New developments in biologicals could give pulse crops an all-important nutrient boost to achieve better establishment and more consistent yields. Findings of the latest Syngenta research trials will be presented at the Pulse Potential Roadshow 2025, in conjunction with PGRO.  

Under the theme of Enhanced strategies for productivity and yield, the events will take place at South Cave near Hull, on Humberside, on Monday 27^th January and at Kingsgate Conference Centre, Peterborough on Tuesday 28^th January. 

Event hot topics, selected from feedback from growers at last year’s roadshow, will include the latest varietal information, agronomy updates and market insights from PGRO - along with new developments and best practice in crop protection for vining and combining peas and field beans with Syngenta Technical Manager, Simon Jackson.

“We do have exciting conventional chemistry in the R&D pipeline and working through the legislative framework. However, developments in biologicals are already offering an important bridge in crop agronomy and nutrition strategies,” he advises.

Simon urges that pulse growers and agronomists will need to take all the best elements of existing cultural controls, including varietal selection, rotation and nutrition, and then add in new proven products and technologies that will deliver more consistent yields and crop quality.

New biostimulant technologies offer potential to enhance pulse root crop growth right from the start and through the growing season, he advocates. Already well proven in other crops, including cereals, maize and potatoes, carefully selected bacteria can contribute to both the crops’ phosphate and nitrogen needs. 

Nuello iN seed treatment includes two unique endophyte bacteria that fix atmospheric nitrogen into a form readily useable by the growing plant. One of these bacteria, Curtobacterium Salicaceae, is also capable of mobilising soil insoluble phosphate to be available for seedling rooting and establishment.

Furthermore, the foliar applied Vixeran is a highly efficient atmospheric nitrogen fixing bacteria Azotobacter salinestris, that colonises roots and the soil biosphere. This has been shown to contribute N equivalent of up to 30 kg/ha in crop growth and yield.

“The rooting enhancement seen with Nuello iN in cereal crops could offer great potential for pulse crops, especially on the premium vining crop sandy soils where nutrient retention can be a challenge,” Simon believes. It could prove critically important where artificial N application is limited or prohibited in pulse crops.  

Where growers are extending rotations, to reduce the damaging effects of soil borne disease pathogens, the supplement of nitrogen fixing bacteria could help mitigate lower levels of the natural rhizobium required by pulse crops to fix nitrogen, he adds.. 

In field beans, the foliar application of Vixeran has proven to deliver reliable yield increases by supplementing nitrogen reserves in the crop during pod fill. At a time when beans would normally start senescing to support seed development, it’s suggested the treatment has enabled plants to remain green and photosynthetically active to drive yield production.    

These biostimulant nutrient fixing technologies can be readily integrated with conventional agronomy programmes - alongside existing seed treatments in the case of Nuello iN, or Vixeran tank-mixed with fungicide applications.

Also, both products are registered with the OF&G (Organic Farmers and Growers), so can be used to enhance the reliability and performance of organic growing systems.

The free Syngenta/PGRO Pulse Potential Roadshows are open to all growers and agronomists. Each meeting runs from 4.00 to 7.00pm (registration from 3.30pm), and concludes with a hearty pie & mash supper and the opportunity to discuss topics with the expert speakers and other farmers. With limited space availability, growers and agronomists are urged to register early to assure attendance: https://www.syngenta.co.uk/search/events