lowered.Soon, Jerry Hull even plans to use theassistant to allow him to hoe sixteen rowssimultaneously.Saving water with GPSAt the Coastal Plains Soil, Water and PlantResearch Center, Florence, in South Carolina,GPS is being used for quite anotherapplication: the circular sprinkler (pivotirrigation).Maize is irrigated by slowlyrolling an irrigation unit over the field.Some water jets spray more than others,and some don’t apply any water at all. Thisisn’t because the jets or the unit itself aredefective in any way: but rather becausethe Research Institute is practicing areaspecificirrigation so that each plantreceives neither too little, nor too muchwater. This isn’t only to ensure targetedwater use, but also to save costs. The jets –and the amount of water each of themreleases – are controlled via GPS, based ona previously-defined application map. Inthe future, it is even planned that specificsensors (e. g. infra-red sensors) will measurethe water-requirement at every point inreal-time. ■1/06 COURIER 9

Systemic protection of plants isa feature of many modern activesubstances. Before this canhappen, the active substancemust enter into plant tissues, sothat it can be transported to allof the parts that need protection.Using weakly radioactive markers,it is possible to observe the activesubstance’s flow within the plant.The speed and extent of distributionwithin the plant are differentfor each active substance.In contrast, the transfer of theactive substance from the spraytank to the plant interior is largelydetermined by the formulation.10 COURIER 1/06

From the spray tankinto the plant – theformulation is the keyFormulations are designed to optimise the deliveryof the active substance, right from ensuring its evendistribution in the spray tank following dilution withwater, through to its uptake by the target plant.The fact that there are so many differentformulation types, reflects on the one handthe large number of diverse active substancesin use, and on the other hand, thevarious technical, biological and environmentaldemands that are made of the formulatedproduct. In the following article,we will take you through the various waysin which the formulation influences thedelivery of the active substance from thespray tank into the target plant.Spray cabin used to measure the retention of spraymist, and the coverage of the spray mixture on theplant surface, as a function of formulation type, plantspecies, spray jet design, water volume applied, etc.The commonestformulation types are:• Emulsifiable concentrate (EC),• Emulsions in water (EW),• Soluble liquids (SL),• Suspension concentrates (SC),• Water-dispersible granules (WG),• Capsule suspensions (CS),• Suspoemulsions (SE),• Oil dispersions (OD)Spraying with a minimumof waterNowadays, spray application is still themost common method to apply crop protectionproducts. Applying the active substanceinvolves the following steps: dilutionof the product; application and distribution;and finally, uptake by the plant andredistribution within and towards the targetorgans. Before spraying, the product isgenerally diluted in water – or, less often,in oil – and then applied in volumes rangingfrom a few litres up to several thousandlitres. In central Europe, the average watervolume used for treating cereal crops isabout 200 litres per hectare. This corre-sponds to a covering of water 0.02 mm indepth: this is considerably less than theamount reaching an area of ground when itrains.Applying small amounts ofactive substanceDepending on the stage of development ofthe crop, the surface area of the treated leafcanopy is often several times greater thanthe area of ground below the crop, which isused as the basis for calculating the sprayingvolume. The volume of water mentionedabove - 200 liter per hectare – musttherefore often cover an area that is fromtwo to five times greater. Assuming anoptimal, evenly-distributed application,this would result in the creation of a film ofwater on the crop considerably less than ahundredth of a millimetre in thickness.Application rates for today’s modern activesubstances lie in the range of a fewgrammes to several hundred grammes perhectare. In theory, 5g of an active substancedistributed perfectly uniform acrossan area of 3 hectares would result in a layera single molecule thick. This would, ofcourse, never happen in reality, because thespray mixture separates into droplets, andits distribution cannot therefore be completelyuniform. Another calculation is a1/06 COURIER 11

it nearer to reality: if every spray droplethas a diameter of 160 µm, then an enormousnumber of droplets are applied to ahectare: 100 thousand million.This means that one of the factors contributingto effective crop protection isproper distribution of the spray mixture.Ensuring that small amounts of active substanceare distributed evenly across thetreated area presents a significant challengeto formulation technology. At thesame time, the amount of product lostbetween release from the spray jet andarrival at the target plant must be kept aslow as possible. The formulation technologyis supported by the availability of evermore effective active substances and constantlyimproving application technologyto reduce the application rate per hectarefurther and further.Cereals are difficult to coverevenlyPlant surfaces with good retention qualities– such as the leaves of our forest trees– can carry several millimeters of rainwaterbefore droplets start to run off from theleaf. In contrast, many of our crop plantsare very difficult to wet, such that even thesmallest water droplets fail to adhere. Thisis particularly true for cereal plants, theleaves and stems of which are covered witha dense layer of wax crystals. This meansthat arriving water droplets achieve only asmall area of contact with the plant surface:the droplets fail to stick, and tend torun off from the plant. Surface structure isalso the factor behind the so-called “selfcleaning”mechanism (or “Lotus effect”)shown by some plants. In cereals, dropletstend to bounce or run off from the upperleaves, and water is only retained by thelower leaves or leaf parts, respectively.However, for crop protection compounds,it is often important that the exposed upperleaves are properly treated: this is particularlytrue for fungicides, because the yieldpotential of a cereal crop depends greatlyon the health of the three uppermostleaves. Moreover, the performance of theflag leaf is essential to the corn-fillingstage.Thus, run-off of small spray dropletsfrom the target leaf surface is a problem.But this can be remedied, for example byusing suitable surface-active substancesthat form a thin, oily film around the surfaceof the droplet during the short periodbetween droplet formation in the spray jetand arrival on the leaf. A droplet coveredby a film of such surface-active substancescovers the leaf surface almost instantlyafter impact, and the increased area of contactwith the leaf prevents bounce-off. Alayer of very fine droplets forms anddroplets may spread further across the surfaceby lateral flow. Thereby the activesubstance becomes distributed across thewhole of the leaf surface, so that it canexpress its activity to the full.More wax thanactive substanceThe amount of wax on the surface of awheat plant can actually be a thousandtimes greater than the average amount ofactive substance reaching the leaf during aconventional crop protection treatment. Inwheat, this wax layer can clearly be seen insummer as a bluish sheen. In fact, ourcrops carry as much as a few kilogrammesof surface wax per hectare. After the sprayliquid has evaporated, the active substanceis often found deposited between the surfacewax crystals, or the active substancemolecules stick to the waxy layer. Anexample of this is the active substance trifloxystrobin.After being applied in itsusual formulations, it lies as a layerbetween surface waxes, but also sticksextremely well to the wax surfaces. Withother products, for example herbicidescontaining sulfonylureas, the mineral contentof the water in the spray mixture usuallyexceeds the concentration of activesubstance. This can sometimes lead toundesirable interactions: for example,some herbicides form insoluble salts withalkaline earth metals (e. g. calcium), theuptake of which into the plant is minimal.A high mineral content can also cause thespray deposit to harden, thereby reducingthe availability of the active substance.These factors, too, must be consideredwhen creating the right formulation.The formulation makes itpossibleThe highly-active fungicide Proline ®EC250 provides an example of how theright formulation can ensure optimal deliveryof the active substance. Prothioconazole,the active substance in Proline,belongs to a new class called the triazolinthiones,and is being used very successfullyto control fungal pathogens ofwinter oilseed rape and cereals. Here, theretention and spread of the retained dropletare optimal, leading to very even distributionof the spray liquid. This has beenBarley is difficult to wet with the spray mixture: on the right, a water droplet, with poor contact to the surface that easily runs off; on the left, a droplet of Proline,showing its very good “spreading” properties.12 COURIER 1/06

