Applications for approval of a new herbicide-tolerant soybean product, featuring MGI herbicide tolerance, are currently under review by regulatory authorities in the US and Canada as well as key soybean importing countries, including the European Union.
MGI is an acronym for the three herbicide active ingredients to which the product provides tolerance: Mesotrione, Glufosinate and Isoxaflutole.
Soybeans that are MGI tolerant provide an important new tool for growers faced with challenging weeds, such as waterhemp, Palmer pigweed and lambsquarters.
MGI tolerant soybeans will broaden the herbicide options available to growers by offering tolerance to Callisto® and Balance® herbicides, the leading HPPD inhibitor products.
Further assisting growers in weed resistance management, the new soybean product will also be tolerant to Liberty® herbicide, while maintaining soybean yield and agronomic performance.
“MGI herbicide tolerance will play an important role in promoting sustainable soybean weed management and provide growers with another tool to maximise soybean yield,” said Brett Miller, technical product lead, Syngenta.
“We expect MGI herbicide tolerance to become the foundation for soybean products containing stacked herbicide tolerant traits offering multiple modes of action to control the broadest spectrum of weeds.”
“Bayer CropScience is excited to work with Syngenta to provide growers a powerful new weed management tool in soybeans,” said Tim Zurliene, Global Trait Marketing and Licensing Manager, Bayer CropScience.
“This new trait and herbicide system will enable growers to build highly effective weed management programs in soybeans while utilizing rotation of multiple and highly effective herbicide modes of action - critical in the ongoing fight against weed resistance.”
MGI tolerant soybeans will finally open the doors for consistent, market-leading residual weed control combined with a powerful post-emergence control option to growers.
This technology will substantially improve soybean productivity and sustainability of weed control practices by enabling growers to use more effective, residual herbicides that offer maximum flexibility.
MGI tolerant soybeans will be available the latter part of the decade by Syngenta and Bayer CropScience seed brands, and will be also out-licensed to other seed companies once all the necessary regulatory approvals have been obtained. Additionally, each company is developing its own soybean herbicide products and programs that will be utilized with the new soybean varieties.
