BASEL, Switzerland, Dec. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Syngenta today announced the launch of two new products for sugar cane under the company's exclusive PLENE^® brand. Plene Evolve^® and Plene PB will help growers increase yields and plant quality by providing healthy young plants with an assurance of genetic purity, vigor and traceability.

In order to maintain productivity, sugar cane producers need to replant cane every five years. Currently most growers use large volumes of suboptimal planting material. Syngenta now offers a more flexible and efficient product of significantly higher quality to help customers build high performance nurseries to supply commercial fields.

Plene Evolve, a young plant that can be mechanically transplanted, accelerates variety renewal through elite genetics. It can be multiplied directly by the customer resulting in increased genetic purity and high productivity.

Plene PB is a pre-germinated seed cane designed to bring a step change in yield to customers with or without established nurseries. The planting process for Plene PB is simple and can cover larger areas, producing better seedlings to be planted in commercial fields. Plene PB offers a superior multiplication rate together with yield, vigor and quality. It also represents a solution to planting gaps, which are an increasing problem in sugar cane fields: a 20 percent gap rate leads to a 6 percent loss of productivity.

Daniel Bachner, Syngenta's Global Head of Sugar cane, said: "The launch of the PLENE platform has created greater awareness among sugar cane growers of the need to improve productivity through investment. By following our integrated protocols, growers are already achieving 10 to 20 percent increases in yield. These two new launches mark a further step forward for growers and will advance progress towards our commitment under The Good Growth Plan to increase the productivity of sugar cane by 20 percent by 2020, without using more land, water or inputs." 

Syngenta is one of the world's leading companies with more than 27,000 employees in over 90 countries dedicated to our purpose: Bringing plant potential to life. Through world-class science, global reach and commitment to our customers we help to increase crop productivity, protect the environment and improve health and quality of life. For more information about us please go to www.syngenta.com

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SOURCE Syngenta International AG