Ask Us About Agriculture

Aflatoxin

A mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus fungi, which grow whenever conditions are favorable (high moisture and temperature). Occurs in many diverse sources, ranging from major cereal crops to peanut butter, nuts and spices. Aflatoxins are genotoxic and among the most carcinogenic substances known. The main target organ in humans is the liver, but the risk of developing gallbladder cancer is also increased.

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Agronomic Evaluation

Growth and development of the plant is as intended

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Biofuels

Any fuel derived from living plant matter.

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Good Laboratory Practice

Quality System, providing the formal framework for the conditions under which non-clinical health and environmental safety studies are planned, performed, monitored, recorded, reported, and archived. The details are laid down in legislative regulations as OECD Advisory Documents, EPA and FDA Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) rules and other national laws as e.g. German Chemical Law.

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Crop Protection

Crop protection is the collection of tools, products, and best practices farmers use to protect their crops from the negative impact of weeds, pests, and disease.

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Intrinsic Hazard

The inherent property of an agent or situation which has the potential to cause adverse effects when an organism, system or population is exposed to that agent, based on its chemical, physical or biological characteristics (e.g. the intrinsic hazard of sharp knife is to cut).

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Dossiers

Compilation of all study reports and accompanying documents necessary to register an active substance or a plant protection product.

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EC50

Half maximal effective concentration (EC50) refers to the concentration of a substance which induces a response halfway between the baseline and maximum after a specified exposure time, i.e. the rate at which 50% of the maximal effect is observed

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ER50

Half maximal effective rate (ER50) refers to the rate of a substance which induces a response halfway between the baseline and maximum after a specified exposure time, i.e. the rate at which 50% of the maximal effect is observed.

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Crop Rotation

A planned sequence of planting crops over time on the same field. Rotating crops provides productivity benefits by improving soil nutrient levels and breaking crop pest cycles.

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Ecological Interactions

Such as weediness, potential gene flow to wild relatives, susceptibility to disease, and impacts on plant/insect interactions.

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Environmental Safety Margin

A safety margin is the factor that is added to account for uncertainties. For example, if a chronic test in fish showed no effects at 10μg/L, an assessment factor of 10 is still added, meaning that the acceptable concentration in water would be only 1μg/L. Safety factors in environmental risk assessments vary depending on area and test system, and are typically higher for the assessment of acute effects than for chronic effects.

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LD50

Median lethal dose (LD50) is an indication of the lethal toxicity of a given substance, representing a dose at which 50% of subjects die.

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LR50

Lethal rate (LR50) is an indication of the lethal toxicity of a given substance, representing a rate at which 50% of subjects die.

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Microbials

In agriculture, microbial products are those made from microorganisms to help protect crops from disease and pests, and to encourage healthy growth.

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MRL

(Maximum Residue Level) The potential residues on a harvested crop are regulated by maximum level. 

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NOAEL

(No Observable Adverse Effect Level) The highest dose where no recognizable harmful effects are observed. 

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NOEL

No observable effect level, the level of exposure at which no effects of the substance were seen.

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Soil Organic Material

Soil organic material is anything that was once alive and is now in or on the soil as it is decomposed into humus. Humus is organic material that has been decomposed by microorganisms and is readily changing form and mass as it decomposes.

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Plant Breeding

Plant breeding has historically been defined as the cross-breeding of plants in order to develop offspring containing a desired characteristic found in one or both of the parents. 

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Precision Agriculture

Precision agriculture is the use of advanced technology, equipment, and data analytics to improve crop production practices. Farmers analyze data from their machines, from their fields, and even from satellite imagery to help them be more efficient and accurate with their use of natural resources, such as water, soil, and fuel, as well as their use of inputs, such as fertilizer and crop protection products.

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Crop Residue

Plant material that remains after harvest. Can include stalks, leaves, and roots.

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Conservation Tillage

Conservation tillage includes all forms of reduced tillage. Tillage is the practice of plowing soil to prepare it for planting or after harvest to remove crop debris from the field. For example, ”no-till” involves no disturbance of the soil; and “reduced-till” or “strip-till” involves minimal disturbance. The benefits of this practice include improved moisture retention and reduced soil erosion.

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Zearalenone

A mycotoxin produced by Fusarium fungi species. Occurs mainly in cereals and corn. A potent estrogenic metabolite. In livestock known to cause infertility, abortion, breeding problems through the alteration of the hormone balance. Exposure of humans through the diet poses health concern due to the onset of several sexual disorders and alterations in the development of sexual apparatus.

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Data Analytics

Qualitative and quantitative processes used to enhance productivity and business gain. In agriculture, analytics help farmers become more efficient with their resources, more precise with the timing and rate of inputs, and reduces impact on the environment in the process.

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Buffer Strips

Small strips of land kept in permanent vegetation, located between primary crops, for the purpose of intercepting pollutants, slowing erosion and managing environmental concerns. These strips often also provide habitat for native wildlife and pollinators.

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NOEC

No observable effect concentration, the concentration of a substance at which no effects were seen.

