1. Roundup Ready® Maize
and till
d tillage practices
ti
Prague , June 2011
Ivo Brants
Regulatory Sciences Lead, EMEA

2. Controlling weeds has been a challenge throughout the
history of agriculture
• Prior to chemical
herbicides, tillage and
other mechanical
methods were the
primary weed control
tools
• Extensive tillage was
a contributing factor to
the Dust Bowl in the
1930 s
1930’s which led to
the formation of
NRCS and the move
towards conservation
tillage
1930’s 1940’s 1950’s 1960’s 1970’s 1980’s 1990’s 2000’s
2
Photo courtesy of USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

3. Technological advances have increased the number of
tools available for controlling weeds
• The invention of synthetic
chemical herbicides in the
1950 s
1950’s and 1960’s offered
1960 s
growers a new set of tools for
controlling weeds
• Roundup and other broad
spectrum herbicides offered
farmers a new burndown tool
1930’s 1940’s 1950’s 1960’s 1970’s 1980’s 1990’s 2000’s
3
Photos courtesy of USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

4. Biotechnology has provided growers with additional
too s their
tools in t e quest to co t o weeds
control eeds
Herbicide tolerant crops have Growers have adopted these
enabled growers to use broad crops broadly due to several
spectrum herbicides in crop
p p key benefits to their weed
for greater weed control control systems
Efficacy
Convenience Cost
1930’s 1940’s 1950’s 1960’s 1970’s 1980’s 1990’s 2000’s
4

5. Adoption of Herbicide Tolerant traits
(% surface cultivated, source USDA)
100
Soja (31 M ha)
90
Cotton (3 M ha)
80
Maíze (32 M ha)
70
Sugar Beet (0,45 M ha)
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

6. Role of Maize in the EU 27 Crop Rotation
p
Maize area % area
Member State
(1.000
(1 000 ha) corn after corn
France 3127.6 31%
Romania 2819.6 41%
Germany 1738.9 19%
Italy
It l 1411.7
1411 7 43%
Hungary 1308.5 14%
Poland 656.7 30%
Spain 507.4 29%
Bulgaria
B l i 380.9
380 9 35%
Czech Rep. 281.3 11%
Austria 252.5 21%
Netherlands 249.1 66%
Slovakia
Sl ki 245.1
245 1 11%
Belgium 215.0 32%
Greece 200.0 29%
Portugal 162.0 29%
Analysis of the economic, social and environmental impacts of options for the longterm EU strategy against Diabrotica virgifera (Western Corn Rootworm), a regulated harmful organism of
maize, to support the drafting of the Commission Impact Assessment. (Final report). European Commission, DG SANCO, Rue de la Loi 200, 1049 Brussels, 04.06.2009

7. Major Weeds in European Maize Production
(Bi)Annual dicots Annual grasses Perennial dicots Perennial grasses
Amaranthus retroflexus Alopecurus myosuroides Cirsium arvense Agropyron repens
Capsella bursa-pastoris Digitaria sp. Convolvulus arvensis Cynodon dactylon
Chenopodium album Echinochloa crus-galli Cyperus rotundus
Datura stramonium Poa annua Sorghum halepense
g p
Galium aparine Setaria sp.
Lamium sp.
Major weed control strategies in European maize production:
Matricaria
M t i i sp.
• Around 50 maize selective active substances on Annex 1 of EU Directive
Polygonum sp. 91/414. General trend goes to less compounds in the future.
Solanum nigrum • Between 14 and 33 active substances registered per member state
Stellaria media • Herbicides are usually mixed to control the local weed flora
• 1 or 2 (seldom 3) herbicide applications per maize crop
Veronica sp.
• Application timings differ widely. There is a tendency towards pre-
Xanthium sp.
emergence applications i S th
li ti in Southern E
Europe and t
d towards post-
d t
emergence treatments in Northern Europe.
Geranium sp.

