Stress, Yield Enhancement, Digital Tools
Opportunity Favors the Prepared
When farmers look at a square meter of soil in one of their fields, they don’t just see a collection of nutrients and the physical structure that will support their crops. They see the potential for a bountiful harvest for years to come.
To fulfill that potential, they prepare themselves. Today’s farmers take an integrated approach to that preparation. To serve our farmers best, we must also take an integrated approach—to innovation.
Stress, Yield Enhancement, Digital Tools
Opportunity Favors the Prepared
When farmers look at a square meter of soil in one of their fields, they don’t just see a collection of nutrients and the physical structure that will support their crops. They see the potential for a bountiful harvest for years to come.
To fulfill that potential, they prepare themselves. Today’s farmers take an integrated approach to that preparation. To serve our farmers best, we must also take an integrated approach—to innovation.
Something for Everyone, Everywhere
Sometimes, that approach means developing products that enhance yield for smallholder farmers in developing countries. This can have a ripple effect on entire regions, raising incomes and education levels along the way.
Other times, it involves developing products that support the complex decisions involved with running larger operations. When commodity prices fluctuate, digital tools to support farmer decisions can make the difference between a good harvest and a disappointing one.
Something for Everyone, Everywhere
Sometimes, that approach means developing products that enhance yield for smallholder farmers in developing countries. This can have a ripple effect on entire regions, raising incomes and education levels along the way.
Other times, it involves developing products that support the complex decisions involved with running larger operations. When commodity prices fluctuate, digital tools to support farmer decisions can make the difference between a good harvest and a disappointing one.
Every Decision Counts
A farmer’s most valuable asset is their land. For third- and fourth-generation farmers, that value isn’t just economic; it’s a family treasure–to be respected, cared for, and passed onto the next generation.
This perspective on land exists for every farmer, from the smallest subsistence farmer in a developing country to the largest fifth-generation grain farmer in the United States. Regardless of size, a common goal is to maximize the production and efficiency per unit of land.
Because different fields can experience different growing conditions, this places a premium on decision making, which is where we come in.
“Plant breeding plays an important role in deploying new hybrids and varieties to address a wide range of farmer and consumer needs. These include tolerance to dry conditions, resistance to diseases, high yield, or quality traits such as low-saturated fat, high oleic oil.”
–Mourad Abdenadher, Global Protected Culture & Nursery Automation Lead at Monsanto
Efficiency All-Stars
The 2018 R&D Pipeline features several projects and products with the potential to support farmers in their efforts to maximize the performance of their land and crops.
Every Decision Counts
A farmer’s most valuable asset is their land. For third- and fourth-generation farmers, that value isn’t just economic; it’s a family treasure–to be respected, cared for, and passed onto the next generation.
This perspective on land exists for every farmer, from the smallest subsistence farmer in a developing country to the largest fifth-generation grain farmer in the United States. Regardless of size, a common goal is to maximize the production and efficiency per unit of land.
Because different fields can experience different growing conditions, this places a premium on decision making, which is where we come in.
“Plant breeding plays an important role in deploying new hybrids and varieties to address a wide range of farmer and consumer needs. These include tolerance to dry conditions, resistance to diseases, high yield, or quality traits such as low-saturated fat, high oleic oil.”
–Mourad Abdenadher, Global Protected Culture & Nursery Automation Lead at Monsanto
Efficiency All-Stars
The 2018 R&D Pipeline features several projects and products with the potential to support farmers in their efforts to maximize the performance of their land and crops.
It Starts With Seeds
Corn Bioyield 2
For farmers who aim for increased nutrient availability, a product emerging from our BioAg Alliance with Novozymes could soon offer an answer. The Corn Bioyield 2 project is a microbial-based seed coating designed to improve nutrient uptake in corn. This project is advancing to Phase 4 based on strong multi-year results in the field, and is expected to be branded as Acceleron B-360 ST, pending regulatory approvals, with a planned introduction in 2019.
High Density Corn System
Another way farmers seek to increase their efficiency is by increasing the number of seeds they plant per acre, known as plant population. Our High-Density Corn System research, aimed at developing plants that can thrive when planted in higher populations, is also advancing this year. This research holds great potential for farmers hoping to make the most of their sunlight, water, and soil nutrients.
