On Seed Speaks this week, we took a closer look at two specific technologies in the seed industry that are both working toward a similar goal: stackable traits. Featuring the ROXY Rice RPS by Albaugh and the California Cooperative Rice Research Foundation and XtendFlex Soybeans by Bayer, these two products were chosen as two of the 10 Most Innovative Products by Seed World.
Our first guest, Chad Shelton, global proprietary products director at Albaugh, talked about the ROXY Rice Production System (RPS). A grower demanded product, the ROXY trait is a non-GM rice trait that provides tolerance to the post-patent herbicide ALB2023 and ALB2024. The trait was recovered in the variety M-206, known as California’s most widely grown Calrose variety. The first backcross to M-206 and M-210 have also been increased and purified for the first ROXY variety launch in the California rice market.
When it comes to the biggest difference ROXY makes? It helps stewardship, according to Shelton.
“We have to focus on stewardship, because as we see it today, markets like rice are going to be limited in the future,” he says. “We have to focus on making sure that we’re rotating modes of actions and the use of this technology so that growers have access to it over a long period of time.”
Our second speaker of the day, Brandy Cullen, soy traits marketing manager of Bayer, spoke to us about XtendFlex Soybeans.
A new segment of the Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System, XtendFlex soybeans are the seed industry’s soybean trait with tolerance to dicamba, glyphosate and glufosinate. According to Cullen, this is the first triple stacked soybean trait on the market.
“We’re really here to help farmers meet challenges on their farms,” Cullen says. “XtendFlex was one way we did that in 2021, which is why I’m so excited for this product.”
There are plenty of pressures that farmers are experiencing across the U.S., and while every field is different, Cullen says XtendFlex can help tackle some of the toughest weeds, such as marestail and kochia.
“This new innovation is what’s going to help progress farming,” she says. “This allows farmers to have multiple traits in the same crop, which is going to help their operations fight against pests.”
Learn more about these products from this week’s Seed Speaks.
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