Second Generation Corn Borer Technology Offers Greater Control of Common
Pests and Provides Reduced Refuge Opportunity for Southern U.S. Growers
ST. LOUIS, July 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) has deregulated MON 89034, a new insect
protection technology from Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON). Commercially, this
new above ground insect control technology will be stacked with our leading
below ground and Roundup Ready technologies to be sold as YieldGard VT
Triple PRO(TM).
Pending appropriate import approvals, YieldGard VT Triple PRO is
expected to be commercially available to U.S. farmers for planting in 2009.
The dual Bt protein technology in MON 89034 is also slated for use in
SmartStax, a new corn platform developed by Monsanto and Dow AgroSciences
with targeted availability to farmers in 2010. SmartStax will provide
industry-leading protection from weeds and insects by bringing together the
most comprehensive package of in-plant protection in one seed.
The YieldGard family of technologies uses a naturally-occurring
bacteria found in the soil known as Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to provide
in-plant protection from the yield-robbing insects that feed on the corn
plant. When improved through biotechnology, the corn plant produces the Bt
protein(s) which, when eaten by insects feeding on the plant, is lethal to
these specific insects.
YieldGard VT Triple PRO represents a step-change in Bt technology for
insect protection in corn. It is the first technology to produce two
different Bt proteins to protect the corn plant from common above-ground
insects that feed on the plant, such as European corn borer, corn earworm,
and fall armyworm while also providing the existing rootworm protection and
Roundup Ready traits in a single plant.
"This technology will offer corn growers the industry's first dual
mode-of-action insect protection for corn borers, controlling a broader
spectrum of insects above ground," said Andrew Duff, Corn Traits Marketing
Manager, Monsanto Company. "The dual-effective dose offered by YieldGard VT
Triple PRO has been approved for a refuge reduction in cotton-growing
regions of the South and has the opportunity to further reduce refuge acres
in the Corn Belt as well. This provides growers with an opportunity for
increased yield and profitability on their farms."
Currently corn growers are required to plant a "structured refuge" or
plots of corn that do not use Bt technology near corn acres using in-plant
protection. The current required percentage of refuge acres varies based on
specific geography, but in general is set at 50 percent in the southern
United States and 20 percent in the Corn Belt. Beginning in 2009, southern
growers can take advantage of this reduced refuge opportunity by planting
YieldGard VT Triple PRO.
Research conducted by Monsanto and reviewed by scientists at key
academic institutions indicates the use of dual protein technologies, like
the dual proteins for corn borer in YieldGard VT Triple PRO, allows the
percentage of structured refuge in southern cotton-growing states to be
reduced without negatively impacting long term effectiveness of the
technology. EPA previously granted a reduced refuge requirement for
YieldGard VT Triple PRO in southern states dropping the corn borer refuge
requirements from 50 to 20 percent.
With previous U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and EPA
clearances, the USDA deregulation allows the 2009 launch of YieldGard VT
Triple PRO in the U.S. Key international import approvals for MON 89034
have been achieved in Japan, Mexico, Canada and Colombia with other import
regulatory clearances in process.
About Monsanto Company
Monsanto Company is a leading provider of technology-based solutions
and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality.
For more information on Monsanto, see http://www.monsanto.com/.
Note to editors: YieldGard VT Triple PRO is a trademark of Monsanto
Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries.
SOURCE Monsanto Company
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Related links:
http://www.monsanto.com
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/114341.html/
CONTACT:
media, Darren Wallis, +1-314-694-5674; or
analyst, Scarlett Foster, +1-314-694-8148, both for Monsanto
Company
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