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Monsanto announces third public release of soybean genetic material (May 14, 2002 – CropChoice news) – The following comes from a Monsanto press release.
ST. LOUIS -- As part of its pledge to share technology, Monsanto announced its intent to release approximately two hundred Simple Sequence Repeat
(SSR) genetic markers to accelerate the development of a soybean with
improved oils, better yields and more protein.
Monsanto and United States Department of Agriculture cooperated in the
development this technology. Dr. Perry Cregan, a researcher with the
Agricultural Research Service of the USDA developed the markers at the
Soybean Genomic and Improvement Laboratory of the Plant Sciences Institute
at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Maryland. Monsanto will
release these genetic markers to the United Soybean Board's checkoff funded
Better Bean Initiative. They will be made available to the public sector
via the USB's Technology Utilization Center during May 2002.
"Monsanto shares the USB's goal of developing enhanced soybeans which can
ultimately create value for U.S. soy producers and provide an even healthier
soybean for consumers," said Carl Casale, vice president and general manager
for Monsanto's North American agriculture business. "In line with the
Monsanto Pledge and our tenet of sharing knowledge and technology to improve
the agriculture industry, Monsanto is pleased to share this technology with
the U.S. soybean industry."
Scientists often use genetic markers as a flag to identify the specific
location of a genetic trait of interest on a chromosome. By flagging the
desired trait, plant breeders can breed plants more efficiently. These
markers enable researchers to rapidly analyze soybean plants and identify
individuals that have the best expression of a desired trait e.g. yield or
oil content. This means that U.S. growers get access to better soybean
varieties faster.
"Monsanto has been a valuable partner with the soybean checkoff through
their contributions in support of the Better Bean Initiative," said USB Vice
Chairman David Durham, a soybean farmer from Hardin, MO and Chairman of
USB's BBI Advisory Panel. "The SSR markers are important tools for plant
breeders and can accelerate the development of soybean varieties with
improved protein and oil qualities that customers of the U.S. soybeans
demand."
Today's announcement is the latest action by the company to implement the
Monsanto Pledge. The Monsanto Pledge is a series of commitments that
describe the company's policies for the products developed through
biotechnology.
This is the third commitment of genetic material that Monsanto has made to
the checkoff funded Better Bean Initiative in the past two years. In May
2001, the company donated a Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) genetic marker to
the Better Bean Initiative. This genetic marker identifies the low palmitic
fatty acid trait within the soybean genome and is expected to quickly
accelerate the Better Bean Initiative's goal of developing a low saturate
soybean. In June of 2001, Monsanto announced that it would share a series
of bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)-end sequences with USB. Scientists
will use BAC-end sequences to better understand the soybean genome by
identifying the location of specific genetic markers on chromosomes within a
genome.
The mission of the checkoff-funded Better Bean Initiative is to step up the
development and availability of U.S. soybean seed with enhanced composition
traits. The USB has been working with public and private sector industry
partners from the food, feed and seed industries to leverage resources and
determine the most efficient way to bring these new soybean products to
market. The development of soybean seed with enhanced traits will better
position U.S. soybeans to meet the needs of oil and protein end-users and
improve the economic value for U.S. soybean farmers. The Better Bean
Initiative (BBI) also helps U.S. soybean farmers match and outpace increased
competition from other soybean-producing countries, as well as other protein
and vegetable oil sources. Monsanto Company has been a cooperator in the
Better Bean Initiative since January 2000.
The Technology Utilization Center is a virtual center, created as a tool of
the Better Bean Initiative, to access, combine and provide new traits for
commodity soybeans. It provides a way to bring together the public and
private sectors to help achieve the overall BBI goals. | |
