USDA Protects Six New Varieties

WASHINGTON - Apr 28/06 - SNS -- The USDA issued certificates of protection to developers of six new varieties of seed-reproduced and tuber-propagated plants. They include bean and wheat.

The six 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 six certificates are:

- the Condor* variety of field bean, developed by Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich.;

- the Merlot* variety of field bean, developed by Michigan State University and United States Department of Agriculture, East Lansing, Mich.;

- the Banton* variety of common wheat, developed by Trigen Seed LLC, Bloomington, Minn.;

- the AP603 CL* variety of common wheat, developed by AgriPro Wheat, a business unit of Advanta U.S.A., Inc., Junction City, Kan.;

- the Coker 9436* variety of common wheat, developed by Syngenta Seeds, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.; and

- the Neosho* variety of common wheat, developed by Monsanto Company, Creve Coeur, Mo.

* In the United States, seed of this variety (1) shall be sold by variety name only as a class of certified seed and (2) shall conform to the number of generations specified by the owner of the rights (84 STAT. 1542, as amended, 7 U.S.C. 2321 ET SEQ).