demonstrated by measuring retention andcoverage after applying with a standardsprinkler with a spreader nozzle. However,an optimized formulation such as ProlineEC250 also gives a similar result if appliedas larger droplets, for example using anair-injection nozzle. What is importanthere is that the properties of the spraydroplet – as determined by the formulation– are expressed almost independently ofdroplet size.Movement into the plantMany crop protection compounds arerequired to give systemic protection,meaning that they need to be taken up bythe plant in order to express their activityfully – either from the spray droplets, orfrom the resulting layer of active substanceon the plant surface. In fact, a particularspeed of uptake may be optimal – accordingto the physico-chemical properties ofthe active substance and the indication.The speed of uptake can be controlled viathe formulation, through particular additivesthat ensure sufficient uptake of activesubstance, if desired, within a few hours.Rapid uptake is advantageous e.g. if theproduct is not particularly rainfast, if curativeactivity is needed, or if there is thedanger of photochemical degradation ofthe active substance. On the other hand, ifan active substance is degraded quickly toan inactive form as soon as it enters theplant, or if the product is exclusively protective,then it is possible to suppressuptake, by using particular formulationtypes, or with the help of neutral componentsin the formulation.Spray-droplet retention of water and Proline ®Penetration (rel.)10080604020On sugar beet0Water Water Proline EC 250Spray-droplet retention (left) of water on an easily-covered plant such as sugar beet, and (right) of waterand Proline EC 250 on barley. Only a well-formulated product is retained on barley.Formulations forsystemic activityFormulations used for products containing,for example, two systemic active substancesmust promote the uptake of both.One such product is the fungicide Fandango® , which is used successfully in barley,rye and triticale. Fandango containsthe two active substances prothioconazoleand fluoxastrobin. The formulation hasbeen optimized such that differences inapplication parameters (amount of water,application technique) or variation in environmentalconditions (temperature, airhumidity) have very little influence on theamount and speed of uptake.The examples given above indicate thatformulations have a significant influence onthe success of a treatment, particularly withspray applications. The aim of formulationtechnology is to optimise activity, in combinationwith application technology, and inthe light of common conditions in practice.OutlookOn barleyThe ever-increasing demands made ofmodern crop protection will make it necessaryto continue to develop further optimizedvariations of conventional formulationtypes, as well as entirely new concepts.This is the challenge facing FormulationTechnology at Bayer CropScience,and it meets this challenge through aninterdisciplinary scientific approach, combiningthe specialist areas of colloid chemistryand interface physics with a strongelement of technical chemistry. Getting theformulation right will continue to make animportant contribution to ensuring a product’ssuccess on the market. ■In the edition (1/05), the different types of formulationthat are available were described in detail.You can access this article in the internet, underwww.agrocourier.com.Leaf wax(untreated)DepositedformulationTrifloxystrobincrystalsTime-course of penetration of prothioconazole andfluoxastrobin into leaves403025 ºC, 60% relative humidityProthioconazolein FandangoPenetration (%)2010Prothioconazole,unformulatedFluoxastrobinin FandangoFluoxastrobin,unformulated0 12 24 36 48 60 72Time (hours)Deposit left by an EC-formulation of trifloxystrobin and an azole fungicide on theunderside of a wheat leaf, highly-magnified under a scanning electron microscope.It is possible to see the good contact the individual trifloxystrobin crystals makewith the leaf surface. The insert shows the regular deposition within a droplet.Time-course of uptake over the three-day period after application (t = 0) of aFandango EC formulation, compared with unformulated active substances. Over aperiod of days, both active substances penetrate from a Fandango spray deposit ata more-or-less constant rate: this is several times more rapid than penetration bythe unformulated active substances.1/06 COURIER 13

Colombian exotic fruits:A brightfuturelies aheadThanks to its unique geography and climate whichenables a permanent production (365 days a year)Colombia is the third-ranked country in the world interms of biodiversity and the fourth-ranked in termsof hydrographic resources. Exotic orchards grow inthe moderate to cold climate that prevails between1,800 and 2,800 meters above sea level.14 COURIER 1/06

