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HERCULEX® I FAQIf you don't find answers to your specific questions on HERCULEX® I Insect Protection here, feel free to ask our experts. What is HERCULEX® I Insect Protection?How does this trait work? Which pests does HERCULEX® I Insect Protection target? Because HERCULEX® I Insect Protection offers broad-spectrum protection, it is effective on many pests. How effective is it on the following pests? How does plant protection offered by HERCULEX® I Insect Protection differ from that provided by conventional insecticide treatments? Why is HERCULEX® I Insect Protection an important protection option against European corn borer infestation? Are there any risks to nontarget insects? What is the safety toward the monarch butterfly? Is corn harvested from hybrids containing HERCULEX® I Insect Protection safe to feed to animals? Has any research been done to indicate safe feeding results? What impact does HERCULEX® I Insect Protection have on crop yield? How do yields compare with non-Bacillus thuringiensis corn yields? HERCULEX® I Insect Protection exhibits whole-plant expression. What does this mean and why is it important? Is HERCULEX® I Insect Protection expressed in the grain and silks? Will HERCULEX® I Insect Protection reduce mold (mycotoxins) in the corn? Do I need to be concerned about planting dates with hybrids containing HERCULEX® I Insect Protection? In addition to how an elite corn hybrid would be normally planted and managed, are there any other agronomic practices required in planting and managing hybrids containing HERCULEX® I Insect Protection? Are the Insect Resistance Management (IRM) requirements for HERCULEX® I Insect Protection different from other Bacillus thuringiensis? What are the IRM requirements for HERCULEX® I Insect Protection? Hybrids containing HERCULEX® I Insect Protection also feature the LibertyLink® trait. What’s the reason for this and why is it important? Are there other considerations when determining the value of HERCULEX® I Insect Protection? HERCULEX® I Insect Protection with Roundup Ready® Corn 2 is a Market Choices® product. What does this mean? What is HERCULEX® I Insect Protection?HERCULEX® I Insect Protection is a new in-plant, insect protection trait discovered by Dow AgroSciences and developed in a research collaboration between Dow AgroSciences; its retail seed company, Mycogen Seeds; and Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc. The genetic trait utilizes the Cry1F gene. Cry1F expresses an insecticidal protein derived from a naturally occurring soil microorganism, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). How does this trait work?A susceptible insect larva eats the protein, which then binds to specific receptors in the larva's gut. Binding initiates a cascade of effects in the larva that ultimately leads to death. Which pests does HERCULEX® I Insect Protection target?The protein expressed in the Cry1F gene is different from other plant-based Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) endotoxins currently registered and sold in seed corn, in that it protects the plant from several destructive corn insects. Combined with high-yielding genetics, HERCULEX® I Insect Protection gives you outstanding protection against yield-robbing insects such as European corn borer, southwestern corn borer, even western bean cutworm and black cutworm along with fall armyworm and intermediate suppression of corn earworm. Because HERCULEX® I Insect Protection offers broad-spectrum protection, it is effective on many pests. How effective is it on the following pests?European corn borer Fall armyworm Western bean cutworm Black cutworm Corn earworm Southwestern corn borer How does plant protection offered by HERCULEX® I Insect Protection differ from that provided by conventional insecticide treatments?HERCULEX® I Insect Protection is an above-ground, in-plant, insect protection trait. The protection offered is more comprehensive than that available from conventionally applied insecticide treatments, which must be timed appropriately. HERCULEX I provides full-season, full-plant protection. The protein trait continually protects the plant throughout the entire season – no need for added costs to apply insecticides and no missed spray windows. No insecticide on the market today can control the variety of insects, in one single application, that HERCULEX I protects against. Why is HERCULEX® I Insect Protection an important protection option against European corn borer infestation?In the central Midwest, European corn borer (ECB) can produce up to three generations per year. Each generation can do a great deal of damage to the corn plant and reduce yield. The larvae bore into the corn stalks, causing stem breakage, lodging and reduced yield. Traditionally, scouting was important to determine the threshold and timing for control methods of ECB. With HERCULEX® I Insect