Pioneer to launch new generation soybeans

16-07-2008 | Home | News

DuPont business Pioneer Hi-Bred announced the launch of a new generation of soybean varieties that will deliver unprecedented productivity gains to North American soybean growers. The introduction of the new Y Series soybeans represents the largest volume of commercial products launched in the 82-year history of Pioneer.

Pioneer intends to bring to market for 2009 planting
enough seed to plant about 9 million acres of the Y series soybeans in 32 new
varieties. The entire line has demonstrated a 5 percent yield advantage against
key competitor varieties in more than 1,800 on-farm comparisons, with some
varieties yielding 6 to 10 percent better than their competitors.

“The Y
Series from Pioneer represents a step-change in soybean productivity,” said Paul
Schickler, Pioneer president and DuPont vice president and general manager.
“With the Y Series yield advantage, this new line has the potential to add about
19 million bushels of soybeans into U.S. production. In a time of tight supplies
and soaring demand, that is a strong boost for producers and the
industry.”

The launch of the new Y Series is the result of a proprietary
matrix of traits and technologies Pioneer researchers have been developing and
deploying to accelerate product development. Pioneer is employing its exclusive
Accelerated Yield Technology (AYT) and marker-assisted selection to boost the
yield potential and improve the agronomic performance of these varieties.

Pioneer is the industry leader in developing marker-assisted selection
processes to introduce key defensive traits to protect soybean yield from
harmful pests such as soybean cyst nematode, Phytophthora root rot and brown
stem rot. Recently, Pioneer announced that it has also identified new markers
for Asian soybean rust, soybean aphids and frogeye leaf spot.

“The Y
Series generation of Pioneer soybean varieties represents the combination of all
of our industry-leading soybean research capabilities into a single
game-changing package,” Schickler said. “It is a great example of how Pioneer
will increase soybean yields by 40 percent in the next 10 years.”

Pioneer
intends to offer Y Series soybeans for the 2009 planting season in maturities
ranging from Group 0 to Group VII. These new varieties will be easily identified
with a “Y” in the Pioneer variety number, such as 93Y70.