Over the last decade, fruits from theseorchards have become increasingly popularfor domestic consumption, but theyhave also progressively penetrated intointernational markets.These fruits are very promising products.Their increasing market share can be explainedby their high quality and by certaindesirable characteristics that appeal to differentcultural and economic groups aroundthe world: these include their unique taste,their attractive colors and shapes, and theirrecognized nutritional value.These strengths are being capitalized onby agricultural producers, who have beenbenefiting from training in technology,phytosanitary management and commercialrequirements, and are striving toensure consistent quality in the exportableproduct.Three fruits are stepping aheadThe area under horticultural and fruit cultivationin Colombia covers 1,083,906hectares: in 2003, this represented 33.56%of the total cropping area. Of this third,57.48% (623,079 hectares) was under fruitcrops (including banana) for export. Thus,fruit cropping represents almost 20% oftotal production from the domestic croppingarea. More than 70 types of fruits areproduced, but Colombia exports mainlybanana, baby banana, cape gooseberry, grenadine,tree tomato and pitahaya (Source:Ministry of Agriculture, Colombia).Among the exportable exotic fruits,cape gooseberry, grenadine and treetomato have become particularly important,because there is a high level ofdemand for them in the European market;in contrast, they are still in the process ofpenetrating into the U.S. market (wherecape gooseberry is the leading fruit, withpermission to export fresh since 2003).Cape gooseberry, grenadine and treetomato have been included in the prioritylist of the Colombian government’s Horticulturaland Fruit Export Plan (‘PlanExportador Hortifrutícola’), which is currentlybeing formulated, and which aims toexport products worth USD $1,000 millionover the next 10 years. Cape gooseberryoccupies second position in the priority listof 15 exportable fruits: exports of this cropin 2004 were worth USD $14,118,000.Cape gooseberry(Physalis peruviana)This fruit belongs to the family Solanaceae.It is both a table and a processing fruit, andis produced in five departments in Colombia(Antioquia, Boyaca, Caldas, Cundinamarcaand Tolima), although Cundinamarca(the department in which the CapitalDistrict is located) hosts 80% of thecountry’s total cultivated area.Some 12,000 tons are produced eachyear from a total area of 800 hectares. Only20% of production is destined for localconsumption; the majority is exported,especially to Germany, Holland and France.In June 2003, the USA’s APHIS (USDA’sAnimal and Plant Health Inspection Service)first approved the import of freshcape gooseberries from Colombia to theUnited States.Cape gooseberry is also known in theinternational market as uchuva, uvilla andphysalis. There are other producers besidesColombia (Ecuador, Mexico, Costa Ricaand Zimbabwe), but Colombia stands outas one of the largest producers, consumersand exporters.One reason for the cape gooseberry’sgrowing popularity is the ease with whichit can be consumed fresh, after removal ofthe husk covering. Besides protecting thefruit, the husk also adds an aesthetic anddecorative touch to it. However, although ithas been exported for about a decade now,cape gooseberry is nevertheless relativelyunknown in importing markets: it remainsan exotic fruit, with a small, but expandingmarket. The extent of this expansion continuesto depend greatly on the effectivenessof marketing and promotion campaignsthat aim to increase recognitionamong consumers.Exporters and traders must supportthese campaigns by consistently supplyingthe market with fruit of the right quality –in terms of storability, homogeneity, packaging,labelling, lack of chemical residueand hygiene: they can only achieve this ifthe productive base, the farming community,is capable of providing fruit that complieswith these requirements.European traders – the main importersof Colombian cape gooseberry – demandEurep GAP 1 certification of Good AgriculturalPractice, which is designed to ensurethat the plant protection products used inthis crop have been registered by the localagricultural authority for this specific use.In Colombia, this authorising body is theColombian Institute for Agriculture (ICA).With ICA’s support, Bayer CropScienceColombia is currently optimizingprocesses for trial design and reporting –using the scientific rigour that has characterizedthe company during its 100-yearhistory – in order to extend, as quickly aspossible, registrations of its products tocape gooseberry. Following endorsementof all of its experimental protocols by ICA,Bayer CropScience expects to obtain,within the next twelve months, registrationsfor the use of several major activesubstances (imidacloprid, deltamethrin,tebuconazole and pyrimethanil) for thechemical control of pests and diseases incape gooseberry.In this way, Bayer CropScience is workingwith farmers, companies, authoritiesand other actors in the production chaintowards realising the full potential of theColombian cape gooseberry crop.1 EUREP GAP is a global player in agricultural productionstandards and verification frameworks forfruits and vegetables. Retailers from Europe startedthe “Euro-Retailer Produce Working Group” (EUREP)initiative in 1997.Hanging system in a cape gooseberry crop.1/06 COURIER 15

Grenadine packed for exportation.Grenadine (Passiflora ligularis)With an area of cultivation of 1,500hectares, stretching across more than 10departments (but with the largest productionareas in Antioquia and Valle), Colombiaproduces 22,500 tons of grenadineeach year, 40% of which is consumedwithin the country, and 60% exported.In 2004, they generated USD $2,791,000.The main importers of Colombian grenadinein the European Union are Holland,the United Kingdom, France and Germany.Grenadine is also currently being assessedfor permission to import into the US market.Success in this important North Americanmarket will require an effective educationalcampaign, since this particularcultural group is not very inclined to eatfruits with seeds in them. On the otherhand, it should be relatively easy to convincethis target group, because the fruit isvery convenient to eat.Tree Tomato(Cyphomandra betacea)This product is almost all (95%) consumedwithin Colombia, where it is very popularfor use in juices and preserves. It is producedin 17 departments, especially inAntioquia and Cundinamarca, with a totalcultivated area of more than 7,000hectares, producing around 112,000 tonsof fruit a year.The five per cent that is exported –mainly to Holland, Germany and theUnited Kingdom – is of the tamarillo variety.However, there is no established traditionin Europe of using this fruit in juicesand other preparations. It will therefore benecessary to promote educational campaignsto increase awareness of its possibleuses.Tree tomato plant16 COURIER 1/06