8. Weeds represent a significant threat to agricultural productivity
and cause losses even with control efforts
Potential and Actual Production Losses from Weeds • Potential crop losses
for Corn, Soybeans and Cotton Globally from weeds have been
100% estimated to be 30-
Percent of Attainable Production
n
90% 40% of total
80% productivity for corn,
70% soybeans and cotton
60%
50%
40%
• 8-10% of productivity
30%
is lost using current
20% weed control practices
f
10%
0%
Corn
Cotton
Corn
Cotton
oybeans
oybeans
So
So
Potential Loss from Weeds Actual Loss from Weeds
Loss from Weeds Production Potential Net of Loss to Weeds
Source: Adapted from E.-C. Oerke Rhienische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universitaet Bonn,
8 Crop losses to pests, 2006, J. of Agricultural Science

9. Roundup Ready® Maize Weed Control Concept 1
2. Roundup
(max. 1080 g ae)
1. residual herbicide
pre-emergence
3 6 8 corn leaf stage
g
weed sensitive period
1. Apply any registered residual maize herbicide at reduced rate before emergence of
corn
2. Control later emerging weeds with Roundup (max 1080 g ae) by respecting
a)
) weed height: less than 10 cm
g
b) corn growth stage: latest at 3 leaf stage
9

10. Weed control in Roundup Ready® Maize in Southern Europe
comparison of pre-emergence and post program (3 trials, Spain 2009)
pre emergence
% control
t /ha

11. Trials with RR-maize in Malpica (Toledo), Spain. June 4th, 2006
37 DAT Harness GTZ 4,5 l/ha 10 DAT Roundup 3 l/ha

12. Roundup Ready® Maize Weed Control Concept 2
2. Roundup (max. 1080 g ae)
2 R d
1. tank mix Roundup (max. 1080 only if neccessary
g ae) and residual herbicide
3 6 8 corn leaf stage
weed sensitive period
1. Apply a tank mix of Roundup and a compatible residual maize herbicide (at reduced
1
rate) at 3 leaf stage of corn
2. In case of high weed pressure apply Roundup again
In both cases the application timing is triggered like in concept 1 by weed height (less
than 10 cm) and crop growth stage
12

13. Weed control in Roundup Ready® Maize in Northern Europe
comparison of pre-emergence versus full post program (5 trials, CZ 2009)
pre emergence
% control
t /ha

14. Roundup Ready® Maize Weed Control Concept 3
2.
2 Roundup
1. Roundup (max. 1080 g ae)
(max. 1080 g ae)
3 6 8 corn leaf stage
weed sensitive period
1. Apply Roundup at 3 leaf stage of corn
1
2. Depending on weed pressure apply Roundup a second time latest at 8 leaf stage
of corn
In both cases the application timing is triggered by weed height (less than 10 cm) and
crop growth stage
(the pure Roundup concept is a prerequisite to register Roundup over the top in Roundup Ready maize)
14

15. Roundup Ready® Maize Weed Control Concept 4
Roundup
(max. 1440 g ae)
8 corn leaf stage
weed sensitive period
Especially in warmer climates the late control of perennial weeds like Convolvulus arvensis is
a major concern in maize production
The Roundup Ready system in maize offers a new solution for this problem
Start with concept 1 to 3 at max 720 g ae of Roundup at the 1st application
Apply 1440 g ae of Roundup latest at 8 leaf stage of corn when perennial weeds have
sufficient leaf area for take up of glyphosate 15

16. Potential Partner Herbicides for
Roundup Ready® maize in Europe
Brand name(s) Active ingredient HRAC / Herbicide class Company
Harness, Guardian Acetochlor K3 / Chloroacetamides Monsanto / Dow
Dual Gold s‐Metolachlor K3 / Chloroacetamides Syngenta
Spectrum, Frontier Dimethenamid‐p K3 / Chloroacetamides BASF
Successor Pethoxamid /
K3 / Chloroacetamides Staehler Int.
Click, Chac,…. Terbuthylazine C1 / PS II Inhibitor several
Clio Topramezone F2 / Inh. of 4‐HPPD BASF
Merlin / Emerode
/ Isoxaflutol F2 / Inh. of 4‐HPPD
/ Bayer
Banvel Dicamba O / Benzoic acid Syngenta
Stomp SC Pendimethalin K1 / Dinitroaniline BASF
16

17. The Positive impacts of no-till system
‐ 90% less soil erosion.
‐ 40% less fuel use.
‐ Maintenance or improvement of the soil organic matter.
‐ Increase in soil fertility /biodiversity (chemical, physical and biological).
‐ Higher water use efficiency
Higher water use efficiency.
‐ Lower production costs.
‐ Higher production stability and yield potential.
TANGIBLE BENEFITS FOR THE FARMER
‐ Better soils, higher capability to produce food and energy.
‐ Less competition for drinkable water (strategic resource).
p ( g )
‐ Higher water quality (lower erosion and contamination risk).
‐ GHG emissions reduction, positive impact on climate change.
‐ Less pressure on HCV and fragile areas (by production increase).
‐ Possibility of producing in degraded and/or fragile lands without the known risks of
Possibility of producing in degraded and/or fragile lands without the known risks of
conventional tillage.
BENEFITS TANGIBLE FOR THE SOCIETY
Certified
Agriculture
The evolution of NT

