DuPont plans to commercialize two new DuPont Crop Protection products that complement new Pioneer brand A-Series soybean varieties.
DuPont FeXapan herbicide plus VaporGrip Technology will be available to growers for the 2017 use season with Pioneer brand soybeans with Roundup Ready 2 Xtend technology to combat resistant and tough to control weeds. Additionally, DuPont Lumisena fungicide seed treatment will be available on Pioneer brand soybeans for 2018 to help growers battle Phytophthora.
“We’ve invested in proprietary research approaches and local testing to more than double the rate of genetic gain of our soybean research pipeline, while continuing to ensure a leading defensive trait package,” says Steve Reno, DuPont Pioneer vice president, business director, U.S. and Canada.
In December, Pioneer announced its highest-yielding class of soybeans in company history: new Pioneer brand A-Series varieties developed with proprietary Accelerated Yield Technology 4.0. For the 2017 growing season, Pioneer introduced 54 new A-Series varieties. The class averaged a 2.3-bushels-per-acre yield advantage against 10,000 competitive checks in 2016 Pioneer IMPACT plot tests at more than 400 locations.
The new A-Series lineup includes choices in herbicide trait options and more than 30 varieties with Roundup Ready 2 Xtend technology. These 30 varieties span a maturity range from 00.2 to 7.2.
Protecting soybean varieties in the first vulnerable weeks after planting is critical for reaching yield potential. A new seed treatment, DuPont Lumisena fungicide seed treatment, will help growers battle Phytophthora. Compared with metalaxyl, the previous industry standard for addressing Phytophthora, soybeans treated with Lumisena produced an average yield advantage of 1.7 bushels per acre due to significantly better stand development in harsh environments. These trials conducted under stressful growing conditions showed an additional 2,500 soybean plants per acre compared with seed treated with metalaxyl.
“Lumisena provides the best protection against Phytophthora for healthier soybean stands and higher yield potential,” says Reno. “Wet, cool conditions common during the early part of the growing season can increase incidence of the disease, making it critical for seed to have the best protection available. Lumisena is the perfect complement to boost protection of Pioneer brand varieties that have tolerance and genetic resistance to Phytophthora.”
