Farmers have another important tool in their on-going battle with two of the most damaging corn insects in the United States… corn rootworm and corn borer.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently granted registration for the stack of Monsanto’s YieldGard^Ò Corn Borer and YieldGard Rootworm technologies to be released under the commercial name of YieldGard Plus. 

NC+ Hybrids will be offering select YieldGard Plus corn hybrids for the 2004 growing season, pending individual state  approvals and receipt of Japanese import approval.

“YieldGard Plus, with built-in resistance to corn borer and rootworm, offers a significant advantage over regular insecticides in terms of effectiveness, safety and convenience,” NC+ Products Manager and agronomist Doug Gloystein said.  “This new product allows growers to control both major pests without having to be concerned with insecticide applications.”

Gloystein adds that use of the new hybrids will tend to be region specific since certain areas of the country have been more susceptible to significant infestations of both corn borer and corn rootworm. “As an independent company, our philosophy has always been to offer our customers the latest technologies that give them the best options and opportunities to improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness of their production practices,” he said. “YieldGard Plus allows NC+ to have a full line of technology products available to our customers.”

Once individual state approvals are received, NC+ will offer the following hybrids for 2004:

• NC+ 2164BD (YieldGard Plus version of NC+ 2162)

• NC+ 4844BD (YieldGard Plus version of NC+ 4822)

• NC+ 5444BD (YieldGard Plus version of NC+ 5411)

Gloystein reminds growers to follow refuge and grain channeling requirements when planting YieldGard Plus corn.

NC+ Hybrids, based in Lincoln, Neb., is one of the largest independent seed companies in the United States.  Farmer-owned for 45 years, NC+ nationally markets corn, soybeans, grain sorghum, forage sorghum, sudangrass, alfalfa and sunflowers. NC+ offers the latest seed technologies including YieldGard^Ò Rootworm, YieldGard^Ò Corn Borer, YieldGard^Ò Plus, Roundup Ready^Ò, CLEARFIELD^Ò and Liberty Link^Ò.