New PowerCore^® Enlist^® corn technology from Corteva Agriscience delivers class-leading flexibility to manage pests, weeds

Corteva Agriscience announced new advancements in its portfolio of above-ground pest control products in corn. PowerCore^® Enlist^® corn is a comprehensive trait package designed for season-long insect protection and weed control and will be introduced as an integrated refuge offering: PowerCore^® Enlist^® Refuge Advanced^® (RA) corn. Additionally, when commercially available, new PowerCore^® Ultra Enlist^® corn is expected to deliver an extra mode of action for geographies that need added protection and also will be available with integrated refuge as PowerCore^® Ultra Enlist^® Refuge Advanced^® corn.  

″Earlier this year, Corteva Agriscience introduced Vorceed Enlist corn for corn rootworm acres and said that our R&D pipeline was full of promise,″ said Judd O’Connor, President, North America Commercial Business, Corteva Agriscience. ″Now, we’re excited to bring forward advancements in our PowerCore trait technology, designed to help farmers more effectively manage above-ground insect pressure while leveraging the Enlist corn trait for the ultimate weed management flexibility.″

PowerCore Enlist corn, as both structured refuge and integrated Refuge Advanced options, is stacked with three modes of action for enhanced control over the toughest above-ground pests, including susceptible European corn borer, fall armyworm, southwestern corn borer and corn earworm.

When commercially available, the new PowerCore Ultra Enlist corn will bring an additional mode of action for acres in geographies that need extra protection from higher pressure of above-ground pests like fall armyworm and western bean cutworm.

Corteva is finalizing its commercial plans for launching the new suite of products for PowerCore Enlist corn. Current introductory plans in the United States include:

• 2023: Expanded access to PowerCore Enlist Refuge Advanced (RA) corn for farmers

• 2024: Expanded access to PowerCore Ultra Enlist corn and PowerCore Ultra Enlist Refuge Advanced corn available for farmers

• Mid-decade: Advancement of a broader set of genetic backgrounds, making more maturities available

• Mid- to late-decade: PowerCore^® Enlist^® Refuge Advanced^® corn and PowerCore Ultra Enlist Refuged Advanced corn will become the lead offerings from Corteva for above-ground pest acres

PowerCore Enlist Refuge Advanced corn technology is expected to be available in products across all Corteva seed brands, including Pioneer^®, Brevant^® seeds, AgVenture^®, Dairyland Seed^®, Hoegemeyer^®, NuTech Seed^® and Seed Consultants^®. Corteva also plans to make the PowerCore Enlist trait broadly available to independent seed companies.

Elite genetics and advanced neighbor-friendly weed control technology

PowerCore Enlist corn will be available in a diverse lineup of high yield potential genetics across a wide range of maturities in both integrated refuge (Refuge Advanced) and structured refuge options. Built on elite genetics from Corteva, new products are rigorously field-tested in multiple locations for key agronomic traits, such as root and stalk strength, disease tolerance and late-season standability.

The Enlist^® corn trait allows for the ultimate weed management flexibility with tolerance to 2,4-D choline, glyphosate, glufosinate and FOP herbicides. Enlist herbicides feature near-zero volatility and reduced potential for physical drift when applied according to label instructions, with no calendar cutoff dates or time-of-day restrictions. In addition, a wide application window — to 30″ corn (48″ corn if applied using drop nozzles) — enables the use of Enlist herbicides to control late-season broadleaf weeds.

″The PowerCore Enlist corn portfolio will have all the options farmers need to more effectively manage above-ground pests and weeds,″ O’Connor said. ″When farmers tap the expertise of their local Corteva Agriscience team, they can be sure they’re choosing the genetics, herbicides and management practices to deliver the best fit for their farm.″