Re: Monsanto announcement

RNS Number : 8529U

Plant Health Care PLC

01 July 2009

 



Embargoed for release: 7am, 1 July 2009

Plant Health Care plc

('Plant Health Care' or 'the Company')

MONSANTO ANNOUNCE POSITIVE EARLY SEASON RESULTS WITH ACCELERON™  SEED TREATMENT

Monsanto Company released information and photographs on Monday June 29 detailing  the performance of its Roundup Ready 2 Yield™ soybeans in combination with its Acceleron™ seed treatment package.  Monsanto's first commercial use of Plant Health Care's Harpin seed treatment product is planned for the soybean Acceleron™ seed treatment to be delivered on Roundup Ready 2 Yield™ soybeans beginning in 2010.

The Monsanto announcement is set out below. For further details and pictures please use the following link: http://monsanto.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=723

Combination of New Biotechnology Trait and Seed Treatment System in Soybeans Demonstrating Strong Early Season Performance

Farmers can count on the Genuity™ Roundup Ready 2 Yield® trait and Acceleron™ for higher yield and profit potential

ST. LOUIS (June 29, 2009) - Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) announced today that soybean varieties with the Genuity™ Roundup Ready 2 Yield® trait and Acceleron™ seed treatment system are showing an early season performance advantage over competitive soybean products and first-generation traits in many areas of the United States. 

The new biotechnology trait is designed to deliver higher yield potential to farmers, and the seed treatment system helps maximize crop performance potential beginning at planting. This is the first year of commercialization for both technologies. These technologies will serve as base platforms underpinning the company's sustainability goal of doubling soybean yields by 2030, compared to a base year of 2000.

The debut of both technologies comes at a time where global soybean stocks are dwindling as global demand for U.S. soybeans is strong.

'In what may be a peak year for U.S. soybean acreage, more than 16,000 farmers across the Corn Belt have purchased and are experiencing the breakthrough benefits of this new trait and seed treatment,' said Jennifer Ralston, Monsanto's U.S. oilseed product management director. 'Early season observations of soybean varieties with the Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yield trait and Acceleron give us confidence that soybeans with this trait-and-treatment tandem will be the industry leader in yield performance.'

Early season data from soybeans with the Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yield trait and Acceleron for next season demonstrates consistent improvement in plant stand and seedling vigor, as compared to untreated soybeans and competitive germplasm treated with commercial seed treatments, such as CruiserMaxx®.  Field trials were conducted in multiple locations across more than 10 states.

Today, approximately one-third of the soybean seed planted in the United States is treated. This compares to nearly all of the corn and cotton seed planted in the United States. The value and expected use of seed treatments in soybeans are expected to expand as the yield potential of new soybean varieties are increasing through the introduction of traits like Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yield.

'Doubling average soybean yields will take innovative scientific advancement in breeding, biotechnology and agronomic practice improvements, like seed treatment,' Ralston said. 'In soybeans, we see a great deal of upside yield potential and we're very excited about the step change that the Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yield trait and Acceleron brings to increasing yields.'

For photographs of early season performance for the new trait and treatment, please visit www.monsanto.com/soybeanperformance.

- ends -

For further information, please contact:

Plant Health Care plc
John Brady, Chief Executive Officer
Tel: [phone]
[e-mail]

Evolution Securities	Tavistock Communications
Tim Worlledge / Tim Redfern	Jeremy Carey/Matt Ridsdale
Tel: [phone]	Tel: [phone]
[e-mail] [e-mail]	[e-mail]  [e-mail]

About Plant Health Care plc: Plant Health Care plc ('PHC') is a leading provider of natural products for plants and soil. Established in 1995 in Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) in the United States, PHC currently has approximately 90 employees and has operations in the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Spain, and the Netherlands. The Company listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange in July 2004. Ticker symbol is PHC.

PHC's products are aimed at the agriculture and landscape industries and are environmentally beneficial. Through the commercialisation of these products, PHC is capitalising on current long-term trends toward natural systems and biological products for plant care and soil and water management. Further information is available at: www.planthealthcare.com  

 

END

 

 

NRACKKKKOBKDOAN