The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued certificates of protection to developers of 11 new varieties of seed-reproduced and tuber-propagated plants. They include corn and soybean.

The 11 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 11 certificates are:

• the PH58C variety of corn, developed by Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc., Johnston, Iowa;

• the NP2276 variety of corn, developed by Syngenta Seeds, Minneapolis, Minn; and

• the 96M20, 93M50, 93M11, 92M91, 92M40, 93M10, 93M30, 91M11 and 90M60 varieties of soybean, developed by Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc., Johnston, Iowa.

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service administers the Plant Variety Protection Act, which provides time-limited marketing protection to developers of new and distinct seed- reproduced and tuber-propagated plants ranging from farm crops to flowers. For additional information contact the Plant Variety Protection Office at telephone (301) 504-5518, fax (301) 504-5291 or the Internet at www.ams.usda.gov/science/PVPO/pvp.htm.