Farmers across the Midwest who planted new Asgrow® brand Genuity™ Roundup Ready 2 Yield® soybeans this season have been discovering something extremely rare in their soybean fields: 5-bean pods.
With first-generation Roundup Ready® soybeans, 2- and 3-bean pods are fairly typical.But this season, many farmers observed more 3- and 4-bean pods on their Asgrow Genuity™ Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybean plants, delivering higher yield and profit potential.
In addition, more than 160 farmers who planted the new technology this season have experienced the 5-bean phenomenon in their fields. “I know soybean breeders with 30 years of experience who have never before seen a 5-bean pod,” said Jerry Devore, Asgrow Brand Manager, who recently visited several Midwest farms to hunt for 5-bean pods with growers and dealers.
“It’s exciting looking for 5-bean soybean pods – we found three separate plants, each with 5-bean pods on them,” said Brownsburg, Indiana, farmer Anthony Hession. “It’s pretty amazing, but even more amazing is the large number of 4-bean pods in our Asgrow Genuity™ Roundup Ready 2 Yield fields. These add up to increased yields and increased profits on my farm.”
Kent Ackerman, who farms in Prophetstown, Illinois, was also shocked to find a 5-bean pod in his field. “I’ve never seen a 5-bean pod before, but it’s a sure sign that this technology is definitely going to bring some change,” said Ackerman. “We have had challenges over the past few years growing beans in this area, but the latest seed technologies are good, and they are showing potential for a real increase in beans.”
Arnie Shirley from Hamburg, Iowa has been farming for 30 years and planting Asgrow brand soybeans for 25 years. “We were surprised to find a 5-bean pod, and we’re seeing a lot of 2 4-bean pods which are uncommon also,” Shirley said. “I believe our Asgrow Genuity™ Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans will be the best bean crop we’ve ever had.”
Chris Chavis, Monsanto National Brands Marketing Lead, said Asgrow brand Genuity™Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans have truly changed the landscape of soybean production.
“They work as a system by combining the Asgrow brand’s exclusive genetics with the advanced science of the Genuity™ Roundup Ready 2 Yield trait and Acceleron™ seed treatment products,” she said. “The result for farmers is more beans per pod and more bushels per acre. We’re thrilled that so many farmers are experiencing the 5-bean phenomenon.”
Asgrow is a leading provider of Genuity™ Roundup Ready 2 Yield technology, which supports the same flexible, dependable weed control and crop safety as Roundup Ready soybeans, but with higher yield potential. More than 1.5 million acres of Genuity™ Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans were planted in the United States this season, and a full commercial launch on 7-8 million acres is projected in 2010.
Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality. Monsanto remains focused on enabling both smallholder and large-scale farmers to produce more from their land while conserving more of our world’s natural resources such as water and energy.
To learn more about our business and our commitments, please visit http://www.monsanto.com.
Individual results may vary, and performance may vary from location to location and from year to year. This result may not be an indicator of results you may obtain as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible.
Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. This product has been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Biotechnology Industry Organization. For more information regarding the intellectual property protection for the seed products identified in this publication, please see www.asgrowanddekalb.com.
ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready® crops contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides. Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Asgrow®, Genuity™, Acceleron™, Roundup®, Roundup Ready®, and Roundup Ready 2 Yield® are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. ©2009 Monsanto Company.
5-Bean Soybean Pods Amaze Farmers in Asgrow® Brand Genuity™ Roundup Ready 2 Yield® Fields
More than 160 farmers report 5-bean phenomenon in their fields
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