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Oxford-style debate

An Oxford-style debate is a debate over a predetermined statement—otherwise called a “motion.” Two teams argue “for” or “against” the statement within a formalized structure. The motion for this particular event will be: Pesticides are not necessary for a resilient EU food system.

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Cover Crops

Cover crops are planted between growing seasons of a farmer’s primary cash crop, for the purpose of improving soil health, reducing erosion, improving soil fertility, and/or reducing soil compaction. There are three primary types of cover crops: tubers like the Tillage Radish; grasses like cereal rye, oats or annual rye grass; and legumes like clover. These cover crops are at times grazed or harvested, but most commonly are terminated through winter freeze or prior to the next crop planting season.

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Wood Chip Bioreactor

Simple trenches filled with wood chips that filter water running from drain tile on farms. Their use helps reduce nitrate runoff into nearby waterways.

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Pesticide

Any substance or mixture of substances used to alter the life cycle of any pest. They can be naturally derived or synthetically produced. Herbicide: pesticide for weeds Insecticide: pesticide for insects Fungicide: pesticide for fungus Miticide: pesticide for mites Nematicide: pesticide for nematodes

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Phenotypic Evaluation

Plant physically looks and functions as intended

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Biodiversity

Biological diversity means the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems.

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Grid Sampling

Designed to support precise approaches to nutrient management, grid sampling is the practice of taking multiple samples of soil per acre. Traditional soil sampling densities were 1 or 2 samples for every 3 or 4 acres. Grid sampling calls for as many as 42 samples per acre which are mapped and flagged throughout the field digitally, leading to an improved understanding of variability in soil nutrient needs on across the field.

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Germplasm

Living genetic resources such as seeds or plant tissues that are maintained for the purpose of plant breeding, preservation, and other research uses.

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LC50

Median lethal concentration (LC50) is an indication of the lethal toxicity of a given substance, representing a concentration at which 50% of subjects die.

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Non-target Organism Evaluations

Impacts on animal wildlife, like pollinators, including endangered species.

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Safety Margin

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Arable Land

Land used for agriculture to grow food, animal feed, biofuel, etc.

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Corn Stover

Stalks, leaves, and cobs that remain in a cornfield after harvest. These materials are the primary source for cellulosic ethanol production and can at times be gathered for animal feeds or grazed. Also referred to as crop residue.

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Drain Tile

Piping systems, most commonly corrugated plastic tubing, that are placed underneath the soil to remove excess water from a field of crops. This allows roots to develop to their desired depth and removes standing water from lower portions of the field. This also assists in minimizing erosion by helping excess water exit the field.

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Seed Treatments

Pesticides applied directly to a seed before planting, for the purpose of protecting seeds, seedlings, and plants from pests.

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Biotechnology

Biotechnology, or genetic engineering, is the process of using living organisms to improve qualities of a plant such as the plant’s ability to protect itself against damage or improving upon its ability to grow and produce.

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Hybrid

Hybrid seeds are created using traditional breeding methods where two different but compatible plants are crossbred to create a new plant — also known as a hybrid. 

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Nutrient Management

The process of managing the amount, source, timing, and method of nutrient (fertilizer) application, with the goal of optimizing farm productivity while minimizing nutrient losses that could create environmental problems.

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Monoculture

The practice of planting a single crop type in a particular region or field often for an extended period, one planting cycle after another.

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Emergency Authorizations

Temporary approvals which are only permitted in exceptional situations and according to specific conditions. They allow an otherwise unapproved use of a product to be used on a specific crop, in a limited and controlled way, for a maximum period of 120 days in one year. 

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Polycuture

The practice of planting more than one crop at a time in a particular region or field.

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Scouting fields/Crops

Crop scouting, also known as field scouting, is the very basic action of traveling through a crop field, usually on foot, while making frequent stops for observations. Crop scouting is done so that a farmer can see how different areas of his or her field are growing and what stressors or pests may be present. If there are problems during the growing season, the farmer can work to mitigate them so those problems do not affect yield at harvest time.

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Pesticides

"Any substance or mixture of substances used to alter the life cycle of any pest. They can be naturally derived or synthetically produced. Herbicide: pesticide for weeds Insecticide: pesticide for insects Fungicide: pesticide for fungus Miticide: pesticide for mites Nematicide: pesticide for nematodes"

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Terms and Conditions

The download of study summaries and submission documents is subject to our Terms and Conditions for Access to Crop Protection and/or GM seeds and traits Study Documents. Any use of Study Documents or their content for regulatory or any other commercial purpose is prohibited. Distribution, reproduction, and/or publication can be subject to consent. 

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Sylvia Klinger

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Transparency

Consumers/industry love to use the word "toxic" when refering to products in beauty, food to ag. Define proper definition.

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Sylvia Klinger

Consumers/industry love to use the word "toxic" when refering to products in beauty, food to ag. Define proper definition.

