Here's an early look at the new seed varieties to be launched for the 2004 planting season, as reported by the major seed companies.

888/8-ASGROW

Contacts: Dion McBay, U.S. soybean marketing manager; Tim Schlueter, soybean market manager

Asgrow says it is introducing 16 new soybean varieties for 2004 that offer high yields and in-seed disease and pest protection. More than 90% of the new soybean varieties available for 2004 contain the Roundup Ready (RR) trait. Many of the new varieties exhibit built-in tolerance to pests and diseases such as soybean cyst nematode (SCN), sudden death syndrome and brown stem rot.

Six new corn hybrids highlight Asgrow's offerings for 2004. The lineup features hybrids with Monsanto's YieldGard Corn Borer, YieldGard Rootworm and RR traits, providing broader coverage for a wider range of geographic situations. One new Asgrow hybrid, RX708YGRW, has the YieldGard Rootworm trait.

800/397-2069

Contact: Allen Messman

Bo-Jac adds four hybrids to its conventionally bred lineup. The new hybrids will be in the 108- to 113-day maturity range. One 112-day Bt hybrid is new to the YieldGard lineup, and two others are possible fall releases. As part of the Triton Genetics group, Bo-Jac also will offer Herculex I hybrids, which not only give European corn borer (ECB) protection, but black cutworm, southwestern corn borer and fall armyworm protection as well.

Bo-Jac offers Maverick brand soybeans, which will add five new RR varieties in the 2.8 to 3.9 maturities, all but one with SCN resistance. This year will also bring a new conventional 2.9 variety with SCN resistance, 3292.

651/765-5712

Contacts: John Romines, eastern U.S.; Kevin Eye, western U.S.

Croplan Genetics introduces 27 new corn hybrids for 2004, ranging in maturity from 89 to 117 days with a variety of technologies available, including corn rootworm technology. The company says these hybrids offer a wide range of genetic diversity for increased performance across a variety of conditions.

Croplan Genetics also will feature 32 RR soybean varieties for 2004, ranging in maturity from Group 00 to Group VII.

800/331-7201

Contact: Dennis Clark

Crow's Hybrid Corn Company introduces more than 20 new corn hybrids and 10 new soybean varieties for 2004 planting. Crow's offers such traits as RR, corn rootworm protection, YieldGard and corn borer protection. It also offers the advantages of Cruiser on 11 corn rootworm hybrids plus other selected key corn products. The company says it will introduce seven new SCN offerings with exceptional yield and a solid defensive package.

800/236-0163

Contact: Gary Leeper

Dairyland is introducing eight new YieldGard Corn Rootworm-protected hybrids for 2004, two new RR hybrids, six YieldGard Corn Borer hybrids and three conventional hybrids. Dairyland also adds eight new RR soybean varieties and one conventional soybean product to its 2004 lineup.

Dairyland's new alfalfa release, HybriForce-420/Wet, complements its HybriForce-400 alfalfa and provides an option for poorly drained soils. The company claims that its patented rnsSUNSTRA hybrid alfalfa technology provides farmers with unsurpassed yields.

800/8-DEKALB

Contacts: Kyle Maple, U.S. corn marketing manager; Joe Walsh, corn market manager

DeKalb launches 21 new corn hybrids for 2004, featuring such technology as the YieldGard Corn Borer trait for insect protection and the RR trait. Three of this year's new hybrids have the YieldGard Rootworm trait: DKC46-23, DKC53-29 and DKC60-12.

DeKalb also introduces 14 new soybean varieties, all featuring the RR trait. Maturities range from early Group 00 to late Group VI.

One new DeKalb hybrid is available in sorghum for 2004: DKS53-11. The company describes it as a medium-full hybrid, with greenbug resistance to biotype I and excellent stalk quality.