Bayer CropScience’s roleColombia’s exotic fruit crops require furtherimprovements in their quality, storeabilityand homogeneity if they are toachieve greater penetration and competitivenessin international markets, thusbecoming an important export commodityfor the country.According to the largest Colombianfruit exporters, “a larger production volumeis needed, since the markets areopen”. The required quality standardsdemand significant investment in technicaland phytosanitary applications, which arenevertheless worth the effort due to thehigh market return.Bayer CropScience Colombia is committedto helping the farmer to meet thequality standards required by exporters,many of which are determined by thenorms for Good Agricultural Practice certification,such as those of Eurep GAP.As crops of promising productsincrease in terms of production area andmarket penetration, there will followgreater specialization of production technology,one component of which will bethe potential for a greater use of productsfrom Bayer CropScience's portfolio. Inorder to realise this, the Company offerscrop protection products that guaranteeboth efficiency in use and safety to healthand the environment, but it also providescomprehensive additional support toColumbian farmers to enhance their work,from daily cultivation tasks through tocommercialization.Underlying all of Bayer CropScience'swork to support progress in Colombia is anawareness of the importance of sustainabledevelopment, especially in relation to thedevelopment of the rural sectors where thecrops are located.Export Plan for ColombianHorticultural and Fruit ProductsWithin the framework of the currentColombian Government’s developmentplan “Hacia un Estado Comunitario”(Plan for a Community State), the Agriculturaland Rural Development Ministry, andthe Ministry of Commerce, Industry andTourism are drawing up the Export Planfor Colombian Horticultural and FruitProducts. Among its objectives are, “modernizingnational production so that agriculturalproducts are competitive both inthe internal and external markets and agriculturethus becomes a development factor,in alignment with international commercialagreements”.As part of the exporting policy underdevelopment, the strategy for fruits is togive priority to solving production andmarketing problems, and to enhancingstrengths, focusing on five areas: research,technological development and innovation;improving the programme of phytosanitarymeasures; marketing aspects; logistics andinfrastructure; and regional productiveclusters.The achievement of these strategies isencouraged through policies to give producersspecial credits, and by the consolidationof the production chain, by linkingthe tasks involved at every stage of the productiveand commercial agriculturalprocess.Projects run under the “Export Plan forColombian Horticultural and Fruit Products”will essentially aim at modernizingthe productive base through planting plans,consolidated technological packages, andnew management models for farmers,including alliances with producers andmarketing agents, in order to increase thecompetitiveness of products.All of these tasks are aligned withColombian agricultural trade projectionswithin the Free Trade Agreement (TLC inSpanish: Tratado de Libre Comercio).Colombian officials are now negotiatingwith their United States counterparts. Representativesof the Colombian PhytosanitaryTopics Negotiating Table (in Spanish:Mesa Fitosanitaria, MSF) are clear aboutthe main objective of the agreement: i.e. toidentify the sanitary and phytosanitarymeasures that will allow Colombian agriculturalproducts access to the US market.However, Colombian fruits and vegetableswill only realise their potential withinthe Colombia-US Free Trade Agreement ifthe negotiations succeed with regard torequirements parallel to preferential tariffs,which are certainly not less important.For this reason, negotiations will aim tostabilise the profitability of exported products.To achieve this, phytosanitary controland product safety – areas in which BayerCropScience has an important role to play– will be decisive for the international successof Colombian agricultural products. ■1/06 COURIER 17

Double PerformanceInnovative potato fungicidestackle two diseases in one goEarly blight, caused by the fungi Alternaria solani (left) and Alternaria alternata (right).

While late blight (Phytophthora infestans)remains the most important potatodisease world-wide, early blight (Alternariaspp.) is gaining ground. Once mainly aproblem in warmer climates early blightnowadays even threatens potato farmers inNorthwest Europe. In this region BayerCropScience targets both fungal diseaseswith one innovative active substance:fenamidone, branded under the name ofFenomen ® . The Fenomen based potatoLate blight (Phytophthora infestans)fungicides Sereno ® (fenamidone plus mancozeb)and Consento ® (fenamidone andpropamocarb hydrochloride) control bothlate and early blight.Early blight, caused by the fungiAlternaria solani and Alternaria alternata,provokes premature defoliation in potatoplants which hampers a vigorous growth oftubers, resulting in significant yield losses.First symptoms of Alternaria spp. usuallycan be observed on the older, lower leaves,then progressing up the plant. Characteristicsymptoms of Alternaria solani are darkbrown or black lesions on leaves, dry andpapery in texture. Enlarging lesions formconcentric rings, producing a “target spot”effect. Leaf tissue adjacent to the lesionstypically yellows. Alternaria alternatacauses small spots which can be mistakenfor an early infection of A. solani. Thefungi can only be distinguished under themicroscope by their different shape ofconidia.The fungi overwinter as mycelium orconidia in plant debris, soil, infected tubersor on other hosts of the plant family astomato or eggplant. Spores are spread bywind and need moisture to infect theleaves. Heavy dews, frequent rains, overheadirrigation and high humidity favordisease development, as do temperaturesover 20° Celsius. Only one week afterinfection first symptoms appear on thepotato leaves, in general shortly after flowering.Early grown cultivars with a softpotato skin are particularly susceptible toAlternaria spp. A rich nutrition, especiallywith nitrogen, decreases host susceptibility.In some parts of the world, early blighthas been a serious problem for many years.But only recently, considerable Alternariainfestation was reported in France, Germanyand the Netherlands. Potato research suggeststhat climate change, reduced fertilizerinput and a shift to fungicides withoutAlternaria efficacy have boosted proliferationof the disease.As Phytophthora infestans, the causalagent of late blight, poses the most seriousthreat to potatoes, fungicide developmenthas focused on controlling this disease. Forearly blight control in potato, specificfungicides have been developed and registered.In spray programs these specificearly blight products need to be combinedwith late blight fungicides, either as additionalsprays or as tank-mix partners. Thiscomplicates disease control and increasescosts for the farmer.Sereno and Consento, the new potatofungicides of Bayer CropScience, sort outthese problems by controlling both late andearly blight. The active substance fenamidonebelongs to the imidazoline class ofchemicals. “Fenamidone is a great jumpahead in potato blight control”, says KoenVan den Eynde, Product Manager at BayerCropScience. “The double performance ofthe substance, working against Phytophthoraand Alternaria with one single product,makes up its particular power”, theProduct Manager explains.Field trials not only demonstrated theexcellence of Sereno and Consento in lateblight control but also its fungicidal effecton Alternaria spp. Both products outperformspecific early blight fungicides whenit comes to control the two species, A.solani and A. alternata, applied at 150grams Fenomen per hectare. Sereno andConsento primarily show preventive activity.So in case of infection risk, techniciansrecommend a block treatment of three consecutiveapplications, alternating withanother potato fungicide.Once applied, fenamidone is absorbedby the plant and penetrates the whole leafso that it cannot be washed off by rain.Fenamidone may stop the fungal disease atall pathogen growth stages: It inhibitssporulation and direct germination of sporangia,stops the release and mobility ofzoospores and prevents encystment as wellas cyst germination on the potato leaves.The inhibition of both direct and indirectgermination means that the productequally performs independent of the temperature.“Our lab trials prove that fenamidoneis a strong sporicide and that it alsohas high activity on the sporangia viabilitywhich is necessary for a good tuber quality,”Van den Eynde elucidates. So it isFenomen which makes up the power ofSereno and Consento.Mixing the substance with mancozeb orpropamocarb, however, is part of a resistancemanagement strategy. “How potentFenomen in its immediate effect mightever be – it should be combined with activesubstances which show a different mode ofaction and a low resistance risk”, Van denEynde recommends.Consento is a mancozeb-free fungicidewith a very favorable toxicological and ecotoxicologicalprofile. Products from treatedcrops meet the increasing quality requirementsof the food-processing industry.Up to date Bayer CropScience haslaunched the new potato fungicide Fenomenin almost 60 countries. “With Sereno andConsento we are meeting a brisk demand”,the Product Manager says and has only oneexplanation: “Growers get high value fortheir money: a high level of late blight controlplus the superior Alternaria control.Sereno and Consento tackle two diseasesin one go, that is what makes them outstandingand innovative.” ■1/06 COURIER 19

