Wilmington, Delaware
January 2, 2009
Source: DuPont Daily News
The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published
official notice of its intent to convene a Scientific Advisory
Panel (SAP) for the Optimum® AcreMax™ 1 Insect Protection
regulatory submission by DuPont
business Pioneer Hi-Bred.
This means that critical commercialization milestones are
progressing as planned for the product.
“We are encouraged by this decision,” said Bill Niebur, vice
president, DuPont Crop Genetics, Research and Development. “The
EPA carefully reviews and considers all regulatory submissions
and often asks for help from an SAP whenever there is new
science, a significant change requested, or a truly novel
product – all of which apply to Optimum® AcreMax™ 1 Insect
Protection.”
Under current rootworm refuge requirements, growers who use
Herculex RW or Herculex XTRA seed products to control corn
rootworms must plant 20 percent of their acres with seed
products that do not contain Herculex RW or Herculex XTRA. The
acres serve as a refuge to produce susceptible insects to help
prevent the development of resistance to in-plant insect
protection traits. While effective in prolonging the efficacy of
traits, refuge acres are at risk for yield loss from rootworm
damage, as well as increased corn insecticide costs. Pioneer’s
regulatory submission to the EPA includes a request that
Optimum® AcreMax™ 1 Insect Protection would reduce the required
rootworm refuge to 2 to 5 percent and deliver it in a convenient
new, single seed bag approach.
The SAP will provide advice to the EPA on the science supporting
Optimum® AcreMax 1™ Insect Protection. The panel consists of
seven members representing a breadth of scientific disciplines
and also is augmented by additional experts who assist with
reviews.
Pending regulatory approval and field testing, Optimum® AcreMax™
1 should be the first reduced and integrated corn rootworm
refuge product in the marketplace that will offer growers the
opportunity to lessen rootworm refuge acres and therefore raise
overall farm yields, while still ensuring the preservation of
in-plant insect protection traits. Pioneer is expected to
introduce Optimum® AcreMax™ 1 products in 2009. |
|