888/892-1949

Contact: Peter Peerbolte

Delta and Pine Land Company (D&PL) has four new cottonseed and five new soybean seed products for 2004. DP 444 BG/RR will be the featured product among the group of new cottonseed. The company claims that DP 444 BG/RR has excellent fiber quality potential with very low micronaire. It says the variety is widely adapted in most early season areas and is fast fruiting. Two other new products contain the new Bollard II gene: DP 424 BG II /RR and DP 468 BG II /RR, which carries Bollgard II plus RR in a stacked gene configuration. DP 494 RR is a new product, which D&PL claims has the potential to have an improved fiber package in the RR group.

The new soybean varieties from D&PL are DP 3861 RR, DP 4331 RR, DP 4724 RR, DP 4933 RR and DP 5634 RR, all with the RR benefit.

800/321-3177

Fielder's Choice Direct has introduced 57 new hybrids during the past two years and will launch 28 new corn hybrids for 2004. The new hybrids will be part of the company's 100-hybrid lineup in 2004. The new additions include 19 trait hybrids: two RR, six YieldGard Corn Borer, six YieldGard Rootworm, and five stacked trait hybrids. Fielder's Choice also offers 32 hybrids with Intellicoat Early Plant seed coating technology. The company says the coating allows farmers to plant earlier with less risk of stand loss due to chilling injury of the seed.

800/279-4353

Contact: Steve Pike

For the 2004 season, Fontanelle introduces one new conventional and one new waxy corn hybrid, two new High Cycle brand YieldGard Corn Borer hybrids (YGCB), four RR hybrids (YGRR) and four YieldGard hybrids stacked with Roundup (YGCB/RR). Fontanelle will have two hybrids resistant to corn rootworm (YGRW) with stacked versions available pending registrations. Fontanelle's soybean lineup adds seven new varieties. For more information, go to www.fontanelle.com or call for a free catalog and product trial coupon.

913/384-4940

Contacts: Eugene Sutter, John Pieper, Mike Schmidt

Garst Seed Company includes the Garst, AgriPro, Gutwein and PSA Genetics brands of seed products. Garst offers 33 new corn hybrids for the 2004 season: 12 RR hybrids, one YieldGard/RR stacked hybrid, three YieldGard/IT stacked hybrids, nine YieldGard hybrids, three IT hybrids and five non-trait hybrids. Garst will also be offering a number of corn rootworm-protected hybrids for 2004, some of which will be stacked with the RR trait.

Garst also offers 26 new soybean varieties: 10 RR varieties and 11 RR/SCN varieties. Rounding out the company's new products are one new sorghum hybrid and four new alfalfa varieties.

800/610-7333

Contact: James R. Shearl

Golden Harvest has a wide range of new corn and grain sorghum hybrids and soybean and alfalfa varieties. For detailed information about seeds suited to each area of the country, call the toll-free number listed above or visit the company's Web site at www.goldenharvestseeds.com.

309/557-6254

Contact: Dana Weaver

Growmark introduces 20 new seed corn hybrids for 2004, ranging from 102- to 114-day relative maturity (RM). Most include YieldGard, RR and/or Clearfield traits.

Growmark also offers 21 soybean varieties in Groups I to V. Most are RR varieties and RR with SCN resistance.

800/245-4631

Contact: Matt Thoene

Hoegemeyer Hybrids claims that its new hybrid, 2661, is a medium- to medium-late-maturity hybrid that is widely adapted to many soil types and management practices. The company claims that this hybrid has good yield response under irrigated environments, has good stress tolerance, and is better at naturally resisting ECB yield loss compared with most conventional hybrids. The hybrid also is available as 661LL with Liberty herbicide tolerance. It has a 110- to 113-day maturity.

According to Hoegemeyer, its 2595 hybrid has fast dry down, better-than-average mid-season brittle stalk vulnerability, better-than-average seedling emergence under cool conditions, and good response in high rainfall and irrigation environments. The hybrid has a maturity of 102 to 105 days.

The company says the benefits of its 2629 hybrid are excellent yield stability across many different soil types and management practices, excellent stress tolerance, late harvest, and good yield response at higher populations.