Protection, the need for scouting is reduced, as the trait is designed to stop ECB all season long. First-generation corn borers normally feed on leaves in the whorl before tunneling into the stalk. This impedes nutrient flow to corn ears, weakens the stalk and increases lodging potential in the fall prior to harvest. Tunneling also creates entry points for plant diseases, such as stalk rot. Second- and third-generation ECB generally feed on pollen, leaves, ears and ear shanks. Ears may fall off if the shank is weakened. Later generations also tunnel into the stalk. Later stages of larvae may overwinter if they develop enough to survive the winter. Typically, overwintering takes place in the leftover stalk of the harvested corn plant. If they survive, these early corn borers will emerge the next year. Yield losses are due to physiological damage, stalk breakage, lodging and ear drop. HERCULEX I will be of greatest benefit to growers in years when corn borer pressure is high (years when susceptible hybrids would sustain an average of at least one half of a corn borer cavity per stalk). Large ECB populations form every four to seven years. Are there any risks to nontarget insects?A number of nontarget organisms were tested as part of the registration process and no adverse effects were observed. Some of the organisms tested include honeybees, earthworms, lady beetles, springtails and green lacewings. What is the safety toward the monarch butterfly?The toxicity to monarch butterfly larvae is even lower than currently registered Bt corn-plant pesticides. Data provided to USDA-APHIS indicated that the estimated environmental concentration of Cry1F protein due to pollen exposure does not exceed the no-effect level for monarch larvae at any point inside or outside of corn fields. Therefore, planting of HERCULEX® I Insect Protection is not expected to harm monarch butterfly larvae, nor is it expected to significantly affect the majority of other nontarget lepidopteran larvae beyond field margins (USDA-APHIS Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for Bt Cry1F Insect Resistant, Glufosinate Tolerant Corn Line 1507). Is corn harvested from hybrids containing HERCULEX® I Insect Protection safe to feed to animals? Has any research been done to indicate safe feeding results?Studies conducted on the nutrient composition profiles of grain and whole plant forage produced from HERCULEX® I Insect Protection hybrids revealed no differences between HERCULEX I hybrids and hybrids not containing the trait. A chicken broiler study has been conducted, using grain harvested from HERCULEX I hybrids. No differences in nutritional quality or growth of the broilers were observed between those animals that consumed the HERCULEX I corn and those that were fed conventional corn. What impact does HERCULEX® I Insect Protection have on crop yield? How do yields compare with non-Bacillus thuringiensis corn yields?The fact that HERCULEX® I Insect Protection is a full-season, full-plant insect protection trait means that it protects yield all season long. The corn plant remains healthier. There is reduced damage to the crop and fewer broken or downed stalks. Ear droppage is reduced. Harvesting is more efficient. A healthy plant can also better fight off weather or environmental stresses throughout the growing season. The presence of a Bacillus thuringiensis gene in a hybrid does not increase yield, it only aids in preventing yield loss due to insect damage. Yield potential is determined by the genetics of a hybrid. The better a plant is protected from insects and other stress, the better it can realize its full genetic potential. HERCULEX® I Insect Protection exhibits whole-plant expression. What does this mean and why is it important?Whole-plant expression means that Cry1F protein, which is responsible for protecting the plant from insect attack, is expressed throughout all the plant's parts. The corn pests that are susceptible to the Cry1F protein, such as European corn borer (ECB), southwestern corn borer (SWCB), fall armyworm (FAW), black cutworm (BCW) and western bean cutworm (WBCW), feed on various parts of the corn plant. Larvae of ECB, SWCB and FAW feed and burrow on corn leaves, stem whorls, stalks and/or ears, resulting in stalk lodging, dropped ears and damaged grain. BCW larvae cut off plants at or slightly below the soil surface, reducing plant stands. WBCW, a late-season pest, feeds directly on the developing ear to cause damage and yield loss. Foliar-applied insecticides are often not effective against stalk boring or ear-feeding insects because the larvae, at certain stages in their life cycle, feed primarily inside the plant where the foliar-applied insecticide cannot reach. Because the tissues of the HERCULEX® I Insect Protection plants express the Cry1F protein, the larvae are exposed to the insecticidal protein at all stages in their life cycle. Is HERCULEX® I Insect Protection