Today was T minus zero for DuPont Pioneer's big soybean launch. A new line of products -- named the T series -- will be available in limited quantities and for broad testing for the 2013 planting season. The company also announced a new soybean-product numbering system similar to the nomenclature used for the company's seed-corn products.
Don Schaefer, DuPont Pioneer senior marketing manager for soybeans, said 39 products will be introduced in this new soybean family this year -- the largest number of new soybean varieties in a single year by Pioneer. While there will be limited quantities in 2013, the company intends to ramp up T-series products and Schaefer expects at least 30% of the company's soybean portfolio will be based on it in 2014. The company currently sells Y-series soybeans.
"The Y-series won't go away immediately, but we do expect they will phase out over time as customers select the latest in technology," Schaefer told DTN during a telephone press conference. The new series was developed through DuPont Pioneer's proprietary Accelerated Yield Technology (AYT) process. The process works to increase yield potential by pinpointing native trait genes that give increased resistance to key diseases and insects in seeds tailored for specific geographies.
The new class of T series soybeans will debut in seven maturity groups from Group 00 through Group 5. Of the 39 new varieties, 34 will carry the Roundup Ready 1 gene. Pioneer varieties are all based on the Roundup Ready 1 platform, which the company believes is proven technology, Schaefer said.
Click here to see more...