USDA LIcenses Five New Varieties

WASHINGTON - Mar 18/05 - SNS –– The USDA issued certificates of protection to developers of five new varieties of seed-reproduced and tuber-propagated plants. They include cotton and potato.

The five certificates are being issued under the Plant Variety Protection Act. The certificates require that the varieties be new, distinct, uniform and stable. The owners will have the exclusive right to reproduce, sell, import and export their products in the United States for the duration of protection.

The five certificates are:

* the ST 5242BR variety of cotton, developed by Emergent Genetics Inc., Memphis, Tenn.;

* the GC-204 variety of cotton, developed by Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc., Johnston, Iowa;

* the Del Mar variety of cotton, developed by California Planting Cotton Seed Distributors, Bakersfield, Calif.; and

* the Summit Russet and Defender varieties of potato, developed by Idaho Research Foundation Inc., Moscow, Idaho.