DuPont Pioneer introduces BOLT™ herbicide-tolerant trait

DuPont Pioneer announced the launch of BOLT™ technology - a new herbicide-tolerant trait available in select U.S. soybean varieties. The new exclusive technology provides farmers more options and flexibility to manage glyphosate-resistant weeds from the start of the season. For 2015, Pioneer® brand T Series soybeans with the Roundup Ready® trait and BOLT™ technology will be available to farmers across the Mid-South in maturity groups IV and V. 
 

"BOLT™ technology is another great tool to help farmers manage tough-to-control weeds in their Pioneer® brand soybeans from the start of spring planting," said Andre Trepanier, DuPont Pioneer soybean marketing manager. "Pioneer T Series soybean varieties with BOLT™ technology will help farmers reduce weed competition from planting through harvest by enabling new uses for proven, field-tested herbicides."
 

BOLT™ technology is a native trait that provides soybeans with enhanced tolerance to DuPont™ LeadOff® and DuPont™ Basis® Blend herbicides to give farmers more burndown options in reduced or no-till situations than were previously unavailable to soybean growers. Pending herbicide label approvals, soybeans with BOLT™ technology will be the only varieties that can be planted immediately following burndown applications of these effective chemistries.
 

LeadOff® and Basis® Blend herbicides are labeled for application to corn and will be labeled for zero-day plant-back following burndown if planted with soybeans with BOLT™ technology. This will allow farmers the flexibility to make planting-time decisions on whether to plant corn or soybeans.
 

"Our T Series soybeans offer the most effective package of traits and genetics the Pioneer soybean breeding program has yet delivered. Our customers have been experiencing it first-hand with some achieving record-setting yields in 2014," said Trepanier. "Now, with the added flexibility it provides, BOLT™ technology gives farmers more options to take advantage of changing weather and markets to make last-minute planting changes."
 

In addition to tolerance to LeadOff® and Basis® Blend herbicides, BOLT™ technology will provide enhanced tolerance to DuPont™ Finesse® Cereal & Fallow herbicide in double-crop soybeans following its application to wheat. The technology also enables farmers to use chemistries labeled for DuPont™ STS® soybean systems. Herbicide label changes are pending for DuPont™ Synchrony® XP, DuPont ™ Classic™, and Basis® Blend herbicides. LeadOff® and Finesse® herbicide label changes have already been approved. All remaining herbicide approvals are expected to be received in time for the 2015 planting season.
 

Pioneer expects to expand its offerings of Pioneer® brand soybeans with BOLT™ technology across a wide range of maturities by the end of the decade.