Crop Tech

Farm Journal, Sep 26, 2004 by Andrew Burchett

Soy Gets Better

You can never be too rich or too thin, as the saying goes. Monsanto has announced the launch of Vistive soybeans, a new type of soybeans that might help farmers capture a premium and help the general public eat a little healthier.

Kerry Preete, Monsanto's vice president of U.S. Crop Production says the company will offer the opportunity to grow them to hundreds of Iowa farmers for the 2005 crop season. Initially, Vistive soybeans will be Group II varieties with competitive yields. Vistive soybeans contain less than 3% linolenic acid, compared with 8% for other types. Linolenic acid is the component of soybean oil that leads to shortened shelf life and bad flavors in oil. To solve this problem, the food industry partially hydrogenates the oil--a process that creates trans fats in the oil. Trans fats are linked to heart disease, and the food industry is under pressure to reduce them in food.

Monsanto says oil from Vistive soybeans is more stable, reducing the need for partial hydrogenation. The company is working with soybean processors that will contract with farmers to grow Vistive soybeans for a premium. Ag Processing is on board. No premiums have been named.

The low linolenic characteristic of Vistive soybeans isn't a transgenic trait, but varieties will be Roundup Ready. For 2005, up to 100,000 acres will be grown under contract. Monsanto says seed prices will be similar to other varieties. Monsanto is selling Vistive soybeans through its Asgrow seed brand, but in the future, Monsanto plans to license Vistive genetics to other seed companies.

Disease Pressure Highlights Resistance

Several central and eastern wheat-growing areas saw their fair share of disease pressure in 2004. The good news is that several varieties proved resistant to disease--especially Fusarium head scab.

"Wet weather and heavy disease pressure reduced yields statewide," says University of Missouri wheat breeder Anne McKendry. "In the southeast [of Missouri], we had every disease imaginable, both fungal and bacterial. In the north, we had significant scab infection."

The bright spot was that Truman, a scab-resistant variety developed by the University of Missouri, posted the highest numbers in variety tests. Truman will be available to farmers for the first time this fall.

Farther north, Michigan State University wheat breeder Rick Ward saw several red and white varieties show scab resistance.

"This year's results enable me to state unequivocally that varieties with significant economic scab resistance are entering the market," Ward says.

In Ohio, Pat Lipps, an Ohio State plant pathologist, says about 15 varieties showed moderate to high resistance to Fusarium head scab.

For more information on these wheat variety trials, visit these Web sites:

University of Missouri: http:// agebb.missouri.edu/cropperf

Michigan State University: www.msue.msu.edu/msuwheat

Ohio State University: www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/wheat2004

Monsanto Slashes Roundup Original Price

In a move that's bound to get the attention of generic glyphosate competitors, Monsanto has lowered the manufacturer list price on Roundup Original Max herbicide."We have lowered our list price approximately 25% to 30%," says John Raines, U.S. marketing lead for Monsanto. "We believe that this price will allow farmers who moved away from the Roundup brand to come back and get the crop safety and efficacy it offers," he says.

To sweeten the deal, Monsanto is offering a limited version of the Roundup Rewards program to Roundup Original Max customers who grow Roundup Ready soybeans, corn and cotton. Through the program, Monsanto will share risk in replant and crop-loss situations. At the same time, Monsanto will increase the Roundup Rewards risk sharing package for Roundup WeatherMax customers.

Raines says that the Roundup Rewards program paid out $100 million to farmers last year. He explains that most of the money paid was for respraying additional flushes of weeds and covering trait costs when farmers had to replant or in situations where crops were lost.