NK^® Brand Seeds has added four new soybean varieties and four new corn hybrids to the product portfolio, which already included 27 new products for the 2005 growing season.  These new products expand the options and maturity ranges available with quality NK Brand genetics.

“To supplement the 27 new products already introduced for this season, these products have been introduced to complement grower requirements for higher yields, disease resistance and herbicide tolerance,” said Doug Knight, head of NK Brand marketing. “These new products have been developed to deliver top yields in specific situations, such as fields with soybean cyst nematode pressure or corn refuge acres.”

Soybean Portfolio Adds Four Varieties
Rigorous disease screening helped identify these new soybean varieties as resistant to key pests, including soybean cyst nematode.  Backed by 35 years of proprietary breeding, they deliver high-yielding genetics and fit the Roundup Ready^® system.

Two varieties also join the NK Brand Extra Edge™ portfolio, which identifies products that fit specific end-use markets requiring high oil and/or high protein soybeans.  Extra Edge soybeans feature higher ranges of oil or protein that meet United Soybean Board recommendations. 

Knight said that NK Brand soybeans contain unique, high-yielding genetics. In more than 4,000 comparisons over four years, they out-yielded top competitors by an average of 1.8 bushels per acre, winning 63 percent of the time. Adding new Cruiser^®Maxx^® Pak seed treatment provides unmatched protection from early season insects and diseases, as well.

Four New Corn Hybrids Expand Options
Two of the new corn hybrids include YieldGard^® insect protection and LibertyLink^® technology.  The other two LibertyLink-only hybrids provide a convenient option for Insect Resistance Management refuge acres.

These hybrids add value to seed portfolios with flexible weed control options and high yields.  According to Knight, nine years of on-farm performance have demonstrated that NK Brand YieldGard hybrids average a 7.7 bushel-per-acre yield advantage.  The addition of Cruiser Extreme™ Pak CRW seed treatment provides protection from up to 15 pests, including corn rootworm and seed- and soil-borne diseases.

“The availability of these products for the 2005 growing season demonstrates our commitment to providing timely options to meet in-field needs, as well as our ability to move quickly through the research and production process,” Knight said.  “And, the NK Brand TruBulk™ soybean handling system allows soybean growers to quickly and efficiently move seed to the field.  We back our first-class genetics with convenient handling choices, financing programs, reliable agronomic information and more to support the way our customers farm.”

Summary of eight new NK^® Brand products for 2005 planting season

Four New NK Brand Soybeans

S11-L2                          Added Trait: Roundup Ready^®                                  Relative Maturity: I-1
Good tolerance to iron deficiency chlorosis makes this medium-tall variety ideal for soils with a history of chlorosis problems, and it is characterized as an Extra Edge™ High Protein soybean.

S17-A1                         Added Trait: Roundup Ready                                   Relative Maturity: I-7
This variety combines strong resistance to soybean cyst nematode with resistance to brown stem rot and white mold for broad adaptability outside iron deficiency chlorosis areas and is identified as an Extra Edge High Protein and High Oil soybean.

S29-J6                          Added Trait: Roundup Ready                                   Relative Maturity: II-9
A medium-tall plant that delivers soybean cyst nematode and sudden death syndrome protection along with excellent stress tolerance and fits well in all row spacings.

S49-T1                          Added Trait: Roundup Ready                                   Relative Maturity: IV-9
Adapted primarily for the Coastal Bend of Texas, this soybean offers good stress tolerance and good resistance to shattering and performs well in 30-inch rows.

Four New NK Brand Corn Hybrids

 N19-D3                         Added Traits: YieldGard^®, LibertyLink^®                     Relative Maturity: 85
A widely adapted hybrid, it offers dependable performance with excellent emergence, drought tolerance and stalk strength.

N46-H4                         Added Traits: LibertyLink                                         Relative Maturity: 102
Ideal for refuge acres, this hybrid is the non-Bt version of N46-J7 and delivers excellent drought tolerance and fast drydown.

N60-J3                          Added Traits: LibertyLink                                         Relative Maturity: 107
An early flowering hybrid ideal for IRM refuges, it features outstanding emergence, early growth, root and stalk strength and gray leaf spot protection.

N65-C5                         Added Traits: YieldGard, LibertyLink                        Relative Maturity: 109
A widely adapted, top-yielding hybrid that provides consistency, along with fast early growth, superior drought tolerance and excellent ear flex.

NK^®, Cruiser Extreme^™ Pak, Cruiser^®Maxx^® Pak, Extra Edge™, TruBulk™ and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company.

YieldGard^® and Roundup Ready^® are registered trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC.
LibertyLink^® is a registered trademark of Bayer CropScience.