April 15, 2002

NDSU Research Foundation to Commercialize New Soybean Variety

The North Dakota State University Research Foundation has announced a license agreement with Monsanto to commercialize NDSU's first soybean variety with the Roundup Ready trait. The "RG200RR" variety recently released by the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station was developed through the work of NDSU soybean breeder Ted Helms under research agreements with Monsanto.

The commercialization of the variety is part of a new program called "Roughrider Genetics," a trademarked brand name established for the marketing of licensed or proprietary varieties owned and managed by the NDSU Research Foundation.

"This is another way that NDSU is providing varieties in a manner that many of our constituents want," said Dale Zetocha, NDSU Research Foundation executive director, noting more than 2 million acres of soybeans were planted in North Dakota during 2001. "Roundup Ready soybeans have become more popular in the United States as well as North Dakota. Well over half of the soybean acreage in North Dakota is planted with Roundup Ready seed, primarily privately developed varieties up to this point."

The Roundup Ready gene and trait are owned by Monsanto, while the new soybean variety is owned by the NDSU Research Foundation.

"We feel that because of the uniqueness of the varieties from NDSU, with much of the focus on early maturity, these varieties will fit well into the marketplace," Zetocha said.

Zetocha said there will be a structured, controlled licensing program for the RG200RR variety. He said the NDSU Research Foundation has 23 licensed growers in North Dakota and Minnesota who are eligible to receive foundation seed this spring. With the release of the variety, it is anticipated that certified seed may be available to North Dakota and Minnesota farmers for the 2003 growing season.

Zetocha said this may be the first of several Roundup Ready soybean varieties that will be commercialized under the Roughrider Genetics program. "It is a licensing program that is intended to meet the seed needs of licensed growers, NDSU and Monsanto, which owns the proprietary Roundup Ready gene," he said, noting that he anticipates future Roughrider Genetics releases may include other varieties containing proprietary technology.

"We anticipate an additional variety next year and one or two the following year," Zetocha said. "We look for continued release of varieties with Roundup Ready traits beyond that."

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Source: Dale Zetocha, (701) 231-8931, dzetocha@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Steve Bergeson, (701) 231-6101, steven.bergeson@ndsu.nodak.edu