DuPont, along with its seed business Pioneer Hi-Bred, has announced that the first commercial seed lines from a new, speedier plant breeding method are ready to go into farmers’ fields.
DuPont calls its new process Accelerated Yield Technology. AYT uses proprietary molecular breeding techniques to rapidly scan and identify the genes that increase yield. The process then incorporates the positive genes into soybean genetics.
Until now, molecular breeding techniques used by the seed industry have only produced single-gene defensive traits in commercial varieties. But yield levels are determined by multiple genes in complex networks.
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AYT builds upon existing molecular breeding techniques by allowing researchers to simultaneously select several genes to significantly boost yields. AYT is not transgenic, so soybeans developed from this process are not subject to additional regulatory approvals.
The new technology relies heavily on Marker Assisted Selection, a process that lets researchers use genetic markers to trace the characteristics in a plant.
Until now, they have used MAS to focus on what DuPont calls defensive traits that protect the soybean plant. MAS has given bean growers a range of new varieties that include protection from soybean cyst nematode, Phytophthora root rot, brown stem rot and frogeye leaf spot.
They are now turning their attentions to offensive traits such as higher yield. They expect the new AYT system to double the rate of genetic improvement, compared to conventional breeding programs that do not use MAS.
The AYT process starts when plant breeders analyze the vast germplasm database to identify genes with high yield indicators. By using molecular markers, they track the genes that show better yield potential. Once these genetic lines are identified, the researchers design the kind of soybean plant they want.
They are also using AYT to develop Pioneer soybean varieties with improved tolerance to glyphosate, scheduled for release in 2009.
“AYT allows us to take a giant step forward on our promise to deliver industry-leading improvements in soybeans,” said William Niebur, vice-president of DuPont’s crop genetics research and development section.
“Our customers are seeing dramatic increases in Pioneer soybean variety yields that have never been seen in such a short period of time. This technology embodies our business philosophy to increase the productivity and profitability of our customers to help them meet the rising demand for food, feed, fuel and materials.”
DuPont has announced that it is commercializing AYT soybean varieties that increase yields by as much as 12 percent. For 2008, Pioneer Hi-Bred plans to have five varieties developed by AYT technology.
The first AYT varieties are higher yielding versions of the newest Pioneer elite soybean genetics. Pioneer hopes to introduce an AYT version of the Pioneer brand 94M80, which set the world record soybean yield of 139 bushels per acre in 2006. New unique genetics are also being developed using AYT and other molecular breeding techniques.
“Full implementation of AYT combined with molecular breeding technologies will enable Pioneer to make a new class of soybeans that has unprecedented yield potential relative to anything we have ever seen,” Niebur said.
“These technologies allow us to incorporate a complete package of offensive and defensive characteristics that could make 100-plus bu. soybean yields a common occurrence in the very near future.”
According to Pioneer spokesperson Julie McIntosh, “at present we do not have any AYT varieties registered in Canada. Variety registration, which exists in Canada but not in the U.S., usually does not happen until January.
“We might get one through for this summer. That would be about a 2,600 heat unit variety suitable for Ontario and Quebec, but we don’t know yet.
“As for varieties for Western Canada for next spring, the answer would be no. Perhaps in 2009, but we won’t know that until January 2009 because of variety registration.”
