Italy: Il Rosso by Bayer

Il Rosso by Bayer is an initiative that was created to involve all the actors of the tomato industry in Italy, from farmers to the processing industries, through the sharing of experiences, data, sustainable cultivation protocols and innovative digital solutions.

The project aims to optimize production, improve the quality of the crop and reduce the environmental impact, with the aim of building a more integrated, efficient and sustainable supply chain.

"With Il Rosso by Bayer we want to offer farmers a complete service, capable of combining genetics, defense and digital," says Ignazio Romeo, Crop Solution Expert at Bayer Crop Science. "The goal is to maximize value for the farmer and the industry, improving both the quantity and quality of the final product".

The name of the initiative is inspired by the intense color and distinctive quality of tomatoes obtained from Seminis varieties, a brand of Bayer's seed division. Thomas Zanini, Market Development of Seminis, explains the origin of the project: "Il Rosso by Bayer has become a brand recognizable by farmers for the excellence of the results in the field. It all started in 2022, when we observed the data from the first tests: our hybrids showed high qualitative parameters, capable of creating value for the entire supply chain. In 2023, the data collected confirmed the success of the integrated and digital approach".

The approach of Il Rosso by Bayer is based on four fundamental elements, which work in synergy to support the farmer and improve the yield of the tomato from industry: advanced genetics, integrated defense, plant physiology and digital tools.

1. The first pillar is advanced genetics, represented by Seminis varieties, designed to respond to market needs and climatic challenges. These varieties are distinguished by their high productivity, good resistance to the main diseases and the excellent quality of the fruit, fundamental elements to meet the needs of the processing industry.

2. The second pillar is integrated crop protection, which combines conventional and naturally occurring solutions to protect crops and improve the final quality of the product. Among these, Flipper stands out, an insecticide-acaricide of natural origin admitted in organic and Serenade ASO, a biological fungicide effective against the main fungal diseases of tomatoes. Bayer's commitment is to offer farmers tools that defend the harvest and at the same time respect the environment.

3. The third pillar is the improvement of the physiology of plants, which together with protection assumes an increasingly important role in promoting their vigor and health by reducing the impact of environmental stress. This is done through specific solutions, such as Ambition Aktivator, a physioactivating solution authorized in organic agriculture, and Ambition Algae Gen2, the brand new CE Biostimulant based on concentrated extract of Ascophyllum nodosum.

4. Finally, the fourth pillar is represented by digital tools, with a central role entrusted to the FieldView platform. It is an advanced technology that allows farmers to monitor the status of crops in real time, analyze data and make more accurate and effective agricultural decisions. "With FieldView we bring digitization into a still very analogous sector such as that of industrial tomatoes," explains Nikolas Mitroulias, Agronomy Digital Expert of Bayer Crop Science. "This platform allows you to monitor the plots through satellite images, create maps for sowing and fertilization at variable rates and analyze the data collected by the machinery during the harvest. It is a tool that can really revolutionize the way of working in the field, improving efficiency and reducing environmental impact".

One of the most significant aspects of Il Rosso by Bayer is the creation of a truly integrated supply chain, where farmers, technicians and industries work together to improve the quality of the final product and make the entire production process more efficient. As Thomas Zanini points out: "The added value of the project is the integration of experiences. Our ambition is to accompany all the actors of the process in this change, showing them the concrete advantages of technological innovation.”

Il Rosso by Bayer is not just a project, but an overall vision for the future of the supply chain: a future based on close collaboration between all stakeholders in the sector. Pasquale Ciuffreda, Agronomic Solution and Digital Innovation specialist at Bayer Crop Science, summarizes the ambition of the project: "With Il Rosso by Bayer we not only offer solutions, but we trace a new route for the supply chain. The goal is to bring the tomato sector into a new era: more digital, sustainable and integrated. The future of the supply chain? More and more… red".

Source: Bayer Crop Science