U.S. and Canada ok Pioneer Hi-Bred’s new Optimum Intrasect insect protection

Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business, has announced that it has received approval of Optimum® Intrasect™ insect protection allowing corn growers in the United States and Canada to significantly reduce their structured above-ground refuge. Optimum Intrasect insect protection offers dual mode above ground insect protection and reduced refuge requirements. Reduced above-ground refuge is a key step toward Pioneer’s next generation single-bag refuge solutions.

Pioneer® brand hybrids with the Optimum Intrasect insect protection trait combination of Herculex® I and YieldGard® Corn Borer are approved as noted:

• In late 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) amended the registration for the U.S. Corn Belt, reducing the structured refuge from 20 percent to 5 percent.

• In January, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) approved an amendment to reduce structured refuge from 20 percent to 5 percent in Canada.

• This February, the U.S. EPA amended the registration in U.S. cotton-growing areas, reducing structured refuge from 50 percent to 20 percent.

"Optimum Intrasect hybrids give growers more options to meet their specific insect control needs to protect yields against damage from above-ground insects,” says Bill Belzer, senior marketing manager for corn – Pioneer. “These products from Pioneer offer growers additional choices to help reduce refuge, maximize yields and preserve valuable Bt technology."

For 2011, Pioneer will have wide-scale, on-farm demonstrations of Optimum Intrasect hybrids across North America. Growers will have the opportunity to experience firsthand product performance and the benefits of reduced, structured refuge.

"These Optimum Intrasect insect protection regulatory approvals keep Pioneer’s momentum strong in developing innovative new insect protection solutions,” said Belzer. “In 2010, Pioneer received the first and only EPA approval for integrated corn rootworm refuge and these Optimum® AcreMax™ 1 products are available for the upcoming 2011 growing season.”

For 2012, Pioneer anticipates approval of its next generation single-bag integrated refuge offerings – Optimum AcreMax products for above-ground protection and Optimum® AcreMax™ Xtra products for above- and below-ground protection.

"Pioneer is committed to providing growers more choices in products and systems that preserve key technologies, maximize productivity through targeted trait development and simplify the challenges growers face,” says Belzer.