| Deltapine Seed introduces three new
transgenic varieties. Company expands cotton seed portfolio to meet growers' needs |
ORLANDO, FL, January 5, 1999 – Deltapine Seed announced the
addition to its portfolio of popular transgenic cotton seed today with
the introduction of three new picker varieties at the Beltwide Cotton
Conferences.
The new varieties include one containing the Bollgard gene and two
stacked offerings with both the Bollgard /Roundup Ready genes. All
three will be available for 1999 planting in introductory quantities.
"Deltapine Seed does not add a variety to our line unless we feel it is
better than our current varieties or that of our competitors," said Marc
Bates, Deltapine Seed's vice president of agronomic services. "A new
variety must perform well in several environments, meet lint quality
standards and address the market needs."
The offerings are DP 448 B, a high-yield picker variety containing the
Bollgard gene for subthreshold protection against budworms and
bollworms, and DP 409 B/RR and DP 451 B/RR, two early to
mid-season stacked varieties that provide subthreshold insect
protection and weed control with the application of Roundup Ultra
herbicide directly to the plant, according to label directions.
Agronomic testing on the new varieties was conducted across the
Cotton Belt in both Research and Agronomic Services trials.
"The growers have told us what they needed, and Deltapine Seed is
providing the seed that meets those needs," said Bates. "Growers and
distributors have let it be known they want transgenic varieties that are
heat-tolerant, adaptable varieties that will help them improve yield and
reduce costs to gain needed profit in today's market environment.
"These three new transgenic varieties developed for picker cotton
areas achieve those goals."
Deltapine Seed's portfolio of options now includes seven varieties with
the Bollgard gene and four stacked gene varieties.
DP 448 B is well adapted to medium and full-season growing areas of
the Belt. Field evaluations indicate that the variety's maturity is between
NuCOTN 33 B and DP 32 B, and that DP 448 B provides heat
tolerance, high yield potential and excellent fiber properties.
"This new Bollgard variety produces small compact bolls that give it
excellent storm-proof characteristics," said Bates. "Research trials
conducted in 1997 and 1998 show DP 448 B consistently outyielded
several popular Bollgard varieties. Our data shows it is best adapted to
full season environments, but can be used in some mid-season areas."
DP 409 B/RR and DP 451 B/RR are both early to mid-season,
semi-cluster, smooth-leaf picker varieties. Both display excellent
early-season vigor and proven adaptability to a wide range of
environments, soil types and management practices.
"These two stacked varieties provide growers the convenience and
cost-savings benefit of the Bollgard and Roundup Ready technologies,
while at the same time producing a plant with strong vigor, high and
consistent yield and excellent fiber properties," said Bates. "We've
advanced the plant and added technology that benefits the grower. We
expect these new transgenic varieties will be in strong demand when
supplies can be increased after this introductory year."
Bates presented a paper on the new varieties at the Beltwide Cotton
Conferences. Also contributing to the research and writing of the
abstract were Deltapine Seed's Larry Burdett , Jim Presley, Dru Rush
and Todd Vagts.
Deltapine Seed is a major commercial breeder and marketer of cotton
and soybean planting seed. Deltapine varieties lead the market by
offering the traits the market wants _ ranging from improved fiber
quality to sub-threshold insect control and herbicide tolerance. The
company is headquartered in Scott, Mississippi, and maintains
research, marketing and agronomic support services throughout the
Cotton Belt and traditional southern soybean markets. N1500 |
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