Green peach aphids (Myzus persicae)Keeping aphidsResistance management with neonicotinoidsWhen insects develop resistance to agrochemicals,the consequences can be disastrous for farmers 1 .Avoiding the development of resistanceis one of the major challenges and responsibilitiesfacing all stakeholders in agriculturalproduction. However, where resistanceexists, efficient tools are needed inthe form of new and innovative insecticideswith different modes of action – andtheir intelligent use.A breakthrough for the control of suckinginsects – aphids, whiteflies and leafandplanthoppers, which often developmultiple resistances against organophosphates,carbamates and pyrethroids – wasthe discovery and development of imidacloprid(Confidor ® ), the forerunner of anentire new chemical class: the neonicotinoids.Using aphids as an example, thisarticle describes the sustainable use ofimidacloprid, which is achieved by makinglimited numbers of applications and followingsound management practices.Given their biological characteristics,aphids are almost predestined to developinsecticide resistance: they show a high1 See also Courier, 1/05, “Resistance development inpests – a global challenge”, pp. 17-19 or visit theCourier website. The address is: www.agrocourier.com20 COURIER 1/06

Cotton aphids (Aphis gossypii)under controlreproductive rate, produce several generationsa year, and are able to attack a largenumber of different crops, some of whichare treated repeatedly with active substancesfrom the same chemical class.Aphids are the world's No. 1 agriculturalcrop pest. There are many species ofaphids: all are slightly different in appearance,biology and favoured host plant. Thegreen peach aphid (Myzus persicae) andthe cotton or melon aphid (Aphis gossypii)are two of the most important aphidspecies worldwide.Green peach aphid –Myzus persicaeHundreds of host plant species growingaround the world – including stone fruit,vegetables, potatoes, sugar beets andtobacco – are known to be attacked by thegreen peach aphid. The aphids cause directdamage to plants when they suck sap fromthe phloem: the plant is weakened throughthe loss of proteins and carbohydrates. Butfar more important is the indirect damagecaused through the transmission of virusdiseases. The green peach aphid is knownto transmit more than 150 virus diseases.Transmission can occur after just a fewseconds (non-persistent) or after a longerperiod (persistent) of feeding, dependingon the type of virus.Cotton or melon aphid –Aphis gossypiiThe cotton or melon aphid is also a pestspecies of worldwide importance, withgreatest impact in the tropics and warm,temperature regions. It invades hundredsof known host plant species, including cotton,vegetables (specifically cucurbits),potatoes, banana, papaya and avocado.Besides damaging its hosts through suckingactivity, this aphid species is also wellknownas a vector of more than 50 virusdiseases. The cotton aphid – in contrast toMyzus persicae – can build huge colonies,producing vast amounts of honeydew(sugar-containing excrement). A coveringof honeydew not only reduces the leaf areaavailable for photosynthesis: it can alsoreduce the quality of the yield (e.g. stickycotton fibers) and it is also a favourable1/06 COURIER 21

Resistance MechanismsMetabolic Resistance (enzymatic cleavage)● Esterases● Monooxygenases● Glutathione S-transferasesTarget site resistance● MACE (Modified acetylcholinesterase)● Kdr („Knock-down-resistance“) Res● Rdl („Resistance to dieldrin“) WildtypeReduced penetrationBrBrgrowth medium for fungi, encouragingsecondary fungal infections.Aphids – living factories forinactivating insecticidesMany aphid species, but above all Myzuspersicae, the green peach aphid and Aphisgossypii, the cotton aphid, have developedhigh levels of resistance against the majorinsecticidal classes, leading to reduced fieldefficacy, or in some cases, total productfailure. Resistance development is basedon genetic changes in the pest population,which lead for example to a greater productionof enzymes that are able to detoxifythe insecticide; or to variations in the structureof the target site, which make it impossiblefor the active substance molecule tobind to its receptor; or to reduced penetrationof the insecticide into the insect.OOCNOBrBrCNEnzymeNeonicotinoids – capable ofexcellent aphid control inotherwise resistant populationsAphids may lose their sensitivity throughthe overuse or misuse of products, or as theresult of other factors. It is essential thatchanges in sensitivity are detected at a veryearly stage, so that the appropriate actionscan be taken (change of product, use of coformulations,temporary product suspensionetc.). To that end, our researcher Dr.Ralf Nauen has developed a very effectivealert system. A leaf-dip bioassay procedurethat uses 6-well tissue culture plates wasdesigned to test sensitivity to imidaclopridin Myzus persicae and Aphis gossypii.Using this bioassay, 16 strains takenfrom European Myzus persicae populationsin 2001 were tested against apyrethroid, a carbamate and imidacloprid.OOOThe monitoring revealed the weak efficacyof the first two products, clearly indicatingresistance. On the other hand, imidaclopridshowed very uniform efficacy against allstrains tested, which confirmed the fullefficacy observed under field conditions.Management tacticsGuidelines have been already generated byBayer CropScience whilst imidacloprid wasstill being developed, in order to limitproduct use and thereby to reduce the riskof resistance developing in target insects.The basic principle of these guidelines isthat a maximum of three applications ofneonicotinoids can be made within onecropping cycle: these can be seed treatmentsor nursery and drench applicationsduring the early crop stages, and/or foliarapplications of solo or co-formulationslater on. If possible, the treatments shouldbe applied in one block, and they must notcover the whole cropping season, butshould leave space for a block of treatmentswith products from a differentchemical class, with another mode ofaction.This principle has been implementedpro-actively by our affiliates, together withlocal experts and advisers, in many countriesaround the world. In Australia, forexample, cotton aphid has been controlledsuccessfully for many years on the basis ofthe rules shown in the figure at page 23.22 COURIER 1/06

