Syngenta Crop Protection and five universities in key potato growing regions have once again teamed up to bring the annual potato blight hotlines to growers beginning this May, providing access to vital disease information. 

The toll-free blight hotlines offer users up-to-date information about current weather patterns, recommended control measures and disease infection confirmations.  Hotlines will operate beginning in May and will be accessible 24 hours a day.  The hotlines are sponsored by Syngenta Crop Protection and are managed by researchers in Idaho, Washington, Oregon, North Dakota and Michigan.

The potato blight hotlines are available by calling:

• Idaho                  1-800-791-7195
• Michigan              1-888-379-9012
• North Dakota        1-888-GTBRAVO (1-888-482-7286)
• Oregon                1-800-705-3377
• Washington          1-800-984-7400

“These blight hotlines are an excellent tool for our growers – providing them with the information they need to make timely and smart disease management decisions and to protect their crop and prevent disease outbreaks in the event blight develops,” commented Jamie Eichorn, potato crop manager at Syngenta Crop Protection.  “This is just one of the solutions Syngenta brings to its growers, helping them towards yet another successful season.”

Potato blight is a serious disease of potatoes, which if left unchecked can cause significant economic loss.  However, when accurately protected against and predicted, control of the damaging disease is very possible.

Syngenta is committed to providing top quality products, like Bravo^® fungicide, to protect growers from a wide array of disease problems including late blight.  Bravo fungicide stops disease infection before it has a change to start, controlling all strains of late blight and early blight.  With the Syngenta potato portfolio, growers have access to the latest fungicide, herbicide, seed treatment and insecticide products available to help in their fight to secure the highest quality crop possible.

For more information about Bravo fungicide, contact your local Syngenta sales representative or visit Syngenta at www.syngentacropprotection.com or potatoes.farmassist.com.

Syngenta is a world-leading agribusiness committed to sustainable agriculture through innovative research and technology.  The company is a leader in crop protection, and ranks third in the high-value commercial seeds market.  Sales in 2005 were approximately $8.1 billion.  Syngenta employs some 19,000 people in over 90 countries.  Syngenta is listed on the Swiss stock exchange (SYNN) and in New York (SYT).  Further information is available at www.syngenta.com.