High Yield Systems
Alongside higher-density solutions, we feature higher-yield systems as well. While the end goal is the same–more productive harvests–the mechanism differs slightly. Using modern breeding techniques, we identify plants with the highest potential yield per seed. These top performers can help farmers of all sizes maximize their investments in time and resources.
Vegetable Breeding & Germplasm
Our vegetable breeding program also works hard to integrate the search for efficiency in every product. Annual upgrades to our germplasm help growers navigate a world that includes evolving growing conditions and changing consumer expectations. To help them meet those expectations, we maintain a continual innovation pipeline, offering 125 new varieties across 20 produce crops each year.
"Plant breeding leverages new technologies to develop, test, and deploy new products adapted to the various soil and weather conditions on farms. For example, we use analytics models to accelerate development of high-yielding hybrids and varieties, we test new products under soils with varying nitrogen content, and we use models that incorporate soil, weather and disease data to make recommendations to farmers on which hybrid or variety to plant."
– Mourad Abdenadher, Global Protected Culture & Nursery Automation Lead at Monsanto
It Starts With Seeds
Corn Bioyield 2
For farmers who aim for increased nutrient availability, a product emerging from our BioAg Alliance with Novozymes could soon offer an answer. The Corn Bioyield 2 project is a microbial-based seed coating designed to improve nutrient uptake in corn. This project is advancing to Phase 4 based on strong multi-year results in the field, and is expected to be branded as Acceleron B-360 ST, pending regulatory approvals, with a planned introduction in 2019.
High Density Corn System
Another way farmers seek to increase their efficiency is by increasing the number of seeds they plant per acre, known as plant population. Our High-Density Corn System research, aimed at developing plants that can thrive when planted in higher populations, is also advancing this year. This research holds great potential for farmers hoping to make the most of their sunlight, water, and soil nutrients.
High Yield Systems
Alongside higher-density solutions, we feature higher-yield systems as well. While the end goal is the same–more productive harvests–the mechanism differs slightly. Using modern breeding techniques, we identify plants with the highest potential yield per seed. These top performers can help farmers of all sizes maximize their investments in time and resources.
Vegetable Breeding & Germplasm
Our vegetable breeding program also works hard to integrate the search for efficiency in every product. Annual upgrades to our germplasm help growers navigate a world that includes evolving growing conditions and changing consumer expectations. To help them meet those expectations, we maintain a continual innovation pipeline, offering 125 new varieties across 20 produce crops each year.
"Plant breeding leverages new technologies to develop, test, and deploy new products adapted to the various soil and weather conditions on farms. For example, we use analytics models to accelerate development of high-yielding hybrids and varieties, we test new products under soils with varying nitrogen content, and we use models that incorporate soil, weather and disease data to make recommendations to farmers on which hybrid or variety to plant."
– Mourad Abdenadher, Global Protected Culture & Nursery Automation Lead at Monsanto
Modern Agriculture Goes Digital
Data science—collecting and analyzing large amounts of farm data to support precise decision making—is transforming the world of modern agriculture. Rather than farming by the field, many farmers today talk about farming by the inch—and we focus our efforts so they have the tools to do it. Advanced sensors are helping farmers gather data on soil moisture and nutrient levels in their fields. Harvest and yield data is collected and analyzed in real time, providing farmers of all sizes the most accurate picture possible of their operations.
Precision technologies like GPS guidance, geospatial mapping, and auto-steer and section control are also helping farmers utilize their inputs and natural resources in the most efficient manner possible—in many cases, all coordinated from their smartphone or tablet.
Modern Agriculture Goes Digital
Data science—collecting and analyzing large amounts of farm data to support precise decision making—is transforming the world of modern agriculture. Rather than farming by the field, many farmers today talk about farming by the inch—and we focus our efforts so they have the tools to do it. Advanced sensors are helping farmers gather data on soil moisture and nutrient levels in their fields. Harvest and yield data is collected and analyzed in real time, providing farmers of all sizes the most accurate picture possible of their operations.