A leaf-dip bioassay procedure in 6-well tissue cultureplates was designed to test imidacloprid susceptibilityin aphids.Bayer CropScience’s scientists are constantly puttingthe efficacy of their products to the best.Aphis gossypii: Resistance Management in AustraliaCropCottonProductConfidor ® 200 SC,50 g a.s./ha + additiveRotation partnersPirimicarb, dimethoate,chlorpyrifos, diafenthiuron,endosulfan➡➡➡➡➡➡RecommendationsAvoid broad spectrum sprays (OP, PYR) early in the season due to effectson beneficialsMaximum of 2 sprays per group (3 Neonic’s, inclusive mirid control)Rotate chemistry – non consecutive spray from same chemical groupDo not follow a seed or infurrow treatment with the first spray from thesame chemical groupConsider spot treatments of heavily attacked areasPlant non-host rotation cropResultConfidor ® : no resistance detected in Aphis gossypii(34 strains tested in 2000/01, Herron, G. et al).E01E03F01E01P01E03F02F01G02E01P01GER01E03F02GER02F01G02GER04P01GER01GER05F02GER02F04G02GER04F05GER01GER05GER06GER02F04GER07GER04F05GER08GER05GER06GER09F04GER07F05GER08GER06GER09GER07GER08GER09Resistance Monitoring Myzus persicae (Green peach aphid)Mortality %Mortality %Mortality %100806040200100806040200100806040200pyrethroidcarbamateimidaclopridConclusionNo resistance to imidacloprid has beendetected in field-derived populations ofMyzus persicae and Aphis gossypii despitethe fact that the product has been in use for10 years. This is due to the effective resistancemanagement concept for neonicotinoidspromoted by Bayer CropScience,which covers not only imidacloprid, but alsoour new products thiacloprid (Calypso ® )and clothianidin (Poncho ® for seed treatment).Our management guidelines, originallypublished in 1996, were updated in2005 2 . They form a solid basis for preservingimidacloprid and other neonicotinoidsas effective tools that currently contributeto 24% of the total market for controllingsucking insects. Bayer CropScience iscommitted to continuing its efforts toensure that this valuable chemical classwill be available for managing suckinginsects successfully into the future. ■2 E. g. published in Pflanzenschutz NachrichtenBayer, Volume 58 (76). This issue is alsoavailable for download at our websitewww.pflanzenschutz-nachrichten.com1/06 COURIER 23

Visions allowed –turning ideas into realityThe unique “Archipelago Muratori”project in Italy24 COURIER 1/06

Live your dream. There’s no better way ofexpressing the ideal behind one of theboldest wine production projects in Italy,and perhaps even beyond. Francesco Iacono,Head of Research at the San Michele Instituteof Viticulture and a leading authoritywith international experience (in Australiaand elsewhere), had the unique chance tosee his dream become reality.At the end of the last millennium, thebrothers Bruno, Diego, Guiliano and GiorgioMuratori decided it was time to bring aprofessional edge to their hobby – wine.They asked Francesco Iacono: “How canwe turn our 8 ha estate in Franciacorta (anarea known for its production of sparklingwine) into something distinctive?” Theanswer they received was: “Press a wine thatreflects all that’s good about a “terroir 1 ”.But that wasn’t enough. The basic idea“one terroir – one wine” would have tovalid for different growing areas of Italy.The idea of the “Islands of wine-growing”was born. The owners came to talk of anarchipelago, and so arose the collectivename for the group of four estates, scatteredacross Italy – the “Archipelago Muratori”.Today, just seven years later, andafter an investment of 50 million euros, thecornerstones of the “Archipelago Muratori”lie in Franciacorta (Lombardia), Maremma(Toscana), on Ischia, and in Sannio (Campania).We had the opportunity to take a closerlook at these four wine-growing islands, intheir various stages of development, and totalk to Francesco Iacono, the GeneralDirector of the “Archipelago Muratori”.Living the dreamCourier: Mr Iacono, where did you get thecourage for such an adventurous undertaking?F. Iacono: I’m really convinced that peopleshould follow their ambitions. Foryears, I had dreamed of exploiting the richnessand pristineness of the various differentwine-growing areas. I wanted to producea range of wines, each of which wasan expression of the special characteristicsof a particular landscape. If done properly,this would produce a wonderful range oftastes, much greater than that possiblethrough the normal mass-production ofChardonnay wines.Of course, this idea is nothing out of theordinary. What’s special about our projectis that the Muratori brothers – and DiegoMuratori in particular – gave me the possibilityof realising my dream. One look atthe professional background of the Muratoribrothers is enough to show that there’sno romanticism involved here. As verysuccessful businessmen in the textileindustry, they scrutinize every undertakingfor its economic viability and chances oflong-term success. So that’s why we verycarefully tested the economic potential ofour “archipelago” concept – which isunderstandable when we’re talking aboutan investment of 50 million euros over aperiod of about 10 years.Our investigations confirmed the viabilityof our concept. Now the challengewas to put the concept into practice. Wehad to create the agronomic basis, modernisethe pressing technology, anddevelop the marketing strategy.Francesco Iacono is the General Director of the Italian“Archipelago Muratori” association of estates.The leitmotif:“One terroir – one wine”Courier: When developing your cultivationand marketing concepts, will you have tocompromise to the demands of the market?F. Iacono: No, we’re not prepared to bowto every market trend. I’d rather trust in ourbelief that we’ll be successful if we concentrateon growing wines that “speak” fortheir terroir. We’ll be practicing viticultureaccording to the maxim: “as much as necessary,as little as possible”. We really wantto avoid interfering with natural fermentationand maturation processes. We’ll beconcentrating on producing base wines,the composition of which reflects local soiland climate conditions.All of our wines will be sold under acombination of “M” for Muratori and thename of the estate. In this way, we intendgradually to gain a reputation in the marketfor a high level of quality that is characteristicof the particular region.A further example of how we don’t bowto market trends, but rather show confidencein our ideal, is our sparkling winefrom Franciacorta. It’s clear that the Italian“metodo classico” for producing sparklingwines is facing marketing problems.Nevertheless, we believe that the consumerwill be prepared to pay for quality. The1 Terroir: the combination of soil, climate, expositionand local tradition that defines the style of the wine.1/06 COURIER 25

