MINNETONKA, MINNESOTA, U.S. — Syngenta Seeds, Inc., announced on Oct. 5 that it has received full Canadian regulatory approval for the Agrisure Viptera 3111 and Agrisure Viptera 3110 trait stacks. The Agrisure Viptera 3111 stack, which will be the most widely available Agrisure Viptera trait stack, combines the Agrisure Viptera trait with the Agrisure 3000GT triple stack. This approval allows Canadian corn growers to plant this technology and export it to key markets.

"We are pleased that the Canadian government has given final approval for key trait stacks that contain the Agrisure Viptera trait," said David Morgan, president at Syngenta Seeds. "Canadian growers can now plant hybrids with this breakthrough trait technology that provides a level of insect control previously unavailable anywhere in the industry."

The Agrisure Viptera 3111 trait stack offers the broadest control of insects in corn trait history. The Agrisure Viptera 3111 trait stack is able to provide the broadest spectrum of above-ground insect control because of Vip3A, the industry‘s first non-Cry (non-crystalline) insect control protein. Vip3A has demonstrated highly effective multi-pest complex control, including corn earworm, fall armyworm, Western bean cutworm, black cutworm, dingy cutworm, common stalk borer and sugarcane borer, among others.

The multi-pest complex affects most of the continental U.S. and Canada, and can adversely affect yearly corn output. Each year, more than 238 million bushels of corn are damaged by the multi-pest complex, which costs U.S. corn growers $1.1 billion in lost yield and grain quality. Traditional insecticides are often ineffective against the multi-pest complex, due to the unpredictable nature of the insects and the rapid onset of infestations.

In addition to Canada, the single Agrisure Viptera trait also is approved for cultivation in Brazil and the U.S., and the Agrisure Viptera 3111 trait stack and Agrisure Viptera 3110 trait stack are approved for cultivation in the U.S. as well as Canada. The single trait is approved for import to Australia, Mexico, the Philippines, Japan, the U.S. and Taiwan. The Agrisure Viptera single trait also has already received Korean Feed and Environment approval and has entered the final stage for the Food approval. In addition, the Agrisure Viptera 3111 trait stack and the Agrisure Viptera 3110 trait stack are approved for import into Japan, Mexico, the U.S. and the Philippines.