Pioneer Releases Corn Hybrids for 2006

DES MOINES - Nov 22/05 - SNS -- Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. will release 62 new Pioneer brand corn hybrids to North American growers for the 2006 planting season.

This includes nine new genetic families with 34 hybrids containing technology from the Herculex family of insect protection traits, including hybrids with Herculex XTRA or Herculex RW Rootworm protection for transgenic corn rootworm control, and new hybrids containing the Roundup Ready Corn 2 trait.

The Herculex family offers three insect protection options for growers. Twenty-three new hybrids will contain the Herculex I trait for above-ground insect protection. Eleven new hybrids will contain the Herculex RW gene for transgenic corn rootworm control; this includes five new Pioneer hybrids containing the Herculex RW rootworm protection trait alone and six hybrids containing Herculex XTRA insect protection, which is a combination of the Herculex I and Herculex RW traits stacked together.

The Herculex I gene protects the corn plant against European and southwestern corn borer, western bean cutworm, black cutworm, fall armyworm, corn earworm, sugarcane borer, southern cornstalk borer and lesser cornstalk borer, while the Herculex RW trait protects against western, northern and Mexican corn rootworms. And since Herculex XTRA contains both, it guards against a broader range of above- and below-ground insects in corn than any other in-seed product on the market.

The company indicated all hybrids containing Herculex RW or Herculex XTRA technology will be treated for 2006 with a new premium seed treatment package that combines Poncho 250 insecticide seed treatment and Dynasty fungicide for additional protection against secondary insects and seedling diseases.

To meet the continued rising demand for herbicide-resistant products, 28 of the newly released Pioneer hybrids contain the Roundup Ready Corn 2 trait. Seventeen of these new products are stacked with either corn borer or corn rootworm resistance and eleven are hybrids with only the Roundup Ready Corn 2 trait to help provide options for refuge management. In addition, all hybrids with Herculex technology also contain the LibertyLink gene which provides tolerance to Liberty herbicide. Liberty controls more than 100 grass and broadleaf weed species upon contact.