The four Muratori-brothers are the owners of the „Archipelago Muratori”, to which they gave their name.Franciacorta DOCG 2 can build upon itsexcellent image. However, many producerscontinue to play safe. They artificially raisethe natural sugar content (this is called“dosage”) in order to produce sweeterwines – but that is not my way of doingthings. Each bottle of Franciacorta DOCGmust be a suitable companion to a goodmeal, so it has to have a good acidic backbone.This is called “zero dosage”. So, weintend to concentrate on “zero dosage”,and our aim is to become the biggest producerof “zero dosage” in the entire Franciacortaregion. We’re aware of the highcommercial risk involved, but we believethat only in this way we can remain true toour “one terroir – one wine” philosophy.The same applies to our estate onIschia. The most important sector of theeconomy of this island in the Gulf ofNaples is tourism. At first, most people onthe island were sceptical about investing inanything other than tourism. But ourknowledge of the historic richness of viticultureon Ischia and centuries-old agronomicand vinification techniques thathave arisen there will allow us to produceauthentic sparkling wines. Of course, wewill refer to the traditional style whenbuilding wine cellars and repairing drystonewall terraces.Bayer CropScience – a strongpartner by your sideCourier: No matter how much passionand drive you have for such a project, youcan’t realise it without external help. Whohave been your most important supportersand partners?F. Iacono: I’ve already indicated howessential the financial support of the Muratoribrothers was. Diego Muratori is alsoclosely involved in the project. The staff ofthe “Archipelago” project is highly-motivated,and open to new, unconventionalideas. They are good at putting innovationinto practice. This is only possible becausethey’ve received a solid training in allaspects of the wine and the cellar. Duringmy career, I’ve had the opportunity to getto know – and to respect – many of ouryounger staff. The most important criterionfor employing people is not whether theyhave an academic title, but rather that theybelieve in the project. This is also one ofthe reasons why I wanted to work closelywith Bayer CropScience in the area of pestand disease management. Why? I rememberthe year 2000, right at the start of theproject: we had a total of 8 ha of vines, andmany people didn’t take us seriously. Incontrast, Bayer CropScience’s specialistsshowed a great deal of interest – and theyprovided us with valuable support: theyhelped us to keep the vines healthy by providingus with excellent technical advice,reliable service, and highly-effectiveproducts. This is one example of where thecompany’s motto “Your partner for growth”is taken seriously – and delivered upon:Bayer CropScience was the only crop protectioncompany that provided its support tothe (at the time small) business, becausethey saw the viability of the project.Courier: Mr Iacono, many thanks for talkingto us about your business model. Wethink it’s a unique example of how it ispossible to create a successful enterprisedespite a difficult market. What seems tobe indispensable for success is a belief inyour own ideas, courage, persistence andtrust in reliable partners. ■You can find out more about the Muratori estates onthe internet, under www.fratellimuratori.com, theItalian website of the „Archipelago Muratori”.2 DOCG: Denominazione di Origine Controllata eGarantita – the highest quality wine designation in Italy.26 COURIER 1/06

Short profile of the“Archipelago Muratori”Villa Crespia estate, Franciacorta (Lombardia).A total area of 60 ha is planted mostly withChardonnay grape, but with a small area of PinotNoir. True to the maxim “one terroir – one wine”,the heterogeneity in terms of microclimate and soilstructure is expressed by the characters of the sixdifferent wines produced there. By the time theproject is complete, up to half a million bottles ofFranciacorta DOCG will be produced each year.Rubbia al Colle estate, Maremma (Toscana).The estate covers about 100 ha, of which 80 ha isunder vines. Needless to say, red wines are produced,as you might expect in Toscana. Within the region,three production sectors are definable, characterisedeither by alluvial soil, or by clay- or gravel-containinghill soils. A choice of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon andthe traditional Sangiovese-grape are cultivated. It isplanned to create six very different types of Tuscanred wine that express the qualities of their place oforigin. The marketing potential is around 500,000 bottlesa year.Tenuta Giardini Arimei estate (Ischia).A curiosity with a total of just 7 ha under vines. Onlydessert wines are produced here. The owners of theestate are contributing to the general effort to revivea thousand-year-old wine-growing tradition that hasbeen partly obscured by tourism. Production at fullcapacity is 50,000 bottles a year.Tenuta Oppida Aminea estate, Sannio,(Campania).This estate is 50 ha in size. The area is suited togrowing white grape varieties, producing wines thatare full of character, well-structured and long-lived.The aim is to reach full capacity, producing 250,000bottles a year.1/06 CORREO 27

Results Today – Success TomorrowAsk a farmeranywherein the worldwhat is hisfavouriteinsecticide,and thechances arehigh thathe will say‘Decis ® ’.After 29 years of sales, Decis today is theflagship of Bayer CropScience pyrethroidrange and one the world’s best knowninsecticides, offering a combination of costeffective pest control and safety for users,consumers and the environment. Thanks toits favorable profile, Decis will continue toplay a key role in insect pest control in achanging and challenging agriculturalenvironment.From nature to nutrition –a distinguished historyWhile most know Decis as a modern cropprotection tool, few know that it is derivedfrom an ancient natural remedy. The Crusadersreported using a powder made fromdried chrysanthemum flowers to controlbody lice. This powder originated from theDalmatian region of Armenia, but becameknown as ‘Persian Powder’ as its use spreadthroughout Europe. The first records ofcommercial sales are from 1828.‘Persian Powder’, which was based onthe natural compound pyrethrum, couldnot be used in modern agriculture due toits very short persistence under sunlight.When this problem was solved in the1970’s with the creation of syntheticpyrethroids (‘SP’s’) a revolution waslaunched. This new class of crop protectionproducts combined very rapid action,a broad spectrum of activity and an excellenthuman safety profile. The cost andimpacts of crop pest control were dramaticallyreduced and the lives of millions wereimproved as SPs took a major share of thecrop insecticide market during the 1980’s.Decis – A leader from the startPyrethroid chemistry is very complex withmost of the 40 available active substancesbeing mixtures of active and inactive isomers.This adds some environmental burdenwith little advantage for farmers.Decis however was the first pure isomercreated with the key advantage of maximumpest control power at a very low doserate. Decis is 1,500 to 3,000 time moreeffective than natural pyrethrum, whilehaving a similar human and environmentaltoxicity profile.

