St. Louis, Missouri
April 22, 2008
The enthusiasm around soybeans has
increased substantially as the 2008 planting season approaches.
Higher commodity prices are driving increased soybean acres, and
soybean farmers are optimistic about the economic prospects from
their bean acres. The optimism looks to remain strong for
upcoming seasons based on positive economic outlook and the
opportunity for increased yields.
"Farmers are encouraged about the positive economics around
soybeans and are eager to learn more about higher yield
opportunities," said Dion McBay,
Monsanto U.S. Soybean
Traits Marketing Lead. "We are excited to introduce
Roundup Ready
2 Yield™ soybeans to help increase yield potential in 2009.
This next generation Roundup Ready® soybean technology delivers
the flexibility and convenience of the Roundup Ready system and
provides higher soybean yield potential."
More than 400 farmers across the Midwest will plant production
seed this season to support the anticipated strong demand for
Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans when they become commercially
available this fall. A limited commercial release is planned on
up to 2 million acres for the 2009 growing season, with a
full-scale Roundup Ready 2 Yield product launch scheduled for
2010.
Farmers Experience Higher Yield Performance
Farmers who grew Roundup Ready 2 Yield production seed last
season were enthusiastic about the performance they experienced.
"In terms of yield, the Roundup Ready 2 Yield beans were some of
our best beans," said Mike Olson, of Shirley, Illinois. "We were
very happy with the way they yielded. When they are introduced
in 2009, we'll be 100 percent Roundup Ready 2 Yield because we
now know that they are going to outyield the regular Roundup
Ready beans by far."
"The more beans we can yield, it's more money we can put in our
pocket," said Traer, Iowa farmer, Dave Brezina. "The technology
is there, and if you can make more money per acre, that's what
we're all out here for."
"My Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans came in at 8 1/2 percent over
my Roundup Ready soybeans," said Beason, Illinois farmer Dave
Sasse. "There's definitely a yield advantage to them."
McBay noted that Roundup Ready 2 Yield will provide farmers with
the same flexibility, dependability and crop safety that they
enjoy today with the Roundup Ready soybean system, and deliver
top-end yield potential. He cited several reasons why farmers
can look to the Roundup Ready 2 Yield system to enable higher
yield potential:
- Location, location,
location -- Roundup Ready 2 Yield was developed through
extensive gene mapping that allows Monsanto to identify
specific DNA regions in soybeans that have a positive impact
on yield.
Using advanced insertion and selection technologies, the
Roundup Ready 2 Yield gene is situated in one of these DNA
regions that provide higher yield potential.
- Proven high-performance --
Four years of Monsanto research trials comparing near
isogenic lines have demonstrated a consistent yield
advantage of 7 to 11 percent for Roundup Ready 2 Yield
technology
compared with Roundup Ready soybeans. The 4-year average
yield increase of Roundup Ready 2 Yield over Roundup Ready
was 9 percent.
- Power in the pod -- In
over 200 observations including 120 comparisons by Monsanto,
Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybean plants produced significantly
more 3-bean pods per plant compared to Roundup Ready
soybeans. This higher number of 3-bean pods contributes to
more beans per plant and therefore higher yield performance.
Farmers will get a firsthand look
at this advanced soybean technology when Monsanto hosts tours of
Roundup Ready 2 Yield Showcase Plots across the Midwest this
summer, and during the 2008 Farm Progress Show in August.
Showcase Plot tour information will be announced later this
season.
When introduced in 2009, Roundup Ready 2 Yield will be offered
in high-performing genetics from Asgrow® as well as American
Seeds Inc. (ASI) and other leading regional soybean seed brands.
In 2009, Roundup Ready 2 Yield varieties will be available
primarily in maturity groups 2 and 3. These maturity groups are
planted where more than 50 percent of U.S. soybeans are grown.
This includes all of Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio and Pennsylvania; most
of Illinois and Indiana; portions of northern Missouri, Kansas
and Maryland; and portions of southern Minnesota, Wisconsin,
Michigan and South Dakota.
Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of
technology-based solutions and agricultural products that
improve farm productivity and food quality.
For more information about Roundup Ready 2 Yield, visit
www.monsanto.com/rr2y/default.asp |
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