According to the latest results from the NK® Brand ECB Scouting Team, European corn borer (ECB) stalk tunnelling length averaged 4.0 cm across Ontario corn fields this season – with instances of low to severe levels of corn borer pressure.

“Our 2005 field scouting results on corn borer tunnelling damage reconfirm what we’ve seen for the past decade – the pest is unpredictable,” says David Townsend, technical services manager with NK Brand Seeds, who heads the corn borer scouting project in Ontario.

The “crop destruct scout” is the second wave of scouting conducted by NK Brand’s ECB Scouting Program. Now in its tenth year, the program is carried out by NK Brand dealers and agronomists. It’s intended to help growers understand the scope of the ECB problem in their area and to assess yield loss due to ECB pressure. To get a good understanding of ECB pressure, more than 25 scouts combed through Ontario corn fields in 2005 looking for signs of infestation. 

Of the 125 fields scouted by the team, 42 per cent recorded moderate to severe levels of corn borer infestation. Oxford, Grey, Bruce, Middlesex and Wellington counties were hardest hit by the corn borer. 

“Scouting results have reinforced that corn borer pressure is both unpredictable and widespread in Ontario,” says Townsend. “It’s consistent with the pattern we’ve seen in previous seasons. These findings point to the unpredictability of ECB pressure and to the benefit of growing Bt corn as insurance against crop loss.”

Bt corn hybrids celebrate tenth anniversary

Bt corn hybrids celebrate their tenth anniversary this growing season. During the past decade, Bt hybrids have provided corn growers with protection against corn borer for improved standability, better plant health and higher yields. On average, this adds up to an 8 bu/ac advantage. Since technology leader NK Brand introduced the first Bt hybrid, scouting has played a key role in demonstrating the value of the technology and in protecting the technology for future use.

Results of the scouting project have also verified the importance of scouting fields prior to harvest. “Knowing the extent of ECB tunnelling damage in your fields will help you prioritize your harvest schedule,” says Townsend, explaining that by harvesting fields showing high ECB tunnelling damage first, growers can minimize yield losses.

“Tunnelling is not the only type of corn borer damage farmers must contend with,” he notes. During the crop destruct scout, which involved slicing open stalks to determine plant health and monitor stalk tunnelling, Townsend saw firsthand the severity of secondary infections. “Corn borer damage is more far-reaching than just lodged stalks and dropped ears,” he says. Stalk rots and ear moulds limit nutrient uptake by the corn plant, blocking dry matter accumulation and ultimately affecting yield.

While yield data for the fields scouted by the team this season has not been finalized, Townsend indicates that the average yield loss due to corn borer in 2005 is 8.5 bu/ac. Michael Reidy, marketing manager for NK Brand Seeds adds that based on this average yield loss, corn borer damage translates into an average profit potential of $21.25 per acre (assuming the price of corn is $2.50 per bushel). Reidy recommends that growers protect against the unpredictability of corn borer damage. “With the wide range of ECB tunnelling we’ve seen this year, we are convinced that choosing consistent-performing NK Brand Bt hybrids is the best strategy for controlling corn borer and protecting your yield,” he says.

The yield advantage assessment (the yield difference between Bt hybrids and non-Bt isolines) for this growing season is taking place now.  Results of the final yield assessment will be published in the new year.

NK Brand Seeds is a trusted hybrid corn, soybean and alfalfa seed supplier, providing innovative products and solutions, for the way you farm, for over 100 years. NK Brand Seeds is a business division of Syngenta – a world-leading agribusiness committed to sustainable agriculture through innovative research and technology. Syngenta is a leader in crop protection, and ranks third in the high-value commercial seeds market. Sales in 2004 were approximately $7.3 billion. Syngenta employs some 19,000 people in over 90 countries. Syngenta is listed on the Swiss stock exchange (SYNN) and in New York (SYT).

BACKGROUNDERS

SCOUTING

Long-term intensive scouting program consistently reveals corn borer impact

Nearly 2,000 fields evaluated for ECB damage by NK^® Brand scouts since 1998

2005 marks the tenth year that the NK Brand ECB Scouting Team has waded through Ontario and Quebec corn fields to monitor levels of European corn borer (ECB) infestation.

The extensive scouting effort began in the summer of 1996. Since that time, NK Brand has had more than 100 dealers and agronomists scouting customer fields. An average of 200 fields have been scouted annually for ECB. That totals nearly 2,000 fields in the past ten years.

