Bayer CropScience to launch GlyTol glyphosate-tolerant technology

New GlyTol glyphosate-tolerant technology, a proprietary trait from Bayer CropScience, will be commercially available to cotton growers in 2011. New GlyTol technology provides season-long in-plant tolerance to glyphosate and gives growers the option to choose any brand of glyphosate registered for use on cotton.

GyTol technology will be available in two high-quality, high-yielding FiberMax varieties, FM 9101GT and FM 9103GT. These varieties are well adapted for the High Plains and Rolling Plains of Texas and provide growers the freedom and flexibility in their weed management decisions. Extensive laboratory, greenhouse and field trials across the Cotton Belt have evaluated both the crop tolerance and agronomic performance of cotton varieties with GlyTol technology. Research and on-farm trials indicate that GlyTol technology is an excellent performer in the field and delivers a high level of convenience, efficacy and crop safety.

Paul Callaghan, Bayer CropScience global cotton traits manager, said GlyTol will be a win-win for Southwest cotton growers in 2011.

"GlyTol glyphosate-tolerant technology allows growers to do what they do best -- effectively manage their farms on their own terms," Callaghan said. "When you combine the freedom of GlyTol with the trusted performance of FiberMax varieties and the ease of a familiar herbicide program, growers win all the way around."

GlyTol is the first of many high-performance traits in the Bayer CropScience pipeline, and Bayer CropScience will be stacking GlyTol technology with other current and future Bayer CropScience cotton traits. In particular, GlyTol will also be paired with LibertyLink, the only nonselective alternative to glyphosate-tolerant systems. Next, GlyTol will be stacked with TwinLink -- a proprietary two-gene Bt plus LibertyLink technology that, pending regulatory approval, Bayer hopes to have available by 2013.