expressed in the grain and silks?Yes, HERCULEX® I Insect Protection is expressed in both the grain and silks of the corn plants. Will HERCULEX® I Insect Protection reduce mold (mycotoxins) in the corn?Available data show that corn hybrids expressing Bacillus thuringiensis Cry toxins have reduced vulnerability to mycotoxin-producing fungi, thereby enhancing the safety of the grain for livestock feed and for human food (Munkvold and Hellmich, 1999). Since HERCULEX® I Insect Protection contains the Cry1F protein, hybrids containing the trait may potentially be at less risk from mycotoxin-producing fungi. Do I need to be concerned about planting dates with hybrids containing HERCULEX® I Insect Protection?All corn is vulnerable to insect pests throughout the growing season. However, early planted corn is more susceptible to first-generation corn borer and black cutworm. Late-planted corn is more severely damaged by second-generation European corn borer, southwestern corn borer, fall armyworm and corn earworm. Full-season, broad-spectrum, above-ground insect protection will help limit damage and stress from insect pests and help hybrids achieve their full genetic potential, regardless of planting date. In addition to how an elite corn hybrid would be normally planted and managed, are there any other agronomic practices required in planting and managing hybrids containing HERCULEX® I Insect Protection?There are no special agronomic practices needed in managing hybrids containing HERCULEX ® I Insect Protection over conventional hybrids other than what is needed to satisfy Insect Resistance Management (IRM) requirements. A grower will need a plan developed for his planting acres so that refuge requirements are met. See the Product Use Guide for IRM guidelines. Are the Insect Resistance Management (IRM) requirements for HERCULEX® I Insect Protection different from other Bacillus thuringiensis?The Insect Resistance Management requirements for HERCULEX ® I Insect Protection are the same as for other Bt products. See the Product Use Guide for IRM guidelines. What are the IRM requirements for HERCULEX® I Insect Protection?See the Product Use Guide for IRM guidelines. Hybrids containing HERCULEX® I Insect Protection also feature the LibertyLink® trait. What’s the reason for this and why is it important?All hybrids with HERCULEX® I Insect Protection feature the LibertyLink® trait, making them tolerant to over-the-top applications of LIBERTY® herbicide. The phosphinothricin acetyltransferase (PAT) protein, expressed by the PAT gene inserted into plants containing HERCULEX ® I Insect Protection, confers tolerance to glufosinate-ammonium herbicides. The PAT protein is an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of the active ingredient in glufosinate-ammonium to an inactive form, thus detoxifying the glufosinate-ammonium herbicide. Plants possessing this tolerance can be sprayed with glufosinate-ammonium herbicides. These are a class of postemergence herbicides that are broad-spectrum, systemic and nonselective, allowing weed control after the emergence of the corn plants. You can use LIBERTY herbicide or stick with your conventional weed control program. Are there other considerations when determining the value of HERCULEX® I Insect Protection?The most direct benefit is protection of yield potential as a result of reduced insect feeding and damage. However, it's also important to keep in mind the less-measurable secondary benefits of the broader-spectrum, in-plant insect protection offered by HERCULEX ® I Insect Protection. Knowing that your corn is protected can help you reduce the time spent scouting and worrying about treatment thresholds for the pests targeted by HERCULEX I. While slight to moderate insect pressure may not kill a corn plant, insect feeding beyond the most superficial levels does stress the plant, thus reducing the likelihood it will reach its full genetic potential. This feeding can also provide entry points for other pests or disease, further stressing the plant. Pests that bore into, or feed on, stalks can weaken the plant. The resulting lodging or dropped ears can slow harvest and reduce yields. HERCULEX® I Insect Protection with Roundup Ready® Corn 2 is a Market Choices® product. What does this mean?Grain harvested from products that bear the Market Choices® logo are fully approved for food and feed use in the United States and Japan, but is not approved in the European Union. Grain from hybrids containing HERCULEX® I Insect Protection only is fully approved for food and feed use in the EU; however, this approval does not apply to grain (or processed products from this grain, e.g., gluten) from HERCULEX I hybrids stacked with Roundup Ready® Corn 2. Grain from hybrids containing HERCULEX ® I Insect Protection and Roundup Ready corn is a Market Choices product and must be marketed accordingly. |
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