Scouting consistent with NK Brand commitment

The ECB scouting initiative is consistent with the direction of NK Brand, which combines research with in-field experience to provide better options for Canadian growers. Scouting helps NK Brand better understand the corn borer’s impact, which is key to helping growers develop strategies to reduce the risk of yield loss due to the pest. 

In 1996, NK Brand helped to found the Corn Borer Action Coalition and sponsored graduate student Tracey Baute’s MBA on ECB and Bt value. This research helped to develop the baseline data for a better understanding of the factors that impact infestation patterns and their economic results.

Three waves of evaluation

Today, the NK Brand ECB Scouting Team typically conducts scouting in three waves. The first wave coincides with the whorl stage before tasselling to evaluate ECB feeding denoted by tunnels or leaf damage. The second wave occurs preharvest. During this phase, scouts randomly select ten consecutive stalks from the field and cut them from tassel to the ground. They then measure tunneling length and assess tunnels for stalk rot. Ears are also assessed for ECB feeding and ear mold. (See attached for visual reference.) The final wave takes place after harvest when scouts compare yields between NK Bt hybrids and non-Bt isolines.

Since 1998, scouting results have confirmed the benefits of using corn hybrids enhanced with the Bt gene to protect the crop from ECB damage. Every year the scouting project reconfirms the unpredictable nature of the pest. Losses vary from field to field and from year to year. Levels of infestation also vary depending on the weather, planting times and the type of damage.

What is certain is that corn growers can expect an average 8 bu/ac yield advantage with NK Bt hybrids over non-Bt hybrids. Confirmed by eight years of data compiled by NK Brand ECB scouts from corn fields across Ontario and Quebec, this contributes an additional $20 in income per acre (when corn is priced at $2.50/bu).
 

Scout 1:  Plants with ECB Feeding
	or
Windowpane/Pinhole Feeding		Frass from Tunnellin
Scout 2:  Crop Destruct
		Randomly select 10 plants Cut stalks from tassel to ground Measure total cm tunnelling Assess tunnels for stalk rot Assess ears for ECB feeding Assess ears for ear mould
ECB Ear Feeding		Ear Mould at Entry Points

INSECT RESISTANCE MANAGEMENT - A GROWING SUCCESS STORY

Since the commercial registration of Bt corn, scientists across North America have agreed that without proper management, European corn borer (ECB) and Corn Rootworm (CRW) could develop resistance to Bt corn hybrids. Fortunately, an Insect Resistance Management (IRM) strategy exists to prevent this occurrence.

Developed by the Canadian Corn Pest Coalition (CCPC) in 1997 and approved by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the strategy is implemented with the help of seed manufacturers and the participation of growers. Founders and members of the CCPC – including NK^® Brand Seeds – are committed to resistance management of all current or new technology to ensure long-term effectiveness.

Stewardship principles

The IRM strategy includes several stewardship principles to minimize potential resistance. This starts with planting non-Bt corn hybrids in close proximity to Bt hybrids. Referred to as refuge, these zones help encourage and ensure the movement of adult corn borers between Bt and non-Bt hybrids for genetic mixing. Because adult ECB don’t disperse over large distances, growers need to follow specific IRM refuge requirements in their fields. These include:

1. Plant 20% or more of corn acres to non-Bt corn refuge. (See next page for field scenarios.)

2. Plant the non-Bt refugia in the same field or within ¼ mile (1000 ft) of Bt corn. Plant a minimum width of 6 rows to non-Bt hybrid(s). Do not mix Bt seed and non-Bt seed.

3. Keep careful and accurate records of the location of Bt and non-Bt corn fields.

4. Scout Bt corn for presence of ECB feeding. Should growers find greater than 5% ECB feeding in their Bt corn, they should immediately contact their seed provider.

5. Select refugia hybrids of similar maturity as Bt hybrids.

6. Do not spray refugia to control ECB.

Study shows Bt technology is well protected

Results of the most recent Bt Corn Refuge Compliance Study in 2003, conducted by the CCPC, found that more than 80 per cent of Canada’s corn producers follow the IRM strategy to protect Bt technology.

