For more than 50 years, plant breeders have been searching for more efficient ways to create hybrid corn seed, and teenagers have been complaining endlessly about the agonies of detasseling corn as a summer job.

Now AgrEvo has solved both problems.

AgrEvo has launched its SeedLink(R) Pollination Control system for corn. SeedLink combines new biotechnology approaches with LibertyLink(R) to bring higher levels of quality control and certainty to seed production. Plus, SeedLink eliminates the need for detasseling and its associated costs, risks and labor challenges.

In SeedLink, a new gene construct is added to the corn hybrid's female parent line. The gene produces a protein that prevents development of the pollen nutritive layer within the anthers (pollen production organs). This renders the plant male-sterile. The protein is expressed only in this critical layer of cells surrounding the sac where pollen would normally develop in the plant.

"Farmers and seed companies alike will benefit from better quality seed and improved seed yields as seed companies begin to adopt SeedLink in 1999," notes Dr. Keith Newhouse, AgrEvo Market Manager for Corn Biotechnology Products.

SeedLink also reduces the considerable costs of detasseling for corn seed producers, eliminates potential liabilities involved in using young workers in their fields, and removes the possibility that tassels will be either missed in the female or removed in error from the male.

Hybrids produced through SeedLink also will be LibertyLink because the LibertyLink gene will be present in the male and passed along to all hybrid progeny.

"Liberty(R) Herbicide is used with SeedLink to remove volunteer plants, any seed mixture off-types and any non-SeedLink plants, as well to provide outstanding weed control," Dr. Newhouse says. "Using SeedLink with Liberty assures that seed companies will market hybrids with the quality and uniformity that growers equate with optimum performance."

Corn seed companies adopting SeedLink will display a SeedLink logo on the seed bags. SeedLink lines will be used to produce hybrid seed in 1999 for planting by growers in 2000. SeedLink is another example of the benefits from biotechnology that AgrEvo brings to production agriculture.

"The USDA review of SeedLink has been completed and non-regulated status is scheduled for April 22," says Dr. Newhouse. "This clears the way for SeedLink Corn commercialization in the United States."

AgrEvo is a global leader in biotechnology, seeds, crop protection and environmental health. The company markets globally a wide range of products for enhancing crop production, together with applications for urban pest control. AgrEvo operates in more than 70 countries with approximately 8,500 employees. For more information, visit the company's website at www.us.agrevo.com

Liberty and LibertyLink are registered trademarks and SeedLink is a trademark of Hoechst Schering AgrEvo GmbH.

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