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USA – NEW GM SOYBEAN NEARS MARKET
Dupont aims to launch biotech soybean rival
29 November 2006. Source: St. Louis Post Dispatch, Via AgBios and AgNet
DuPont was cited as saying it has completed its regulatory submissions, seeking approval of soybean seeds genetically modified to tolerate glyphosate herbicide, which Monsanto sells as Roundup, as well as ALS herbicides, which would be marketed as Optimum GAT seeds, to the U.S. Agriculture Department, Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug Administration.
The ALS tolerance will allow farmers to apply a broader range of herbicides over the top of soybeans, rather than being limited to glyphosate, DuPont said. This should help in dealing with weeds that have developed resistance to glyphosate.
Swiss agribusiness company Syngenta AG also will market Optimum GAT seeds, under a licensing deal struck with DuPont in April. And the two firms, through a joint venture called GreenLeaf Genetics LLC, will license the soybean trait to other seed companies.
Monsanto said its Roundup Ready soybeans were planted on about 133 million acres worldwide this year.
After the soybean launch, DuPont hopes to market corn, cotton and other crops with the Optimum GAT herbicide tolerance trait.
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