August 8, 2007

 

Monsanto releases another high-yielding, second generation soybean trait

 

 

Monsanto announced last week its higher-yielding, second generation soybean trait in works for more than ten years has gotten regulatory approvals in the US and Canada.

 

This new trait is designed to increase 7 to 11 percent more than the first biotech strain, company executives said.

 

For example, the average soybean yield per acre in Iowa and Illinois is 50 bushels. The new trait has the potential to increase yield 3.5 to 5.5 bushels per acre. At US$7 per bushel, this increase could equate to US$24.50 to US$38.50 more per acre for soybean growers.

 

Cindy Arnevik, Roundup RReady2Yield technical lead, explained that the yield increase was achieved by gene mapping. The process allowed Monsanto to identify specific DNA regions in soybeans that have a positive impact on yield.

 

This marks the first time in Roundup Ready history that a molecular breeding technology team played a role in choosing the insertion event from which Roundup RReady2Yield varieties will be developed.

 

Monsanto's next-generation Roundup RReady2Yield soybeans will be the preferred strain to introduce current and future agronomic and quality soybean traits such as dicamba tolerance and additional Vistive oil traits.

 

Roundup RReady2Yield soybeans -- which is slated to be launched in 2009 -- are one of several technologies Monsanto has designated as a high-impact technology (HIT) within its research and development pipeline.

 

Projects in the HIT program are targeted for larger-acre commercial launches in high-yielding seed offerings. This approach is expected to enable more farmers to access the technology in its first full commercial launch year.

 

Even though US and Canadian regulatory approvals have been granted, Monsanto does not intend to commercialise Roundup RReady2Yield until key soybean-importing countries with functioning regulatory systems have granted import approvals.

 

Monsanto said it has initiated the approval process in several countries. Beginning in the spring of 2006, Monsanto made 22 regulatory submissions in 15 countries. These submissions are in varying stages of technical review, and the company is seeing significant progress to date in countries like Japan, China and the European Union.

 

American Soybean Association president John Hoffman said they are looking forward to the release but also appreciates Monsanto's efforts to wait for commercialization until major export markets approve the variety.

 

Ernesto Fajardo, Monsanto vice president of US Crop Production, said the company does not expect to release this next-generation bean in countries outside of North America, such as Brazil, in order to protect the technology.