CROP innovations and and in-depth look at how arable varieties perform, interact and suit farmers, have been part of the main agenda at Syngenta’s summer demo days, which have been held up and down the country throughout June and July.

Several hundred farmers and agronomists have attended their local Syngenta Innovation Centres, or Platform Sites, during the open days, seeing how innovative techniques and varieties perform in their local area.

Syngenta's technical indication expert, Jason Tatnell, said that much of the excitement surrounded the preview of Solatenol, its powerful new SDHI fungicide at the events.

“Farmers really want confidence that new products and varieties are going to deliver at a local level in their situation, under a similar climate and weather conditions," he told The SF.

“That’s why local technical events like these are so important to help farmers make informed crop decisions for the coming season, based on local knowledge and experience,.

“This season has been a very high pressure disease year, but Solatenol has proven itself at the T2 application it’s intended for – as it has in the extensive development work carried out in over 700 field trials.

“In the trials, it delivered consistent yield results due to the complete leaf protection inside and outside the leaf against the key diseases farmers’ face. We are awaiting the this season's yield results from each of the sites, but it all looks promising at this stage,” he added.

“At each of the events we also had giant 3D electron microscopy images on display that demonstrated how quickly septoria and brown rust disease takes hold inside the leaf if left untreated, way before farmers can see any visual signs of damage on the leaf.

“There is no substitute for seeing how products and crop varieties actually perform,” he argued.