Results of this study were based on a survey of 762 producer interviews conducted during the summer of 2003 in Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba. Compared to results from the same study facilitated in 2001, producer compliance is rising. On average, across all three provinces, 82 per cent of producers complied with both major IRM requirements – 20 per cent refuge and proximity – compared to 79 per cent in 2001.

Results of the 2005 Bt Corn Refuge Compliance Study are expected to be released in December. Compliance results are once again expected to be well positioned to protect Bt technology.

Monitoring resistance

No signs of resistance to the Bt technology have been identified to date. This is due to the vigilance of growers and the seed industry who want to protect the technology for the future. Both play a role in monitoring for tolerance and resistance developments in the ECB population. When growing Bt corn, growers are required to follow IRM requirements as well as sign a grower agreement to monitor their crops for the presence of ECB and feeding damage. Growers are also required to make two scouting trips each year – one when corn is waist high and the second during or shortly after pollination. During both scouts, growers should scout the non-Bt refuge first.

In both Canada and the U.S., to gain regulatory approval for a Bt corn hybrid, seed companies are required to educate their employees and customers on IRM. They are also required to be able to demonstrate that their customers are complying with IRM requirements. NK Brand Seeds takes this step in guaranteeing compliance seriously.

NK Brand Seeds engages in an extensive monitoring program with their customers. Each year, NK Brand representatives follow up with growers on planting intentions and final acres in production, as well as conduct a phone survey to gather producer opinions on Bt corn technology and IRM. NK Brand also facilitates annual customer visits to specifically discuss Bt stewardship principles and to answer any producer questions regarding the technology and the importance of compliance.

DISCOVERY AND ADOPTION OF Bt CORN

What is Bt?

Bt or Bacillus thuringiensis is a naturally occurring soil bacteria that produces proteins that are lethal to specific insect species. More than 100 Bt proteins have been identified and commercialized for the control of a variety of pests in different crops. In Bt corn, the protein specifically targets the larval stage of moths, butterflies and beetles. This brings growers protection against damage from the European corn borer (ECB) – a destructive pest in corn crops across North America.

Bt-produced proteins are known as Cry proteins and are non-toxic to the environment and vertebrates. The specific Cry proteins expressed in Bt corn, developed for the control of ECB, have been used since the 1930s as a foliar insecticide by organic producers and foresters.

Bt technology development

Bt corn was one of the first agricultural biotechnology developments. Bt corn hybrids for the control of ECB became commercially available in Canada in 1997. Bt technology leader NK^® Brand Seeds launched the first hybrids known as Maximizer Bt, featuring KnockOut^® and YieldGard^® genes. Following their release, continued research quantifying the economic impact of ECB increased awareness of the ability of Bt hybrids to help protect corn yield.

European corn borer can cause significant yield loss

In Canada, ECB is most destructive in field, seed and sweet corn. Throughout its larval stage, ECB damage includes leaf feeding, stalk tunnelling, grain feeding, ear drop, tassel breakage and shank tunnelling. This damage weakens the plant and increases risk of stalk and ear rot diseases.

AGCare (Agriculture Groups Concerned About Resources and the Environment) estimates that ECB costs Ontario corn producers $40 million each year. The organization further estimates that the total cost in North America exceeds $1 billion annually. These costs are a result of lost yield, increased time required for harvest and reduced grain quality due to disease. Depending on the ECB population, plant stage, and adverse environmental conditions, the percentage of yield loss can vary.

Adoption of Bt corn in Canada

Since its commercial release, Bt corn acres have been increasing across Canada. Currently more than 80 per cent of Canadian farmers grow some Bt on their farm. In 2004, almost 50 per cent of corn acres in Canada were planted with Bt hybrids.

Manage Bt corn use to maintain its effectiveness and longevity

Along with the adoption of Bt seed technology, corn producers are also required to practice Integrated Resistance Management (IRM) – a strategy developed in 1997 by the Canadian Corn Pest Coalition and approved by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The IRM strategy was developed to minimize the potential for resistance development of ECB and Corn Rootworm pests. 

As a founding member of the Corn Borer Action Coalition (now the Canadian Corn Pest Coalition), NK Brand Seeds works closely with its growers to ensure IRM requirements are followed to help ensure the effectiveness of the technology and sustain its benefits for Canadian corn producers. The effectiveness of Bt corn hybrids combined with good management, ensures growers protect what they can’t predict – ECB population and resistance development.

