Benefits to Producers

When biotechnology affects a plant’s genetic ability to grow and thrive, the results are called first-generation benefits. The traits involved in these transformed events are often called input traits, because they (like other agricultural inputs) will help determine the output potential the producer can expect under specific growing conditions.

For thousands of years, producers have used selective breeding to develop a seed stock with the most desirable input traits. What once took many generations to attain, biotechnology can provide in a single generation.

Dow AgroSciences continues to make encouraging advances with input traits in the following areas:

• Insect-resistant crops
• Yield and agronomic enhancement
• Stress-resistant crops (drought, heat and sun)
• Herbicide-tolerant crops
• Virus-resistant crops
• Disease-resistant crops

These first-generation input traits will allow producers around the world to be more profitable through gained efficiencies and reduced costs.