Our research areas
Helping growers produce successful crops every year
We address farming challenges using various technologies, alone or in combination, within our areas of research. Our innovation focuses on chemicals, as spray or seed treatment, native trait breeding, and genetic modification. We use the latest advances in science and technology to expand upon conventional solutions, such as in biologicals.
Crop Protection products
Find out more about our major crop protection products including seed treatments.
Increasing crop yields and saving time
Unwelcome plants growing on cultivated land can decrease crop yields by more than 75% if growers don’t protect their crops.
Syngenta provides both non-selective and selective herbicides, derived from a wide range of different chemical classes, saving time and securing harvests.
We continue to develop new herbicides with new active ingredients and better resistance profiles. We are also working on the development of herbicide-tolerant crops.
Safe, effective, convenient products
Insects can significantly reduce crop yield and quality as they injure plants by chewing leaves, stems and roots, sucking juices, laying eggs or transmitting diseases.
We develop solutions to help growers tackle insect challenges across a variety of key crops.
We are also a global leader in developing traits for controlling chewing insects using genetic modification (GM).
A global multi-crop challenge
The cost of crop losses due to plant diseases is estimated at $60 billion a year. The single largest cause of this is fungal damage. It occurs at all stages of crop growth, including once the crop has been harvested.
Fungal diseases can be controlled, but the rapid emergence of fungicide-resistant pathogens is a problem that requires new modes of action and approaches using best practice, genetics and chemistry.
We are focusing on the development of integrated solutions for fungal disease control.
Seeds products
Advanced seeds mitigate risks such as disease and drought and allow farmers to grow food using less land, less water and fewer inputs. Find out more about our top seed products.
Discover how Syngenta accelerates haploid corn innovation
Seeds to combat pests living in the soil
Nematodes are parasitic, microscopic, threadlike roundworms that inhabit the soil and feed on crop root systems causing root damage and yield loss.
The best way to combat soil-born pests like nematodes is by applying an active ingredient as a seed treatment.
We also use advanced breeding techniques to produce seeds that contain natural nematode-resistant genes.
Solutions to make crops more resilient
Environmental pressures, such as temperature extremes, drought, or heavy rainfall are types of abiotic stress. Making crop production more resilient to these stresses is one of the biggest unresolved needs growers have.
We have a range of solutions available – and in the pipeline – that help by managing crop stress before it starts, increasing or stabilizing yield, improving quality and using resources more efficiently.
Discover how Syngenta is building climate-smart seeds
Solutions for the largest unmet grower need
Abiotic stress comes from environmental pressures, such as drought, reduced nutrients and climate change. Making crop production more resilient is one of the biggest unresolved growers’ needs.
We have a range of solutions available – and in the pipeline – that help by increasing or stabilizing yield, improving quality and using resources more efficiently.
Developing next-generation products at speed
Our seeds R&D engine is focused on improving germplasm performance – vital for driving innovation in crop improvement; launching and stacking next-generation traits to allow for multiple layers of protection against various pests and diseases; and embedding regenerative agriculture into our seed production to benefit farmers, consumers, and our planet.
Transgenic technologies remain critical for our competitive position in foundational traits such as insect control and herbicide tolerance. Increased genetic diversity advances our breeding programs – this includes gene editing to develop differentiated plant traits. And we’re applying data science and advanced analytics to speed up product development and get solutions to farmers faster.
Biologicals products
Find out biological solutions to manage evolving pest and disease threats, address abiotic stresses and enhance soil health and nutrient use efficiency.
Harnessing nature’s R&D to improve plant and soil health
Our agricultural biologicals harness nature’s R&D to protect and improve the health of plants and the soil.
For millions of years, nature has evolved powerful defense mechanisms to fend off pests, diseases, and environmental stress.
Our research translates these natural innovations into biological products that help growers protect crops from biotic and abiotic stress, improve nutrient use, and enhance soil health.
We develop solutions derived from naturally occurring microbes, natural extracts from the circular economy, and biomolecules like secondary metabolites, peptides, proteins or RNA solutions, providing tools for growers combining efficacy and sustainability.
Our innovation stories
