Friday, July 17, 2009

Take Roundup Ready corn and sugar beets, for instance.

Of the 270,000 acres of corn grown in Idaho in 2006, 57 percent were planted to Roundup Ready varieties, according to Monsanto, the maker of Roundup herbicide.

In 2007, the company estimates that number was up to 75 to 80 percent. Last year, they estimate 85 to 90 percent was in Roundup Ready.

The adoption of Roundup Ready sugar beets in Idaho has been even greater, at nearly 100 percent this year, industry officials said.

Monsanto touts its Roundup Ready system as a cost-effective way for growers to boost yields and to control a broad spectrum of problem weeds.

Overall herbicide use is significantly reduced with the system, Monsanto representative George Gough said during the Treasure Valley Ag Tour held July 8.

The use of Roundup Ready corn in 2006 allowed Idaho growers to reduce their herbicide use by an estimated 195,000 pounds, Gough said during a presentation at the University of Idaho Parma Research and Extension Center.

Idaho farmers were among the first to try Roundup Ready sugar beets in experimental trials a few years ago and have quickly switched to the new technology on a commercial scale.

Nearly all of the 166,000 acres of sugar beets in Idaho this year were planted to Roundup Ready varieties, Amalgamated Sugar Co. officials have estimated.

Widespread commercial use of Roundup Ready sugar beets began in 2008. Nationwide, about 80 to 90 percent of the U.S. sugar beet crop was planted to Roundup Ready varieties this year, Gough said.

Growers have had "phenomenal results," he said. "There has been a very high adoption rate, a very high level of satisfaction among growers."

Biotech product development cycles can take 10 years and $100 million from inception to commercial release, Gough said.

For that reason, most of the company's biotech development efforts have been focused on major crops such as corn, cotton, canola and soybeans.

"You need that large acreage to justify that $100 million investment," Gough said.

Many specialty crops could benefit from biotechnology, but their small acreage bases don't justify the expense, he said.

Biotech crops that possess built-in resistance to pests, herbicide tolerance or drought tolerance or a combination of those traits will become even more important in the years ahead, Gough said.

World population is expected to reach 9 billion people by 2045. Meanwhile, climate change and water availability could pose serious challenges for agricultural production.

Monsanto plans to introduce its first biotech drought-tolerant corn variety in 2012.

"This doesn't mean that you're going to be able to grow corn without water," Gough said. "We have a lot of smart people, but we haven't quite figured that out."

Monsanto has committed to donating the technology to Africa within three years of commercial release, he said.

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