Enlist corn will be commercially available in Canada for the 2018 growing season. Dow AgroSciences announced the launch after the Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China approved the import of grain produced from corn containing the Enlist trait.
“We are very excited to bring the Enlist system to farmers in the U.S. and Canada,” says Tim Hassinger, president and CEO, Dow AgroSciences. “The feedback on the performance during our Stewarded Introduction has been extremely positive, as growers have been very impressed with both the weed control as well as the formulation advancements we have made, reducing drift and volatility.
“We look forward to continuing to work with China and their regulatory process for additional trait approvals so we can bring farmers new and much needed technology,” says Hassinger.
By enabling the use of Enlist Duo in crop applications for effective and economical weed control, the Enlist corn trait helps protect yield. The Enlist corn trait will be available as both SmartStax Enlist and PowerCore Enlist hybrids, offering an industry-leading package of weed control and insect protection, the company said. Growers can begin ordering Enlist corn from Dow Seeds Seed Partners later this summer. Dow AgroSciences will also out-license the PowerCore Enlist trait technology.
Weed control challenges have grown steadily worse since the first glyphosate-resistant weeds were discovered in 2001. According to a 2016 Stratus Ag Research study, resistant and tough weeds currently infest more than 100 million acres of North American farmland. To meet farmers’ needs for additional weed control solutions, Dow AgroSciences developed the Enlist weed control system.
“We need this system. We are running into resistant weeds and Enlist Duo is a product that we can use to really smoke them,” says John Baitley, a farmer from Prince Edward County Ontario, who has grown Enlist corn and applied Enlist Duo herbicide as part of a stewarded program.
Developed for use with Enlist corn and soybeans, Enlist Duo herbicide is designed to manage herbicide-resistant and hard-to-control weeds. Enlist Duo herbicide has been optimized for on-target application using proprietary Colex-D technology by Dow AgroSciences. Among other benefits, Colex-D technology minimizes the potential for physical drift and provides near-zero volatility. Enlist Duo herbicide is fully registered in Canada.
Dow AgroSciences is ready for full commercialization of Enlist Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans and Enlist E3 soybeans, and is considering options for the 2018 season as it awaits final import approvals from China and the European Union.
In 2017, production of Enlist E3 soybeans and Enlist Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans continues as part of the Dow AgroSciences Field Forward program. The program provides growers an opportunity to experience the company’s newest technologies before they are commercially available. Dow AgroSciences manages the seed production throughout the season, including handling and storage after harvest.