Dose rates of majorinsecticides (g a.s./ha)PyrethroidsDeltamethrin (Decis) 2.5 to 18Beta-cyfluthrin 3 to 20Lambda-cyhalothrin 3.75 to 25Alpha-cypermethrin 7 to 50Bifenthrin 10 to 85Cypermethrin 10 to 100Fenvalerate 15 to 175Permethrin 15 to 250New ChemistriesSpinosad 50 to 100Indoxacarb 25 to 150ChloronicotinylsAcetamiprid 12.5 to 100Imidacloprid 25 to 100BenzoylureasDiflubenzuron 25 to 150CarbamatesPirimicarb 500Carbaryl 750-1500OrganophosphatesMonocrotophos 250 to 1,100Chlorpyriphos-ethyl 300 to 1,000Profenofos 375 to 1,100Methamidophos 400 to 600ColeopteraMeligethes aeneusLeptinotarsa decemlineataAnthonomus grandisLepidopteraAgrotis spp.Chilo spp.Cydia pomonellaDuring the 80’s and 90’s, Decis wasregistered in nearly every country in theworld and became the leading globalpyrethroid. This success was based on theadvantages Decis provided to farmersincluding:1) Quick knock down: Decis EC and EWformulations are widely recognized asreferences for speed of insect control.Decis rapidly penetrates the insect’s cuticlecausing it to stop feeding within minutes.Rapid control means rapid protectionof crop yield and quality. In situationswhere pests transmit diseases, the rapidcontrol of Decis is a critical advantage.2) Broad spectrum of activity: The spectrumof Decis covers the main biting,chewing and sucking insect classes(Lepidoptera, Coleoptera andHomoptera). Decis also has strongactivity on many species of bugs,locusts, flies, thrips and mosquitoes.3) Cost effectiveness: Its activity at verylow dose combined with its broad spectrumof activity make Decis a versatileand cost effective tool for farmers.4) Contribution to agricultural commoditytrade: Decis is registered on morethan 300 crop types and has more than5,000 food MRL’s (Maximum ResidueLimits) established. This means farmershave great flexibility to use Decis on variouscrops with the surety they can selltheir produce. Retailers can stock Decisin the knowledge that it can be soldthroughout the season.5) Low hazard for users, retailers, consumersand the environment: its lowmammalian toxicity and short soil persistencemake Decis ideal for sustainablefood production when used underGood Agricultural Practices.Helicoverpa armigeraFormulations adapted to deliverresultsBayer CropScience believes that adaptedformulations maximize user benefits, soDecis is available in five major specializedformulations:• Decis 25EC ‘classic’ formulation is themost versatile formulation deliveringmaximum performance and a convenientpack size and dose rate for small tomedium farms.• Decis Expert 100EC delivers identicaltop performance in a concentrated, lowdose formulation for larger farms.• Decis Jet 15EC and the newly launchedDecis Protech 15EW were developed tomatch the needs of high intensitymakets. Both formulations benefit froma very favorable hazard classification.• Decis Profi 250WG controls chewingand biting pests in an easy to use and economicalsolid formulation.30 COURIER 1/06

Ready to support futurechanges in agricultureNowadays, modern agriculture is changingat a pace unseen before. With its inherentadvantages and the broad formulationoffer, the Decis range is well constructed tofind new uses through:• An increasing demand for high qualityfood, particularly meeting the demandsof supermarkets and exporters. Decisprovides maximum flexibility as it isregistered on more than 300 crop typesin most countries of the world. BayerCropScience is committed to maintainand expand these use patterns and towork closely with food chain stakeholders.• The phase out of many older chemicalsdriven by re-registration processes andhazard considerations. Decis providesone of the few options for low cost, broadspectrum control suitable for use in awide variety of agricultural situations.• An increasing demand for energy cropsto meet the world energy needs in renewableways. Decis provides reliable andlow cost pest control at low environmentalimpact level.After nearly 30 years of sales, Decis isstill one of the most flexible and cost effectivecrop protection products on the market.A new generation of farmers, facingdifferent challenges, are finding that Decisfits their needs and provides excellentresults.Decis ® ; Your Decision,Your Success.Decis ® : ‘5+5’HomopteraMyzus persicaeSitobion avenaeNephotettix spp.Empoasca spp.OthersDacus sp.Eurygaster integricepsSchistocerca gregariaThrips spp.5 ReasonsWhy Pyrethroids Fit Modern Agriculture1. Speed: Pyrethroids are usually the fastest way to control insect pests.2. Broad Spectrum: Control of a broad range of important pests.3. Replacement of older chemistry: Pyrethroids are one of the keyreplacements for older chemical classes.4. Food chain profile: Pyrethroids are contact products, not adsorbedinto fruits or seeds, and broken down rapidly during processing. Theyare ideal for high quality food production.5. Economics: Pyrethroids provide control of the widest range of pestsfor the lowest overall investment.5 ReasonsWhy Decis is the best Pyrethroids Choice1. Speed of control: Decis EC and EW formulations are the referencefor speed of action.2. Flexibility of use: Decis has the highest number of crop registrationsof any pyrethroid based product.3. Targeted range of formulations: Decis specialized formulationsmaximize performance and benefit for each target group.4. Support of agricultural commodity trade: Decis has over 5,000food MRL’s and is widely included in food chain production protocolsaround the world.5. Safety: When used under good agricultural practices Decis has oneof the lowest hazard levels of any crop protection product.1/06 COURIER 31

Nature and technologyMaple seeds have a compact kernel anda light, propeller-like “wing”. The seedspresent enough surface area to the wind forthem to be driven sideways through the airafter only a short drop from the tree. This iswhy ripe maple seeds don’t simply fallstraight down to the ground. They ratherfall at a leisuredly pace – rotating rapidly allthe while. The rotation uses the resistanceof the air to the optimum, slowing downthe rate of drop and increasing the chancesthat the seed will be transported acrossgreater distances.Mankind has also learnt to take advantageof the wind. One example for this is thewindmill. Its vanes are driven around bythe wind, in order that corn may be groundinto flour in the simplest, most elegant waypossible. ■www.bayercropscience.com