Big Yield Dreams
Seed company puts molecular, genetic research to work in hopes of securing a 40% boost in corn, soy yields within the decade.
Compiled by staff
Published: Sep 12, 2008
 In the wake of a global challenge to produce more food and feed, the world's largest seed company has boldly targeted 40% yield increases for both corn and soybeans by 2018.
That's a pretty big dream, but there are few companies better suited to meet the challenge than Pioneer Hi-Bred International, claims Bill Niebur, Vice President of Crops Genetic Research and Development at DuPont, Pioneer's parent company. Niebur has spent 25 years working in crop breeding, with an extended stint in France leading European corn research. We sat down for an exclusive interview to find out how Pioneer intends to make those yield expectations a reality.
Farm Futures: It's one thing to say you hope to see a 10% increase in crop yields. But 40%? That seems really ambitious.
Niebur: It's a number that's based on where we've been historically. Over the last 10 years, with cultural enhancements, genetic improvements, improved farming practices, combined with superior seed genetics, we've able to see 20% yield enhancements. Now we're taking it to the next level by aggressively deploying a broad range of molecular and field-based breeding approaches, computer modeling and advanced biotechnologies.
In soybeans, we're employing new modern technologies in our breeding programs to double the rate of genetic gain, and we think that will allow us to increase soy production 40% over the next 10 years.
Can you be more specific about this research?
The actual technology suite we are deploying in our new Y series of beans is really comprised of a complex matrix of technologies that we refer to as Accelerated Yield Technologies, or AYT. It's an approach toward yield improvement that combines high throughput computing technology, industry leading automation technology in field and lab, combined with an in-depth understanding of germplasm at the genotypic level. In other words, it's molecular information on soybeans. When we combine that molecular information with high throughput computing and highly automated systems, we achieve the enhanced gain in an accelerated fashion, thus the name AYT.
How is this different than in the past?
Molecular marker technology has been used effectively for relatively simple crop traits, like disease and insect resistance. But today for the first time we're able to harness the potential of molecular marker assisted breeding to enhance yield. When you protect the plant from yield robbing insects, weeds or diseases you allow the plant to fully express its potential for yield. With AYT we achieve that. Additionally we have identified exotic, novel genetic components that increase yield. Part of this is realizing the potential that is inherent in the soy germplasm; the other part is to introduce new, genetic variations that expand the genetic potential for yield in soybeans.
How do you explain this on a farmer level?
Pioneer is dedicated to enhancing the soybean to regain the competitiveness of the soybean compared to corn in the North American market. We will boost yields through a combination of germplasm, diversity, favorable agronomic traits, insect and disease resistance, combined with stronger drought tolerance and nutrient efficiency.
How much will it cost farmers?
We plan to plant 8 to 9 million acres of these new Y series beans in North America next year. With the yield enhancements we've seen we believe that will generate 19 million new bushels of soybeans next year in the North American marketplace. We will price according to value. We want to avoid saying this is what they're going to cost, because at the end of the day a farmer and seed company have a complex set of negotiations where they determine value and price, based on the relationship we have with that customer.
What about corn?
As we look at the power of molecular breeding, we believe we can drive 40% yield enhancement in corn over the next 10 years. And, we can expand the Corn Belt further west and north, due to better trait deployment to meet the global demand that we're experiencing.
The exciting thing in corn is that we're over the phenomenon of, if you don't have the triple stack you don't have the best hybrid. We're looking at a thoughtful deployment strategy where we position the right product for the right acre. If the triple stack is needed we provide it; if a double stack is more appropriate we provide it; if a non-GMO seed is needed, we provide it.
In addition, pending regulatory approval, we will be launching Optimum AcreMax, where we are working with EPA to effectively reduce the refuge acreage (an EPA required 20% planting to non BT corn seed) in the Corn Belt. We want to get that to a single digit that the EPA will determine. We expect regulatory approval of Optimum AcreMax 1 with reduced corn rootworm refuge in 2009 and we expect to launch Optimum AcreMax 2 with reduced corn borer refuge as early as 2012.
By the middle of the next decade we will bring transgenic drought tolerant trait solutions that will further allow the corn plant to produce with limited water. We plan to do the same thing for nitrogen, to drive greater productivity.
Are you working on corn that can fix its own nitrogen? That would certainly help a farmers' fertilizer bill.
The current state of science to create nitrogen fixing corn would cause too significant of a yield penalty to make it economically feasible. There are other ways to enhance nitrogen efficiencies that would allow us to maintain our incredible productivity gains before we would want to step back and commercialize a nitrogen-fixing corn plant.
It sounds like this technology will really help U.S. farmers, but how will it play out globally?
The beauty of this is, it's all scale neutral. It's a valuable technology even if the average yield is 16 bushels or 160 bushels per acre. We believe today that it's important for us to develop this technology globally, evaluate it globally, and to initially launch this technology in places where the regulator system is trusted, and then leverage that more globally as markets demand, accept and approve it.
We work intimately with CGIAR (Consultive Group on International Agricultural Research) to insure that technological breakthroughs and things we achieve are shared with those researchers; I serve as chair of the private sector committee at the World Bank, working on ag research to make sure knowledge transfer occurs in the public and private sector.
What does any of this mean to a poor African farmer?
It's important that the enhancements we're experiencing are not lost on the rural developing world. We've talked a lot about virtual acres — by doubling the productivity of existing acres, we've doubled production without bringing new acres into production. With the power of the tools we have today, we can do just that.
We feel like it's our mission to improve the human condition globally through enhanced productivity leading to greater food security, enabling durable political stability and ultimately, economic growth.
How has Pioneer's mission impacted you personally?
I've been in this game for 25 years. I was a corn breeder before it was considered cool. The question we were always asked was, why make corn more productive, especially since we're only getting two dollars a bushel for it? In the last three years no one has asked me that question. The time is now and we're working hard to ensure the entire world benefits from this opportunity.
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Tagged: soybeans, EPA, soybean, Drought, Corn Belt
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