New Dow AgroSciences Herbicide Tolerant Trait Technology Stays On Schedule

New Dow AgroSciences herbicide tolerant trait technology remains on schedule for launch as the company continues to hit key milestone dates. The new technology will partner the proven power of 2,4-D with other leading weed control systems to not only improve management of hard-to-control and glyphosate-resistant weeds, but also deliver enhanced convenience and value.

"The industry should be encouraged by the progress Dow AgroSciences is making with its new herbicide tolerant trait technology," says Tom Wiltrout, global seeds, traits and oils strategy leader for Dow AgroSciences. "The recent steps forward – including submission of the corn and soybean traits to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for regulatory approval, and the announcement of a cross-licensing agreement with Pioneer – are positive steps for this new technology. We are advancing these new traits to meet technical milestones at the appropriate pace, as we get even closer to giving growers a powerful weed control technology that can be used across an entire operation."

Dow AgroSciences submitted the corn trait of the new herbicide tolerant trait technology to the USDA in September 2009 and submitted the soybean trait in December 2009. These submissions helped keep this technology on schedule for a planned U.S. introduction for corn in 2012 with a commercial launch in 2013, and a planned U.S. introduction for soybeans in 2013 with a commercial launch in 2014. The herbicide tolerant trait technology package for corn conveys tolerance to 2,4-D and the FOP family of herbicides; the soybean trait package conveys tolerance to 2,4-D and glufosinate.

"Both the corn and soybean trait packages will be available in elite germplasm and stacked with industry leading traits offering tolerance to glyphosate to provide growers with herbicide solutions they are familiar with and have grown to trust," says Larry Robertson, Dow AgroSciences herbicide tolerant trait technology project leader, U.S. marketing. "Growers can to continue to farm the way they want, but with improved weed control capabilities for broader-spectrum weed control of hard-to-control and glyphosate-resistant weeds."

Also encouraging for the progress of new herbicide tolerant trait technology is the new cross-licensing agreement between Dow AgroSciences and Pioneer that will give growers expanded herbicide tolerance options for soybeans. Under the agreement announced in November 2009, Dow AgroSciences will license nonexclusively its herbicide tolerant trait technology for soybeans to Pioneer Hi-Bred, and Pioneer will license nonexclusively its Optimum® GAT® trait for soybeans to Dow AgroSciences. The agreement gives each company the right to stack additional traits with their respective technologies.

"Combining our new herbicide tolerant trait technology with other leading weed control systems will give growers more choices, unsurpassed flexibility, convenience and value," Robertson says.

"We are proud of the continued progress and forward momentum we made in 2009 with the new herbicide tolerant trait technology and we look forward to continued success as the cotton trait and new herbicide formulations are prepared for submission," Wiltrout says.