Bayer to launch Vanity Citrus®, its newest biological product to control citrus farm pests during virtual symposium

Bayer will introduce Vanity Citrus^®, its latest biological and pheromone-based crop protection product to control pests on citrus farms during the International Symposium on Horticulture in Europe – SHE2021, March 8-11. Bayer is a main sponsor of the event, which invites scientists and industry leaders to discuss the latest achievements and developments in horticulture. Bob Reiter, Head of Research and Development for Bayer Crop Science is a SHE2021 featured speaker. He will discuss the company’s R&D strategy for fruits and vegetables.

Vanity Citrus^® is an innovative device – a container with an active liquid inside – that does not generate resistance or residues in harvests or in the environment. It is the first such product on the market that is formulated with pheromones and natural pyrethrum to control pests in citrus fruits. Pheromones effectively control pests by interfering with their mating behaviors, thus preventing their reproduction.

The product is currently being used in Spain and will soon be available to growers of citrus and other crops in other Mediterranean countries. It is licensed for commercial use by Ecología y Protección Agricola (EPA) in Valencia and provides 400 days of pest control.

Vynyty Citrus^® is formulated to gradually reduce the invasive pest populations of three species: California red louse (Aonidiella aurantii), citrus cotonet (Planococcus citri) and South African cotonet (Delottococcus aberiae). The South African cotonet, due to its rapid expansion in recent years and the deformities it causes in citrus fruits, is considered the most invasive fruit pest and the one that alarms growers the most.

“With this, we manage to control and gradually reduce the populations of these species with a more sustainable solution, which does not generate resistance or residues in the harvest or in the environment and, moreover, acts 365 days a year,” said Javier Pérez, Head of Bayer Crop Science Fruit Crops in Spain.

Currently the plague of the South African cotonet is affecting more than 40,000 ha of citrus fruits in the Valencian Community. As a result, the pest is causing the deformation of fruits which not only prevents them for commercial use, but it is also forming new colonies within citrus areas located on the Spanish eastern coast.

Vynyty Citrus^® complements the strong biological portfolio of Bayer which includes Serenade^®, BioAct™ and Flipper^® that were broadly adopted by European growers to strengthen sustainable production concepts and improve the quality of produce with low residue levels. This biological solution responds to Bayer’s commitment to help reduce the environmental impact of crop protection by 30% by 2030 without reducing crop yields.

The launch of Vynyty Citrus^® at this year’s SHE2021 event coincides with 2021 being designated as the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables by the United Nations.

Bayer is the main sponsor of the SHE2021 congress

Bayer joins the SHE2021 congress, as a major sponsor. Organized by the University of Hohenheim, Germany, SHE2021 connects leading researchers, renowned speakers, academics, industry experts and other experts from across Europe. More than 500 are expected to attend.

New insights and exciting future research fields will be discussed on plant breeding, nutrition, soil health, crop production and protection. Special attention will be given to the fast progress made to understand the positive contribution of Fruit and Vegetables to human well-being and health.

On March 8, Bayer starts the congress with a mini-symposium called “Sustainability through Innovation”. Bob Reiter will highlight the company’s commitment to develop novel solutions for Fruit and Vegetables delivering on the sustainability targets and ambitions of the new European Green Deal.

To address the challenge on the sustainable control of soil pest and diseases, Bayer developed a novel concept, called Root2Success, which is a holistic approach to improve and sustain root health in horticulture crops. Protect, heal, activate and preserve are important aspects of this approach which includes preventive measures, curative treatments, root health enhancers, biostimulants and Drip-by-Drip technologies.

Promising results were achieved in tomato production in Spain. Through combined use of novel rootstocks of De Ruiter^® and Seminis^® Seeds, the inclusion of the biological plant protection products Serenade^® and BioAct™ and the unique nematicide Velum^® along with the new digital tool Nematool to monitor nematode development the tomato productivity was increased. Integrated control of insect pests in fruit crops will be illustrated with positive experiences in Italy combining the use of highly selective Movento^® and the biological insecticide Flipper^®.

Researchers from Bayer’s vegetables seeds business will shed light on the collaborative breeding concepts accelerating development of new tomato varieties expressing resistance to the devastating tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV).

“Bayer is committed to providing European Fruit and Vegetable growers with novel solutions to sustain high productivity” says Albert Schirring, Bayer Strategy Lead for Vegetable Crops. “Bayer will engage and reach out to researchers in search for new partnerships especially in the field of biological products.”

About Bayer
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to help people and planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to drive sustainable development and generate a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2020, the Group employed around 100,000 people and had sales of 41.4 billion euros. R&D expenses before special items amounted to 4.9 billion euros. For more information, go to www.bayer.com.

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