Monsanto’s Genuity Corn Trait products deliver strong harvest results

Strong adoption of Genuity RIB Complete® corn blend products helped farmers maximize their harvest yields this season and delivered convenient, built-in refuge compliance. Even in a year dominated by severe stress and drought, farmers across the Corn Belt have seen strong results from Genuity® SmartStax® RIB Complete® and Genuity® VT Double PRO® RIB Complete® corn blends. In 2013, growers will have a new RIB Complete product for their insect control needs with the recent approval of Genuity® VT Triple PRO® RIB Complete®.

"Farmers have been quick to adopt our refuge-in-the-bag products,” said Ty Vaughn, Monsanto Corn Product Management Lead. “This harvest, Genuity SmartStax RIB Complete had outstanding performance, delivering a full spectrum of insect protection and maximum yield with a 9.7 bushel per acre advantage over competitors across the Corn Belt. We continue to expand our Genuity SmartStax RIB Complete hybrid portfolio options for farmers.”

According to Tim McCorkle, a farmer dealer from Manteno, Ill., his Genuity SmartStax RIB Complete harvest results really stood out this year on his farm. "Standability and plant health were great,” said McCorkle. “Next year, I plan to grow 100 percent Genuity SmartStax RIB Complete after what I saw this year.”

In addition to the expanded line up of Genuity SmartStax RIB Complete products, next season farmers will have six new Genuity VT Double PRO RIB Complete products in the mid-South region – and, for the first time, Genuity VT Triple PRO RIB Complete will be available across the corn-growing region. This season in Monsanto field trials, Genuity® VT Double PRO® and Genuity® VT Triple PRO® collectively had a more than 70 percent reduction in damaged kernels compared to Herculex 1.

Successful Corn Rootworm Control

This season, Monsanto worked with farmers who reported greater-than-expected corn rootworm damage from the previous season to implement corn rootworm best management practices (BMPs). The BMPs, many of which are consistent with academic recommendations, include crop rotation to soybeans or an alternative crop, the use of a dual-mode-of-action product, such as Genuity SmartStax RIB Complete corn blend, or using a single-mode-of-action product, such as Genuity VT Triple PRO with a soil applied insecticide.

During 2012, Monsanto evaluated the effectiveness of the BMPs by assessing root damage, stalk lodging and adult beetle populations this season. Vaughn said farmers who followed the BMPs were very successful in controlling corn rootworm, despite one of the most challenging years for growing corn in recent memory.

Genuity SmartStax RIB Complete showed outstanding corn rootworm control this season. "This product really is the best solution for corn-on-corn acres,” he said. “As a refuge-in-a-bag product, it’s simple to use, and the level of control from the dual modes of action was just exceptional compared to every other technology we’ve seen.”