BRINGING WORLD-CLASS GENETICS TO CANADIAN GROWERS

Syngenta is a world-leading agribusiness committed to sustainable agriculture through innovative research and technology. Through its high-value commercial seeds business, Syngenta brings the best of world-class genetics to Canadian growers.

In North America, Syngenta Seeds operates as NK^® Brand. With the acquisition of Garst and Golden Harvest brands in 2004, Syngenta Seeds expanded its access to a broader pipeline of genetic material that will be further researched, developed into potential products and evaluated for performance before being introduced to market.

The North American research program includes three “mega” research stations in Bloomington, Illinois; Slater, Iowa; and Stanton, Minnesota. These mega-stations focus primarily on corn research, though soybean breeders are also on site at each location. There are also four core corn breeding stations, including one Canadian site in Arva, Ontario, and five satellite corn sites that focus on product evaluation and harvesting.

The primary goal of NK Brand’s research program in North America is to identify high-performing corn, soybean and forage products that deliver top yields. Research teams also screen carefully to identify genetic lines that will produce plants with good overall health and integrity (including strong disease-resistance profiles, healthy root development for lodging resistance, good test weight and grain quality, etc.) to help protect yield potential. Only the top contenders are advanced for commercial production.

Conducting research across numerous regions year after year ensures that products will perform consistently in the various dynamic environments within Canada and the United States. This is a critical success factor in NK Brand’s research and product development program; it gives growers greater assurance that their crops will perform well and contribute to the profitability of their operation.

Arva, Ontario research station drives Canadian success

The Arva station leads NK Brand’s corn and soybean genetics program in Canada. In addition to the primary research location, NK Brand also manages 11 on-farm evaluation sites throughout Ontario with the assistance of farmer cooperators. In Manitoba and Quebec, evaluation sites are managed by third parties under contract to NK Brand.

The corn research at Arva covers a broad scope, from maturity groups 0 (2,400 heat units) to 5 (3,200 heat units). Following the acquisition of Garst and Golden Harvest and the subsequent re-alignment of NK Brand’s research program, the volume of research conducted in Arva has grown tremendously. The number of hybrids screened for maturity, specific traits and adaptability tripled from 2004 to 2005. A significant capital investment has helped the research team at Arva manage the increased volume of work. Equipment upgrades include automated combine harvesters that can manage multiple rows with split headers to separate different products – essentially doubling the capacity for automated data retrieval and analysis at harvest.

NK Brand’s soybean research program at Arva currently focuses on developing high-yielding conventional varieties for the Canadian growers who still include non-GMO soybeans in their rotations; conventional varieties make up nearly half of the entire soybean crop. The research team looks for the best germplasm and screens for quality performance in disease and insect resistance as well as grain quality, particularly as it relates to the premium food-grade market for soybeans.

NK Brand’s Canadian research team

Arva is home to NK Brand’s Canadian team of industry-leading researchers.

• Adrian deDreu, lead corn breeder supported by assistant breeders and a team of technicians
• Don McClure, lead soybean breeder supported by an assistant breeder and a team of technicians
• Peter Woolner, station manager at Arva
• Gary Bauman, head, technology and agronomics services, responsible for the evaluation of the products identified by the breeding team and determining which are suitable for commercial production

Looking forward

The future success of Syngenta Seeds and the NK Brand rests in large part on the success of the research program and the team’s ability to continually bring new products to market that will add value to the growers operation. In corn, for example, new elite hybrids are currently being introduced that feature Agrisure™ traits that allow growers to take control of their crop input decisions by providing excellent built-in herbicide tolerance and insect protection. Future product development includes more hybrids with numerous stacked traits. Research is also underway that focuses on output traits – specifically phytase and amylase designs (digestible and high extractable starches) – that researchers believe will improve the nutrition profiles of new corn hybrids.

In soybeans, the focus is to maintain industry leadership by adding yet more value to conventional varieties in the coming years. For example: work is underway to introduce products with even greater protection against cyst nematode; developing varieties with the new RPS gene for enhanced disease protection against phythopthora root rot; improving the protein and quality balance for soybean products heading to export; and with the use of molecular markers for dramatically improving selection success in incorporating a new gene for aphid resistance in soybeans.

NK, NK & Design are registered trademarks of a Syngenta group company. KnockOut is a registered trademark of Syngenta Seeds Canada, Inc. YieldGard is a registered trademark of Monsanto Company.