The 2006 crop year was the first year of commercialization and unrestricted broad testing for HERCULEX® RW and XTRA. Research conducted by universities, Dow AgroSciences and other seed company licensees demonstrated highly consistent, outstanding root protection across geographies, rootworm species and populations pressures with HERCULEX XTRA Insect Protection in 2006. HERCULEX XTRA is a three-way, above- and below-ground stack with the broadest-spectrum, in-plant protection available in corn today. HERCULEX was co-developed by Dow AgroSciences and Pioneer Hi-Bred International.

HERCULEX® XTRA Insect Protection provides powerful, below ground protection against larval stages of western, northern and Mexican corn rootworm, plus the broad-spectrum above-ground insect protection of HERCULEX I Insect Protection. In university trials and farmers’ field across the corn belt.

HERCULEX XTRA has been shown to be the only trait that combines protection against corn rootworm, corn borers, black cutworm and western bean cutworm.

Multi-year field data show HERCULEX XTRA to provide significantly better and more consistent root protection than conventional treatments (granular insecticides and seed treatments) across different geographies and especially under heavy population pressures.

Again in 2006 some of the heaviest rootworm pressure occurred in Illinois where University of Illinois and Dow AgroSciences trials compared efficacy among competitive trait, soil insecticides and seed treatments and data demonstrated that HERCULEX® XTRA Insect Protection provide significantly better protection than corn rootworm (CRW) insecticides and seed treatments. In some trials, HERCULEX RW and HERCULEX XTRA also outperformed other Bt traits.

Proof is in the data

The University of Illinois tested corn rootworm control products under significant CRW larval pressure at three sites. According to the university’s initial summary, HERCULEX RW and HERCULEX XTRA Insect Protection had significantly lower node injury ratings and performed more consistently than the YieldGard® Rootworm hybrid at the Urbana site. There are also strong indications that variant western corn rootworms may be more aggressive root feeders and are less susceptible to the Bt protein expressed by YieldGard Rootworm hybrids, according to the university’s report.

“The Bt proteins which control rootworms in HERCULEX RW Rootworm Protection and HERCULEX XTRA Insect Protection are maintained throughout the larval life cycle of the western, northern and Mexican rootworms,” says Lyndall Dallas, Dow AgroSciences product development agronomist in Illinois. “Therefore, HERCULEX RW and HERCULEX XTRA provide excellent protection against late-season corn rootworm feeding.”

Root ratings from the University of Illinois showed a differential advantage for HERCULEX XTRA Insect Protection vs. the YieldGard Rootworm in-plant trait at its Urbana location, where CRW pressure has historically been severe. On July 17, HERCULEX XTRA Insect Protection had a root rating of 0.44 vs. 0.96 for YieldGard Rootworm.

In the University of Illinois’ report on the CRW root ratings,¹ the Extension authors wrote: “We are particularly concerned about the level of rootworm larval damage to the YieldGard Rootworm hybrid in Urbana. Corn plants are much more susceptible to lodging when one or more nodes of roots have been pruned.”

To see the detailed reports from the University of Illinois studies, visit http://www.ipm.uiuc.edu/bulletin/article.php?id=613.

As in the University of Illinois trials, preliminary data from Dow AgroSciences and external research trials also are demonstrating the reduction in root feeding when compared with alternative rootworm control methods. In Dow AgroSciences’ CRW trials, hybrids with HERCULEX RW and HERCULEX XTRA had an impressive root system, says Maynard Ochs, product development agronomist for Dow AgroSciences. “The HERCULEX RW and HERCULEX XTRA Insect Protection hybrids didn’t lodge, but the other rootworm control products like high-rate seed treatments and soil insecticides did.”

The strong root system on HERCULEX ® RW and HERCULEX XTRA hybrids also can be attributed to the consistent performance of HERCULEX in dry conditions.

“In extreme dryland regions, the hybrids with HERCULEX RW and HERCULEX XTRA performed very well this year. We believe this is due to the strong roots, giving the plant better stability in drought conditions,” Ochs says. Further studies comparing root mass and yield results of the various rootworm control methods will be completed later in the year.

Dow AgroSciences LLC, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, is a top tier agricultural company providing innovative crop protection, seeds, and biotechnology solutions to serve the world’s growing population. A wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, global sales for Dow AgroSciences are $3.4 billion. Dow AgroSciences and Mycogen Seeds are wholly owned subsidiaries of the Dow Chemical Company. Mycogen Seeds, the retail seed brand of Dow AgroSciences, markets grain corn, silage corn and nutritionally enhanced corn seed, as well as sunflower, canola, soybean, alfalfa and sorghum seed through an extensive network of dealers across the United States. Learn more at www.dowagro.com and www.mycogen.com.

®Herculex is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.
®YieldGard is a registered trademark of Monsanto Company.
Herculex Insect Protection technology by Dow AgroSciences and Pioneer Hi-Bred.