DuPont Pioneer is introducing Accelerated Yield Technology (AYT) 4.0. This technology will more than double the rate of genetic gain of the soybean varieties in Pioneer’s research pipeline, translating to greater yield potential in the field and a reduced time to bring new products to market.
“This is revolutionary technology that is helping deliver higher yielding soybeans to market faster than ever before,” said Paul Stephens, DuPont Pioneer senior director for soybean research. “In my three decades of soybean variety improvement work, I have never seen rates of genetic gain as high as AYT 4.0 is producing.”
The average year-to-year yield improvement for soybeans in the United States is about half a bushel per acre. With AYT 4.0 Pioneer has more than doubled this rate of genetic gain of varieties in the Pioneer pipeline.
AYT 4.0 is an advanced proprietary soybean breeding approach focused on increasing yield. It uses sophisticated analytics and cutting-edge computing to evaluate millions of points of genetic data gathered across hundreds of thousands of local plots each season. By applying these results, DuPont Pioneer researchers identify and advance the highest yielding varieties within the Pioneer soybean research program.
The first generation of Accelerated Yield Technology was introduced in 2007. It used a molecular marker technique to enhance yields for a select group of commercial soybean varieties. Now the 4.0 version will be used across the entire early-stage soybean breeding program, allowing scientist to identify the highest yielding varieties. The process allows Pioneer to cut product development time down to five to seven years.
“AYT 4.0 gives us the most detailed understanding of the soybean genome we’ve ever had,” said Stephens. “Just a few years ago our researchers could only dream of applying the precise breeding activities that we are routinely doing today. It is important that we continue to push the boundaries of our science to deliver better products to our customers.”
The first commercial soybean variety from AYT has been released and 2017 expects to see the majority of new varieties coming from this technology. Pioneer anticipates the coming years will result in all commercial brands being produced with AYT 4.0.
“Many growers are already experiencing the increased yields AYT 4.0 delivers,” Stephens said. “Pioneer® variety P31T11R is the first commercial variety developed using AYT 4.0. In 2015, it delivered a yield advantage of 3.8 bu/acre against similar maturing varieties in Iowa. This outstanding yield potential, coupled with a great defensive package, has already made it one of our top-selling varieties.”