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Bio Gene Seeds launches SmartStax corn, new Roundup Ready soybeans

By DOUG GRAVES
Ohio Correspondent

SARDINIA, Ohio — More yield, fewer pests, more profit. Sounds like a grower’s dreams.

Last week Bio Gene Seeds, a leading agricultural seed brand serving farmers in Ohio and 17 other states in the East and Midwest, introduced such new corn and soybean technologies they claim can help make these dreams come true by boosting yields, limiting pests and increasing profitability for the 2010 growing season.

The two new products to hit the market are Genuity SmartStax corn and Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybean.

“For 2010, area farmers will have the opportunity to plant new seed products from Bio Gene Seeds that include the industry’s most advanced trait technologies from Monsanto Company,” said Drew Lawwill, Bio Gene director of operations.

Test plots under the observation of researchers at Ohio State University ranked these products among the top in all yield categories when comparing to the competition. The EPA gave full approval of these products in July.

“The Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans offer farmers the same flexible, dependable weed control as first-generation Roundup Ready soybeans, but with significantly higher yield potential,” Lawwill said.

Monsanto introduced Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans in a limited release this past growing season. More than 1.5 million acres of the new technology were planted.

“These soybean seeds are a second generation soybean technology from Monsanto and with this new brand farmers will see higher yield as well,” said Monsanto Account Manager Doug Justison. “It’s the same proven weed control they’ve had the past 10 years. What we’ve done new is inserted the Roundup Ready gene into a different part of the soybean DNA that allows it to express higher yield potential. It’s the same weed control system with additional yield potential.”

In dealing with Genuity SmartStax corn, Justison said growers can expect to see a reduction in refuge acres from 20 to five percent, adding that the seed provides the most advanced all-in-one corn trait platform by combining eight different genes for above and below ground insect protection and herbicide tolerance.

“A key part of Genuity SmartStax corn is the significant reduction in refuge,” Justison said. “Traditionally, since 1996 the farmer could only plant up to 80 percent of his farm with insect protected corn. He had to leave 20 percent in the field as refuge. With SmartStax a farmer can plant up to 95 percent of his field. With this reduction in refuge there’s less other activities that take place, such as less pesticides. It helps the environment as well because there’s less pesticide out there.

“This seed provides much broader insect protection than others on the market today and with this insect protection one will see higher yield production. Farmers should be able to produce more corn economically and help feed the U.S. consumers and others in the world.”

With the always changing advancement in technology, these experts said yields per acre will keep increasing.

“It’s our goal here at Bio Gene to see farmers have double yields by 2030 in order to feed and fuel an ever-increasing population,” Lawwill said. “The United Nations estimates a world population of nine billion by 2050 so we have a long way to go. We’re committed to help expand the agricultural approach by using less fertilizer, less water and less land.”

Bio Gene has been integrating biotech traits from Monsanto the past 13 years. Monsanto is a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that help improve farm productivity and food quality.

“We’re excited about this technology because it provides a new level of pest spectrum for corn growers,” said Monsanto Product Manager Scott Stein. “It provides above ground and below ground pest protection as well as dual modes of actions against these pests and weeds as well. Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yield is already in the fields. We expect to see Genuity SmartStax corn to be launched on three to four million acres for 2010.”

Bio Gene Seeds is located at 5477 Tri-County Highway in Sardinia, Ohio, and by phone at 937-444-6362.

12/23/2009