18. Roundup® and Roundup Read® crops have enabled the
broad expansion of conservation tillage
Herbicide U Data d Conservation Till
H bi id Use D t and C ti Tillage Ad ti i U S
Adoption in U.S.
Corn, Soybeans and Cotton – 1990-2008 • Conservation tillage
acres in corn,
soybeans and cotton
have grown by 40M
acres between 1990
and 2008 while
herbicide use
remained flat
• This has dramatically
shifted the face of
agriculture with fewer
passes in the field,
less fuel usage, and
reduced erosion
Sources: GfK, Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC)
18

19. Tillage Practices Before and After Adopting
Roundup Ready Crops by Cropping System1
Before Roundup Ready After Roundup Ready
% of Growers % of Growers
16 20
29 29 25 32
No-Till 37 43 40
11
54
28 43
44 51 35
Reduced 50
73 26 42 47
43 37 28
27 24 Conv. 20 15 18 13
*Conventional crop was generally corn or rice
1Roundup Ready Crops: Corn, Cotton, Soybean, Source: 2005/2006 Grower Survey

20. Evolution of Conservation Tillage in Brazil
70% of crops in Brazil use the s stem
Bra il se system.
50% of the ~1.1 million hectares of cotton use the system today
30% of the 13 million ha of maize use the system
80% of the 20 million ha of soy use the system
25,500 GMO 25,500
23,600
+17% 21,900
20,200
20 200
18,700
17,400
14,300
13,400
11,300
11 300
5,500
8,800
5,500
575
85/86 95/96 05/06 95/96 96/97 97/98 98/99 99/00 00/01 01/02 02/03 03/04 04/05 05/06
(in thousand hectares)
Source: FEBRADP - Brazilian Federation of No-till Farmers
20

21. Evolution Direct Drilling in Argentina 1990/91-2008/09
30
Million of ha
25
20
GMO
15
10
5
0
Source : Aapresid

22. Introduction and adoption of technologies
in agriculture in Argentina (1980-2000)
(1980 2000)
100
Adoption of
GM varieties
Planted ar (%)
80
rea
Agro-chemical
g
60 use
No-tillage
40
20
Precision
Agriculture
0
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
Source: Viglizzo, 2006; adapted from Satorre, 2005

23. Roundup Ready® Maize in Argentina
‐ Adopted by small (< 500 ha), medium, and large farmers (>
5000 ha), since 2004.
‐ 70% of the crops in Argentina are under no‐till.
‐ 47% of the corn is RR (mainly NK‐603, and the rest is GA‐21),
offered by around 10 seed companies.
y p

24. Roundup Ready corn weed control program Argentina
FALLOW PLANTING DEVELOPMENT HARVEST
V4-V5
Glyphosate
Residual herbicide
(atrazine, acetochlor)
Certified
Agriculture
The evolution of NT

25. GAP 1: No Tillage (residue cover)
Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)
Why?
GAP 2: Crop rotation:
GAP 2: Crop rotation
GAP 2: Crop rotation:
rotation: Because there are scientific fundamentals that
Diversity and intensity correlate soil health indicator values with
agronomical practices
GAP 3: Balanced crop nutrition
GAP 3: Balanced crop nutrition
Control
Nitrogen +
Phosphor +
Ph h
Sulphur GAP 4: Integrated pest
management.
GAP 5: Efficient and responsible
management of agrochemicals
Courtesy Agustín Bianchini
Aapresid

26. A Sustainability Index
y
Environmental Index
Topsoil/output
Water use/output
A recent survey of C
Canadian
di
farmers planting herbicide-tolerant
canola using conservation tillage
practices found that 86 per cent h
i f d h have
reduced soil erosion and 83 per cent
indicated greater soil moisture.
Source : Smyth et al 2011, Agricultural Systems 104 (2011) 403–410
26

27. A Sustainability Index
Environmental Index
Topsoil/output
Water use/output
Inputs use/output
Land use/output
Energy use/output
Biodiversity
y
Overall acres converted
to/from production
Grower economic index
Ability to meet global demand
27

28. Our Vision: Monsanto is the farmer’s
leading provider of the most effective, Efficacy
affordable, convenient, and sustainable
solutions for weed control in Monsanto’s
seed & trait systems. Convenience Cost
Sustainable
28

29. Thank you !