Alta Seeds Offers the First Herbicide-Tolerant Sorghum to Growers

Alta Seeds Releases Non-GMO igrowth® Hybrids for 2021 Planting Season

Alta Seeds' igrowth delivers the advanced crop technology that sorghum growers need to meet growing demand. Advanta Seeds was the first to discover this unique, non-GMO imidazolinone (IMI) tolerance technology. With successful launches in Argentina and Australia, Advanta is now offering this technology through its premium seed brand, Alta Seeds, to the U.S. market.

This innovative product will be revealed to growers in a virtual field day experience on July 8, 2020. To register, visit http://altaseeds.advantaus.com/igrowth/. Additional in-field demonstrations will occur on August 18, 2020, in Enid, Oklahoma, and September 2, 2020, in Larned, Kansas.

“The igrowth technology is a game changer, delivering the advanced crop technology that sorghum growers need to meet growing demand, improve crop production and maintain a profitable ROI,” says Tanner Antonick, regional sales manager - central U.S., for Alta Seeds. “For the first time, sorghum growers have the option for both grass and broadleaf control that can be applied either pre-emergence or post-emergence. It's a huge breakthrough that will allow for a cleaner, more profitable harvest.”

The igrowth production system includes a companion herbicide, IMIFLEX™, which is expected to receive registration from the Environmental Protection Agency in late 2020. Research trials show IMIFLEX provides effective residual control of yield-robbing broadleaf and grass weeds in pre-emergent and post-emergent applications. Field trials show IMIFLEX can be tank-mixed with other herbicides, which helps lessen the dependence on a single active ingredient for effective weed control.

A Game Changer for Sorghum Growers

Igrowth is a non-GMO technology, discovered through advanced genetic screening of Advanta’s elite germplasm. This naturally occurring tolerance means no DNA from other species or plants were introduced into the igrowth sorghum genome and igrowth has global market acceptance. When paired with the companion herbicide, the igrowth technology reduces the number of weeds competing for water and nutrients in the soil, allowing the sorghum crop greater access to crop inputs.

“The igrowth hybrids have been proven in numerous environments, including dryland and irrigated acres, for performance and yield," Antonick says. "Growers will be able to select the igrowth sorghum hybrid that best suits their locale and growing practices, appealing to growers of both high- and low-input acres.”

Alta Seeds is planning to initially release five grain sorghum hybrids with early to medium maturity to fit most soil types. Approximately 20 grain and forage hybrids are in the igrowth pipeline, with adaptability to primary sorghum growing regions.

Growers wanting to purchase igrowth seed for the 2021 growing season will need to register and sign the igrowth Weed Control Sorghum Grower Agreement at AgCelerate.com.

For more information about igrowth and Alta Seeds, click on this link.

About Alta Seeds

Alta Seeds is a premium seed brand of Advanta US, an operating unit of global seed company Advanta Seeds and a division of UPL. Alta Seeds provides farmers with high-quality hybrids of grain sorghum and sorghum for forage bred from the proprietary genetics of Advanta Seeds. The company with a diverse and active R&D pipeline, Alta Seeds is the most-focused team in providing premium genetics and technology specific to the sorghum industry, such as Aphix sugarcane aphid tolerance and EMPYR premier forages.

About Advanta Seeds

A global seed business with operations on six continents and sales in 40 countries, Advanta Seeds combines proprietary crop genetics and plant breeding capabilities with biotechnology to produce high-quality seed products and solutions for its customers around the world. Advanta is a member of the UPL group of companies.

About UPL

UPL is a leader in global food systems, as one of the top 5 agricultural solutions companies worldwide. With revenue of US$5 billion, UPL has a presence in 130 countries. With market access to 90 percent of the world's food basket and a focus on high-growth regions, UPL represents a compelling value proposition for growers, distributors, suppliers and innovation partners in a consolidating market. UPL offers an integrated portfolio of both patented and post-patent agricultural solutions for various arable and specialty crops, including biological, crop protection, seed treatment and post-harvest solutions covering the entire crop value chain.