Crop’s survival instinct under weather stress reduces growth

Megafol™ stimulates growth, especially under stress

It’s too hot or too cold. It’s too wet or too dry. No growing season is perfect, and plants react to weather (abiotic) stressors by trying to survive.

“I often say to growers that sometimes a plant reacts too conservatively. That is, a plant does not want to die. It wants to survive; it wants to set seed. Sometimes the plants overreact to stresses. They reduce photosynthesis, they stop growth because they're sensing some sort of a stress,” says Greg Stewart, Biological Field Specialist, with Syngenta.

“Megafol can work in the plant’s physiological system to alleviate some of the negativity. It can help the plant regulate those compounds that would mitigate some of the negative reaction and allow the plant to withstand the stress and recover more quickly.” The result is an improved growth rate.

Megafol is an anti-stress biostimulant and growth activator. It promotes vegetative growth during periods of abiotic stress, such as drought, hail, and low or high temperatures. In agronomic terms, the betaines, vitamins, amino acids, proteins and metabolites in Megafol work together to allow plants to overcome stress and improve growth. And it’s easy to use; added to planned applications as part of the crop management “recipe” or applied strategically in the event of severe weather conditions.

Are you using a recipe or a strategy

“When we look at winter wheat, do we want a recipe or a strategy? You can't always see what the stress is. So the recipe side is when you're already going over the field for weed control or fungicide, you add Megafol at 0.5 L/ac. Don't fuss about whether you think it's needed or not, let Megafol and the plant figure that out,” says Stewart.

Alternatively, the strategy approach is for growers who apply Megafol when they see abiotic stressors ahead, such as a forecasted heat wave, or after an event like a hailstorm.

Case study: Megafol on winter wheat under abiotic stress

In 2023 and 2024, Ontario experienced two different moisture scenarios. We tested the “recipe” application window for Megafol using T1 and T3 timing on winter wheat.

In 2023, there was little precipitation at this point in the growing season, imposing stress on the crop. In 2024, this timeframe had relatively more precipitation, leading to less drought stress.

The result was Megafol applied during the higher stressed period (2023) showed a larger yield response versus untreated. In 2024, with less moisture stress, there was a smaller yield response versus untreated.

In both years, Megafol applied as a “recipe” application at T1 and T3 timing garnered a positive yield response and generated a positive return on investment.

Megafol gives your cereals the fighting chance they deserve

Megafol is part of the Syngenta Stacked Cereals™ program which highlights technologies and proper application timing needed to boost yields and protect growers’ investments.

Whether growers choose to use Megafol as part of their recipe or as a strategic response to looming meteorological conditions, having a way to help plants overcome increasing weather challenges is an important tool for any grower’s crop management plan.

For more information about Megafol, visit the product page.

Performance evaluations are based on internal trials, field observations and/or public information. Data from multiple locations and years should be consulted whenever possible. Individual results may vary depending on local growing, soil and weather conditions.

Always read and follow label directions.  Stacked Cereals™ and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Megafol™ is a trademark of VALAGRO S.p.A., a Syngenta Group Company. Other trademarks are property of their respective owners. © 2025 Syngenta.