Dekalb, IL - Dekalb Genetics Corporation said that it is moving forward in developing corn hybrids with reduced phytate content. Low-phytate corn has the potential to be of great value to swine and poultry producers in geographic areas having large concentrations of livestock such as the southeastern United States, the upper Midwest, and the central and southern plains.
Dekalb is among the first seed companies to license the low-phytate trait from the Unites States Department of Agriculture. With development now in process, Dekalb low-phytate corn is expected to be ready for planting within the next few years and will be available in an array of hybrids. This environmentally and nutritionally valuable product will complement Dekalb's portfolio of specific trait products, which includes Bt corn, Roundup Ready(R) corn, glufosinate-resistant (GR(TM)) corn, and high oil corn. Additional traits targeted to the animal feed industry, such as high-lysine soybeans, high-lysine corn and high-tryptophan corn, are expected to be available to farmers in the next few years.
Phytate is a naturally occurring compound used by plants to store phosphorus. But when corn is fed to monogastric (single stomach) animals such as swine and poultry, phytate can inhibit the absorption of phosphorus by the animals, resulting in a need to use phosphorus supplements or phytase enzymes as feed additives. Low-phytate corn would reduce grower need for these costly additives. More than 50% of all U.S. corn produced is fed to swine or poultry.
Low-phytate corn also holds the promise of reducing the phosphorus concentrations of swine and poultry wastes that are currently applied to farmland. When undigested phosphorus passes through animals, it can build up to excessive levels in heavily manured soils. Excess phosphorus in soil has been shown to reduce grain yields and is sometimes a threat to water quality. Phosphorus run-off is suspected to cause excessive algae blooms in some Bodies of water such as the Chesapeake Bay.
Based in Dekalb, Ill., Dekalb Genetics Corporation is a worldwide leader in agricultural genetics and biotechnology for seed and swine. Dekalb Genetics Corporation Class B Common Stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DKB.
Forward-looking statements are subject to several risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from projections. Among these factors are the company's relative product performance and competitive market position, weather conditions, commodity prices, trade policies, market conditions, and intellectual property matters.
Meat Industry Insights News Service
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