GlyTolTM + LibertyLink® Cotton Technologies and Their Tolerance to High Rates of Glyphosate and Glufosinate Ammonium

Bayer CropScience has developed in-house glyphosate tolerant, Glytol™ cotton, expressing the 2mepsps gene and stacks of GlyTol with LibertyLink^® cotton.  Glytol + LibertyLink cotton is planned for commercial release in 2010, pending regulatory approval,  and will provide US cotton growers with new cotton varieties with season-long tolerance to a number of commercial glyphosate herbicide formulations as well as  tolerance to Ignite^® herbicide (glufosinate ammonium) at levels producers are accustomed to in current commercial LibertyLink varieties. 

 Field testing of Glytol + LibertyLink cotton was conducted in 2008 and 2009 to evaluate possible effects from above labelled rates of glyphosate or glufosinate ammonium.  Glyphosate and  glufosinate ammonium was applied at full labelled rates and higher either alone, sequentially or as a tankmix at four application timings during the growing season.  Agronomic characteristics along with yield and quality data were evaluated.  These trials have confirmed the tolerance of Glytol + LibertyLink cotton plants to glyphosate and glufosinate ammonium.  A summary of these results are presented here.     

 Once approved and available in elite germplasm, Glytol + LibertyLink technology will provide cotton growers with the option of over the top applications from more than one non-selective herbicide mode of action, which can be an important tool in managing weed resistance.