Pioneer Hi-Bred and Evogene announced they will collaborate to develop and generate a genomic database tailored to soybean-rust resistance.

Evogene will use its computational genomic technology, the Athlete, to identify novel genes predicted to improve soybean rust resistance. Pioneer will use proprietary technologies to evaluate the genes in transgenic soybeans.

Pioneer and Evogene received approval in principle for partial funding of the multiyear project from the BIRD Foundation, a foundation funded by the Israeli and American governments.

Damage from soybean rust can cause significant yield losses reaching up to 80% of the affected field. An estimated $1.5 billion in yield losses annually is caused by the fungal disease.

IN OTHER NO-TILL NEWS…

University of Illinois Extension says it finds no statistically significant time trend in average U.S. corn yields since 2003. The increase in corn consumption in the U.S. from 10.2 billion bushels to 12.6 billion bushels between the 2003-04 and 2011-12 crop years has largely been met through an increase in planted acres of 13.3 million, the university says.

Case IH introduced AFS Connect telematics programs that collect data from a machine’s electronics, display and GPS satellites, and forward the information over the air. Farm owners and managers can remotely locate, communicate and track their entire fleet and monitor multiple activities and equipment in their fields from an office computer.

DuPont Crop Protection and BioLeap entered a research collaboration that will use novel molecular-design technology developed at BioLeap to discover proprietary compounds for crop protection. BioLeap will identify compounds…