The company claims that HBt653 has high yield potential on high production farm ground but also has the ear flex to handle the lower populations of marginal environments. It says the hybrid would be an excellent choice for a highly extractable starch market. The hybrid has a 109- to 112-day maturity.

608/849-2322

Contact: Les Niles

Kaltenberg Seeds will introduce 17 new corn hybrids for 2004. Seven hybrids incorporate corn rootworm technology. Three hybrids fit well with the company's hybrid offerings of RR, Bt, Liberty, Clearfield and Elite. The corn hybrids have an 81- to 113-day RM.

The company describes its six new bean varieties as having strong disease packages and high yields. It says the new varieties fit well with its 28 other 0.7 RM to 3.5 RM varieties. The company is adding one new wheat variety to its program.

800/752-6847

Contact: Jim Nelson (farm management)

Roger Bonsack (national sales manager)

Kim Robertson (marketing manager)

LG Seeds introduces 18 new corn hybrids ranging in maturity from 84 to 133 days: four RR, three YieldGard Corn Borer resistant, four YieldGard Rootworm, one YG/RR, two Clearfield and four conventional products.

The company describes its new soybean varieties as having outstanding yields and strong disease protection from LG Seeds No-Till SuperKote. Its new varieties include five RR, five RR cyst-resistant, and one cyst-resistant conventional variety. They range in maturity from 0.9 to 4.8.

For more information, call the number given above or visit www.lgseeds.com.

800/369-8218

Contacts: Mark Gruhn, Randy Hathaway

Midwest Seed Genetics adds more than 20 new corn hybrids and seven new soybean varieties for the 2004 growing season. The company believes in genetic diversity to help spread the risk associated with farming. It shares which hybrids are similar or unique from others within their product line.

309/432-5215

Contacts: Chris Schroeder, Rod Nothwehr, Chuck Schneider

For the 2004 growing season, Mycogen Seeds offers more than 30 new grain corn hybrids, ranging from 80- to 116-day RM. Many of the new grain corn hybrids feature trait and seed treatment technologies, such as Herculex I insect protection, YieldGard Rootworm technology and YieldGard Corn Borer technology, RR 2 corn and Cruiser seed treatment.

Mycogen also offers 12 new soybean varieties, ranging from 0.8 to 4.2 RM. Now all Mycogen Seeds soybeans carry the Atlas brand. The company's soybean selection includes varieties that are RR and offer SCN resistance.

800/279-7999

Contact: Gene Kronberg

NC+ Hybrids offers the following hybrids for 2004: NC+ 1593R, 98 days, new RR hybrid; NC+ 3503, 106 days, three-series hybrid; NC+ 3903R, 109 days, new RR hybrid for western corn growers; NC+ 4413B, 111 days, new YieldGard Corn Borer companion for NC+ 4141B and NC+ 4990B; NC+ 4573B, 112 days, YieldGard Corn Borer hybrid with southern mobility; NC+ 4783, 111 days, new YieldGard Corn Borer hybrid in the style of NC+ 4771; NC+ 4823B, 112 days, new YieldGard Corn Borer version of NC+ 4822; NC+ 5193B, 113 days, new YieldGard Corn Borer hybrid with improved root strength over NC+ 5172B; NC+ 5413R, 114 days, RR version of NC+ 5411; NC+ 5423B, 114 days, new YieldGard Corn Borer version of NC+ 5411; NC+ 5433RB, 114 days, YieldGard Corn Borer version of NC+ 5411 with built-in RR and YieldGard Corn Borer protection; NC+ 6533, 117 days, with new genetics.

The company's soybean varieties include NC+ 1A73RR, RR Early Group I, with plant type similar to NC+ 1A78RR; NC+ 2A33RR, Early Group II; NC+ 2A44RR, Mid-Group II; NC+ 2A73RR, Mid-Group II; NC+ 2A93RR, Late Group II, with tolerance to high-pH soils; NC+ 3A53RR, Mid-Group III, R3, MR13 SCN resistance; NC+ 3A84RR, Mid-Late Group III, later, larger-plant version of NC+ 3A61RR.