Precision technologies like GPS guidance, geospatial mapping, and auto-steer and section control are also helping farmers utilize their inputs and natural resources in the most efficient manner possible—in many cases, all coordinated from their smartphone or tablet.
Our Climate Corporation platform offers some of the most advanced and effective technologies in the digital agriculture space. Climate FieldView’s seed scripting tools help farmers acquire a better understanding of variability within fields with amazing accuracy. Every decision a farmer needs to make–from seed selection and plant population to nutrient and water management–can be made more precisely with the help of this seed prescription solution. When farms experience heavy rains or other weather events, that variability makes it very difficult to know which fields need attention first.
“These tools allow them to have information they didn’t have before. They know their fields are variable, but this allows them to see in greater detail. Things like how fields respond to weather events."
–Nick Koshnick, Vice President of Soil Science at Climate Corporation
Our Climate Corporation platform offers some of the most advanced and effective technologies in the digital agriculture space. Climate FieldView’s seed scripting tools help farmers acquire a better understanding of variability within fields with amazing accuracy. Every decision a farmer needs to make–from seed selection and plant population to nutrient and water management–can be made more precisely with the help of this seed prescription solution. When farms experience heavy rains or other weather events, that variability makes it very difficult to know which fields need attention first.
“These tools allow them to have information they didn’t have before. They know their fields are variable, but this allows them to see in greater detail. Things like how fields respond to weather events."
–Nick Koshnick, Vice President of Soil Science at Climate Corporation
Always Thinking of Tomorrow
Our farmer customers have established a legacy of long-term thinking, making choices based on today’s needs and tomorrow’s concerns.
Like those customers, ag innovation companies like Monsanto must also embrace long-term thinking. Modern agriculture today operates within a range of constraints–especially a rapidly growing world population and a changing climate–that require us to keep innovating, listening to our farmer customers, and providing them with the solutions that help them optimize opportunities and preserve their land for generations to come.
Always Thinking of Tomorrow
Our farmer customers have established a legacy of long-term thinking, making choices based on today’s needs and tomorrow’s concerns.
Like those customers, ag innovation companies like Monsanto must also embrace long-term thinking. Modern agriculture today operates within a range of constraints–especially a rapidly growing world population and a changing climate–that require us to keep innovating, listening to our farmer customers, and providing them with the solutions that help them optimize opportunities and preserve their land for generations to come.
- The BioAg Alliance: Corn BioYield 2 to be branded as Acceleron B-360 ST*
Applicable Crops: Corn
Product Description: Interactions with soil microbes can enhance a corn plant’s ability to get nutrients. This ag biological product is designed to unlock yield potential by increasing mycorrhizae colonization of the root zone to provide enhanced functional root volume, nutrient and water uptake.
Pipeline: Ag Biologicals
- High-Density Corn Systems
Applicable Crops: Corn
Product Description: By increasing plant population, this project could help farmers sustainably grow more crops on each acre.
Pipeline: Plant Breeding
- Seeds and Planting
Applicable Crops: Data Science
Product Description: We’re developing new and customized approaches to determine the best seed for a farmer’s geographic region and specific field, as well as helping farmers manage seed selection and optimize seeding rates by zone within their fields.
- Advanced Seed Scripting, Population by Field Zone
- Additional Zone Sources
- Regionally Based Seed Selection (Corn, Soy)
- Enhanced Field Zones & Improved Seeding
- Field Specific Seed Selection (Corn)
- Seed Portfolio Optimization
- Advanced Seed Scripting (Corn, Soy)
Pipeline: Climate- Geminivirus-Resistant Tomato
Applicable Crops: Tomato
Product Description: This project has the potential to reduce crop loss in the field due to disease. It aims to use unique genes developed through advanced plant breeding to deliver industry-leading protection from geminivirus in tomatoes to increase yields.
Pipeline: Plant Breeding
- Next-Generation Higher-Yielding Soybeans*
Applicable Crops: Soy
Product Description: This project aims to combine one or more traits with characteristics for increased yield to help farmers achieve improved harvests to meet the growing global demand for food, feed and fuel.
Pipeline: Plant Biotechnology