Monsanto will provide academic researchers and public institutions free access to its state of the art cyst nematode marker technology. Scientists and soybean breeders are expected to use this technology to develop new soybean varieties aimed at resisting the yield-robbing pest soybean cyst nematode (SCN).
“By sharing what we know, researchers around the world will be able to more accurately identify resistant soybeans and breed for them,” says Bob Reiter, vice president of breeding technology for Monsanto.
According to USDA, SCN has cut returns to soybean producers by $500 million each year and yields by as much as 75% to producers.