Bayer launches TwinLink™ cotton technology

Bayer CropScience recently announced that its TwinLink™ cotton technology has received all necessary U.S. and international approvals and is commercially available for the 2014 growing season.

TwinLink combines season-long Bt protection against worm pests with its powerful weed management technology that confers tolerance to full label rates of Liberty® herbicide. It contains two Bayer proprietary Bt genes that provide effective management of major lepidopteran pests, such as tobacco budworm, pink bollworm, cotton bollworm and cotton leafworm.

TwinLink is now available to U.S. cotton growers as a GlyTol® LibertyLink® TwinLink (GLT) trait package which allows over-the-top applications of Liberty herbicide and glyphosate. This trait package is available in high-yielding, high-quality FiberMax® and Stoneville® cotton seed varieties.

“The GlyTol LibertyLink TwinLink trait package gives growers great control of worm pests and the flexibility to choose the herbicide applications that best fit their cotton-growing conditions and farm management practices,” said Paul Callaghan, global cotton traits manager for Bayer CropScience. “Additionally, GLT will provide an important tool to help growers reduce the potential of weed resistance with the added ability to rotate herbicide modes of action for tough-to-control weeds.”

TwinLink offers growers a number of benefits:

• Highest available, broad-spectrum lepidopteran insect control
• Control of tobacco budworm, pink bollworm and loopers
• Reduced bollworm damage through superior bollworm protection
• Significant reduction in damage caused by armyworms
• Greater efficiency and flexibility for weed and insect control that allows growers to make the right decisions for their farms
•  GLT provides a wide application window for over-the-top applications of Liberty herbicide or glyphosate products
•  Herbicide-tolerant traits with proven crop protection with no impact on yield or quality

In 2014, TwinLink will be available in two FiberMax and two Stoneville varieties:

FM 1830GLT and FM 2334GLT offer the GlyTol, LibertyLink and TwinLink (GLT) trait package for full tolerance to both Liberty herbicide and glyphosate, and two proprietary Bayer Bt genes for effective management of major lepidopteran pests. Both varieties offer excellent yield potential and fiber quality with the added benefit of Verticillium wilt tolerance. Adapted for the High Plains, FM 1830GLT has an early-medium maturity, and FM 2334GLT has a medium maturity. FM 2334GLT has very similar characteristics to FM 2484B2F, with the added benefit of two herbicide modes of action and even better fiber quality.

ST 5032GLT and ST 5289GLT offer the GlyTol, LibertyLink and TwinLink (GLT) trait package for full tolerance to both Liberty herbicide and glyphosate, and two proprietary Bayer Bt genes for effective management of major lepidopteran pests. ST 5032GLT has an early-medium maturity with strong yield potential and excellent fiber quality. This variety complements ST 4946GLB2 and FM 1944GLB2 in the cotton-growing regions east of the Mississippi River. ST 5289GLT is a medium-maturing variety similar to ST 5288B2F, the No. 1 variety planted in the south Delta last season. ST 5289GLT has excellent yield potential, especially on marginal soil types, and good fiber quality.