Global agri major Syngenta is pushing the boundaries of wheat genetics with a breakthrough more than 15 years in the making.
Syngenta has announced that its X-Terra hybrid wheat has received registration approval in France, kicking off plans to roll out the innovation across Europe, including the UK and Germany. SY Sphynx and SY Xanthis will be the first X-Terra products available for the 2026 sowing season.
“Wheat is one of the world’s most important crops, accounting for nearly a fifth of global calories. Being the first to bring a scalable hybrid wheat system to market reflects Syngenta’s long-term commitment to innovation and speed in developing breakthrough technologies farmers need,” said Onur Camili, head of Syngenta’s seeds field crops business in Europe.
“X-Terra hybrid wheat provides a level of performance and consistency that will outpace conventional varieties.”
By screening entire genomes to pinpoint genes responsible for yield, nutritional content, and tolerance to extreme weather, Syngenta has developed hybrid wheat technology that boosts productivity and resilience.
X-Terra is specifically designed to help farmers tackle the growing impacts of climate change, including greater climatic variability and more frequent extreme weather events. The hybrid promises improved yield stability, stress resilience, and overall agronomic performance, supporting more sustainable and efficient wheat production while optimizing key inputs.
Syngenta is also implementing a holistic Crop System approach, working with farmers to maximize hybrid wheat performance by tailoring field conditions, managing specific weed and disease challenges, and integrating biological solutions. X-Terra’s resistance to septoria—a devastating disease across the EU and temperate regions—demonstrates the potential for more sustainable on-farm practices, enhanced with digital tools like Syngenta’s Cropwise platform.
X-Terra builds on Syngenta’s track record in hybrid cereals, following the success of Hyvido hybrid barley, which optimizes nitrogen use, offers broad viral protection, and delivers high, stable yields across regions and seasons.