The company claims its grain sorghum NC+ 6B73 has 65 days to mid-bloom and is a more uniform replacement to the standby NC+ 6B70.

NC+ JADE III is the company's newest generation of alfalfa.

309/527-6000

Contact: David Pfister

Pfister introduces several new biotech hybrids for 2004, including three new YieldGard Rootworm hybrids (2326RW, 2656RW and 2720RW), one Rootworm/RR stack (2656RW/RR), four YieldGard Corn Borer hybrids (1499Bt, 2490Bt, 2656Bt and 3356Bt), another new stacked trait (2656RRBt), and two conventional hybrids (2750CL and 2760). The new products range in maturity from 96 to 115 days.

Pioneer will introduce about 50 new corn hybrids for 2004. Included will be a number of new hybrids with Herculex I insect protection, the new ECB-resistant technology introduced by Pioneer last year. All products with the Herculex I technology also contain the LibertyLink gene for resistance to Liberty herbicide. Pioneer also will expand its range of hybrids with the RR gene. Many Pioneer-brand hybrids will be offered with a low-rate insecticide seed treatment for protections from secondary insects. In addition, Pioneer will introduce a new high-rate seed-applied treatment that adds protection against corn rootworm and suppression of black cutworm.

Pioneer introduces 23 new soybean hybrids for 2004. The maturity for these new varieties ranges from Group 0 through Group IV. Nineteen of these new varieties contain the RR gene, and 13 contain both the RR gene and SCN resistance. Sixteen varieties also carry a multi-race resistance to Phytopthora root via the Rpslc, 1k or 6 gene.

888/496-1470

Contact: Brad Dunbar, marketing manager

StaufferSeeds is introducing 14 new technology hybrids for 2004, including Roundup Ready 2414RR, 2699RR, 2721RR; YieldGard Corn Borer 2414CB, 2457CB, 2699CB, 2721CB; YieldGard Rootworm 2414RW and 2699RW; and stacked hybrids 2560CB/RW and 2721CB/RR. StaufferSeeds says it provides its customers the opportunity to control a wide variety of insects by offering Poncho 250 and Poncho 1250 seed-applied insecticides.

800/362-2510

Contact: John Reiher

Stine Seed Company offers 33 corn hybrids for 2004, including 10 new hybrids. These hybrids feature such traits as RR, YieldGard Corn Borer, YieldGard Rootworm, and more.

Stine offers 59 RR soybeans for 2004, 25 of those brand new. Maturities on these RR soybeans range from 004 to 54. Also for 2004, Stine will offer 22 Elite soybeans, including five brand-new numbers. Maturities on Stine's Elite soybeans range from 006 to 45.

800/258-0498

Contacts: Terry Hobson, Robert Navratil

Syngenta Seeds offers 14 new NK brand corn hybrids for 2004. Nine varieties have the YieldGard and LibertyLink added traits; N70-T9a multipurpose hybrid has YieldGard, LibertyLink and Clearfield added traits.

Syngenta offers 10 new soybean varieties with the RR added trait and S57-P1, which is stacked with STS technology for resistance to sulfonylurea herbicides.

Also new for 2004 are four new NK brand alfalfa varieties, one with HopperGuard added trait and NK brand COKER 9295 soft red winter wheat.

712/755-3841

Contact: Dave Stamp

Wilson Seeds expands its corn hybrid lineup with 19 new corn hybrids (two conventional, two corn borer, six rootworm Bt, two Clearfield stacked Bt, five RR corn borer stacked Bt, one RR rootworm stacked Bt and one RR product) and introduces 19 ratings for corn-on-corn select hybrids. Wilson Seeds also has three new RR soybean varieties along with a wide range of no-till select products for the 2004 planting season. Wilson Seeds is part of the Channel Bio Corporation group.

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