Answer

Hi Sylvia,

We appreciate the question. Scientifically, ‘toxic’ would refer to the dose of a substance necessary to produce an adverse effect. Sometimes, the term is used to create concern over something that could cause harm at a dose that people aren’t exposed to. In this context, 'toxic' can be a misleading term, as a person’s exposure to a substance has to be high enough for an adverse effect to actually occur. Vitamin D is a good example. We need it to live, but if we eat too much it interferes with the body’s ability to use calcium and can cause harm. Additionally, vitamin D is approved for use as a rat and mouse poison, however, few people would call vitamin D ‘toxic’ as they encounter it in their daily lives.

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Robyn Flipse, MS, MA, RDN

Conversation

Product/service

What does Bayer do to help farmers who want to grow crops using organic farming methods?

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Robyn Flipse, MS, MA, RDN

What does Bayer do to help farmers who want to grow crops using organic farming methods?

Answer

We think there isn’t just one solution when it comes to addressing big global challenges like sustainable food production. Instead, it’s going to take a lot of different tools and approaches, including organic farming. We provide a range of conventionally produced seeds that have not been improved through biotechnology for fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, melons and bell peppers, and many of our customers who purchase those seeds are organic farmers.

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Connie Diekman

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Food/food loss

Is it true that eventually there won't be enough land to feed people, thus the need for technology?

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Connie Diekman

Is it true that eventually there won't be enough land to feed people, thus the need for technology?

Answer

Our planet faces unprecedented food security challenges. Some estimates project that we will have to grow twice as much food in the next 30 years as we do today to keep up with demand – all while using fewer resources. For example, it is estimated that by 2030, rice yields will have to rise by 30 percent—from the same area of arable land—to guarantee food security.

Coupled with climate variability and evolving pest and disease pressures, we know that maintaining the status quo in agriculture and the food value chain is not enough. We have the opportunity and the responsibility to grasp this moment, and to help move humanity forward by working together in a multi-stakeholder environment to shape a food system that is better for farmers, consumers and the planet.To learn more about our efforts to help ensure food security, click here.

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Philippe Méresse

Conversation

Sustainability

Is agriculture a threat or an opportunity to fight against climate change ?

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Philippe Méresse

Is agriculture a threat or an opportunity to fight against climate change ?

Answer

Although agriculture is a contributor to climate change, the industry plays a role in curbing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogen oxide that contribute to climate change.

To help ensure a more sustainable future, farmers are taking steps toward a carbon-zero future: using cutting-edge tools and farming practices to remove as much—if not more—greenhouse gases from the atmosphere than a farmer emits.

Climate change is a major challenge, but it’s also an opportunity for us to reimagine what we can accomplish through agriculture. In addition to developing new solutions to reduce agriculture’s impact on the environment, we’re also exploring how to shape agriculture to become part of the solution. As we work to accomplish both, we’re proud to empower farmers with the tools they need to grow their crops in spite of the many challenges they face as we all work toward addressing climate change. To learn more about our efforts to combat climate change, click here.

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Mary Chin

Conversation

Plant breeding/GMO

What risk assessments does Bayer perform to ensure GMO crops are not environmentally harmful?

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Mary Chin

What risk assessments does Bayer perform to ensure GMO crops are not environmentally harmful?

Answer

GM crops undergo more testing and oversight before commercialization than any other agriculture product, including conventional (non-GMO) crops. On top of the government safety approvals, GM crop data have been reviewed by third-party scientific experts who agree they’re safe, including the Food and Drug Administration, the World Health Organization and the American Medical Association in the U.S. Around the world, different countries have their own official agencies that review and approve GMOs.

We believe in genetic modification precisely because it has many environmental benefits! GM crops, in combination with other farming practices like no-till, can reduce soil erosion, capture greenhouse gasses, reduce the need for pesticides and minimize the use of fossil fuels to improve soil health and contribute to a more sustainable environment overall.

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Leia Flure

Conversation

Crop protection

Does glyphosate accumulate in the body and cause health problems?

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Leia Flure

Does glyphosate accumulate in the body and cause health problems?

Answer

Great question! Before they are ever made available to farmers, government experts set strict limits on residues of crop protection products and subject them to continual monitoring to ensure they don't reach levels that could pose risk to the public. Given the sophisticated technology available, glyphosate has been detected in incredibly small amounts in some foods – at levels approximately 100 times below the safety thresholds set by the U.S. EPA and the EFSA. Based on the minuscule amounts in which glyphosate is sometimes found in food, a person would have to consume an incredible amount to get anywhere close to a potentially hazardous level. For example, you could eat 450 boxes of cereal every 24 hours for the rest of your life and still be at a level of glyphosate exposure considered safe by the EFSA.

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Keerthy Prakash

Conversation

Innovation

What is the latest technology for plant breeding?

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Keerthy Prakash

What is the latest technology for plant breeding?

Answer

Plant breeding today involves some of the world’s most sophisticated technologies and practices to develop the plants we need to nourish our growing world and preserve natural resources. An exciting innovation that has captured the imagination of the research community is gene editing, which allows scientists to make more targeted improvements within a plant’s DNA to produce a better crop.

These “edits” fine-tune a plant’s own genetic material and can result in better harvests more quickly and predictably than other plant breeding tools and practices. Academics, industry researchers, and policy-makers around the world are actively discussing how products enabled by gene editing will be evaluated and managed to ensure their safe and responsible use.

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