Monsanto unit announces 5 new cotton seeds for 2009

January 07 2009

Monsanto unit announces 5 new cotton seeds for 2009

SAN ANTONIO, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Monsanto said its D&PL seed unit will market five new varieties for U.S. cotton farmers to be used in the 2009 season which should boost yields for growers.

The new varieties were presented to a group of farmers by Monsanto at the annual Beltwide cotton conference, according to a statement by the firm issued late Tuesday.

'We've made a lot of new investments in cotton,' Monsanto's chief technology official Robb Fraley said in an interview. 'We're starting to use the new molecular breeding and biotech tools in cotton.'

Field tests showed the new seed varieties had higher yields on average by 100 to 350 lbs an acre.

Monsanto is one of the world's top seed and life science companies. The company markets seeds in corn, soybeans, cotton and vegetables.

Source: Reuters