Money-back guarantee for oilseed rape growers

Oilseed rape growers can be assured of making a profit from Amistar applications this season, or their money back.Syngenta is offering its first money-back guarantee for fungicide treatments in oilseed rape.

Oilseed rape growers can be assured of making a profit from Amistar applications this season, or their money back.

Syngenta is offering its first money-back guarantee for fungicide treatments in oilseed rape.

Syngenta's oilseed rape manager, Simon Parker, said that since Amistar generated higher yields through prolonged green leaf retention and an increase in the oil content of seed, growers are assured of a profit - even if there is little or no sclerotinia risk or other disease pressure.

'If, however, the disease levels are medium to high this season, the extended protection of an Amistar two-spray programme will give excellent levels of Sclerotinia control right through the flowering period, generating even higher returns for growers.'

With the low sclerotinia pressure last year, growers who used other fungicides purely for disease protection could have lost money on their investment.

'We are confident that growers will get a positive return from Amistar at the core of their oilseed rape programmes at flowering this year, and are prepared to back that with a profit guarantee,' he said.

Mr Parker calculates growers will need a yield increase of around 0.1 t/ha to cover the cost of Amistar at 0.8 l/ha; in practice trials have shown an average 0.4 t/ha increase in fields with little or no disease present, along with a significant boost in the oil content in seed that typically covers the cost of treatment alone.

Oilseed rape growers have until April 9 to register for the Syngenta promotion, which will be available for fields of over five hectares.

For details of the deal, www.syngenta-crop.co.uk