Agriculture

RealAg Product Spotlight: Make the Most of Managing Yield with Syngenta's Stacked Cereals Line Up

RealAgriculture
RealAgriculture•Apr 5, 2026

Why It Matters

Implementing precise planting, nutrition, and fungicide timing can boost wheat yields by several bushels, directly enhancing farm profitability in a tightening market.

Key Takeaways

  • •Optimize wheat planting dates to approach optimal timing.
  • •Apply sulfur to wheat for improved disease resistance and yield.
  • •Use Sententa’s T1 fungicide options: cost‑effective Quilt or premium Neo.
  • •Target growth stage 31‑32 for fungicide application to maximize benefit.
  • •Manage early growth to extend grain‑fill period, adding bushels.

Summary

The video is a Real Agriculture product spotlight where host Lindsay Smith interviews Sententa agronomist Ma Vanderolin about Syngenta’s stacked cereal program and how growers can “make the most of managing yield” in wheat.

Vanderolin stresses three levers—optimal planting date, sulfur nutrition, and timely T1 fungicide—highlighting Sententa’s two options: the lower‑cost Quilt and the premium Neo, which delivered strong ROI in recent trials. He notes that stripe rust has re‑emerged, making early protection critical.

A memorable analogy compares the grain‑fill window to an endurance mountain‑bike race, emphasizing that “one more day of grainfill can be three or four more bushels.” He also cites Dr. Dave Hooker’s research on crop growth rates to justify applying fungicide at growth stage 31‑32 rather than earlier.

For growers, adopting these practices could translate into measurable yield gains and higher profitability, especially as wheat prices improve. Vanderolin directs listeners to the “stack cereals” website and local Sententa representatives for detailed guidance.

Original Description

As spring approaches across much of the Prairies, winter wheat is beginning to green up and reveal its yield potential—but only if it’s managed with intention.
In this conversation with RealAgriculture’s Lyndsey Smith, Syngenta agronomist Marijke Vanderlaan emphasized that wheat deserves more attention than its traditional role as a “rotation crop.”
“There’s so much opportunity in the wheat crop,” says Vanderlaan. “…If you’re still in that spot of, ‘it’s been a rotation crop for me,’ some low-hanging fruit is get to know this crop. It will reward you.”
That starts with the fundamentals. Planting date remains one of the most critical management decisions, with Vanderlaan pointing to Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) data showing the optimal planting date is the number one thing for maximizing yield. Sulphur fertility is another key lever growers can still adjust this season, particularly for those not already including it in their fertility plans.
But for growers already dialing in the basics, Vanderlaan encourages pushing management further—especially when it comes to fungicide timing and crop staging.
“There’s a big difference between growth stage 31 and 32,” she explains. “We’re going to get more bang for our buck out of that fungicide if we push it a little bit later.”
With stripe rust appearing for two consecutive years and similar overwintering conditions this season, protecting yield potential early is top of mind. Vanderlaan is a strong advocate for a robust T1 fungicide approach, noting that “as we’re climbing that yield ladder, we need to protect that crop.”
She likens wheat management to training for endurance sports. “The actual race day is like the grain fill period for your wheat crop,” she says. “What you do before then matters even more… if we can maximize that grain fill period, one more day of grain fill can be three or four more bushels.”
For growers looking to step up their wheat game, Vanderlaan recommends connecting with agronomists and exploring tools like the Stacked Cereals platform for tailored management strategies.
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