Results from the Rainout Shelter

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1 The Rainout Shelter (ROS) was built to help precisely control and monitor the amount and timing of water on an outdoor research plot. In the ROS, relationships between plants, water, and soils can be studied to help build cropping systems that assist farmers in managing risk from drought. The ROS was used in 212 to induce drought at various growth stages so potential differences in water uptake, residual soil water content, kernel count, yield, and hydroefficiency of a and a standard market check corn product (check) could be evaluated. Genuity DroughtGard Hybrids are part of a system that combines solid agronomic recommendations, plant breeding, and the world s first drought-tolerant biotech trait. This advanced corn trait technology can allow the plant to use water more efficiently to help manage risk and provide yield opportunity under drought stress conditions. That is hydroefficiency. Purpose of Demonstration The demonstration under the ROS was designed to help address the following questions: Are there differences in water uptake and/or water use between a DroughtGard Hybrids product and a standard market check corn product (check) under drought treatments imposed at different growth stages? If so, do those differences translate into variations in residual soil water content with a DroughtGard Hybrids product versus a check under imposed drought treatments? Does a DroughtGard Hybrids product have higher kernel set and yield than a check under various drought treatments? Is a DroughtGard Hybrids product more hydroefficient than a check under various drought treatments? Background DroughtGard Hybrids are part of a system to help farmers manage risk by helping to mitigate potential yield loss caused by drought. The system offers farmers improved genetics, agronomic recommendations, and the world s first drought-tolerant biotech trait. The protein that confers drought tolerance in DroughtGard Learn more about Genuity DroughtGard Hybrids: Rainout Shelter At Gothenburg Learning Facility through one of the following methods: 1) Scan the code to right 2) Click here: Genuity DroughtGard Hybrids: Rainout Shelter At Gothenburg Learning Facility 3) Visit YouTube and search for Genuity DroughtGard Hybrids: Rainout Shelter At Gothenburg Learning Facility 4) Go to Figure 1. The ROS is a metal building that moves on rails to enclose the plot area when it detects a raindrop. Hybrids is called cold shock protein B (CspB) an RNA chaperone from soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis. Insertion of the cspb gene has been observed to confer tolerance to waterlimited conditions. Under drought stress, corn plants containing CspB exhibited advantages in certain physiological functions, such as the rate of photosynthesis, compared to the control. Monsanto s studies of corn plants containing CspB also found advantages in the number of kernels produced and total yield 1. Observations made with DroughtGard Hybrids reflect contributions from CspB, the hybrid genetic background, and the agronomic practices employed to produce a crop. Materials and Methods Agronomics. A DroughtGard Hybrids product and a check were planted on May 22, in 3-inch rows, in two row plots, at 22, plants per acre, in a randomized complete block design with 6 replications. The products had different base germplasm. The previous year, the plot area was planted to corn and roto-tilled following harvest. Nitrogen was applied at 15 lbs/acre at side-dress and incorporated with irrigation. Weed management across the trial consisted of a preplant application of Degree Xtra at 3.5 qts/acre and Roundup PowerMAX herbicide at 28 oz/acre on June 1. Roundup PowerMAX herbicide was also applied two times in season at 28 oz/acre. Rainout Shelter. The ROS is an 16 by 8 metal building that moves on rails to enclose the plot area when it detects a raindrop (Figure 1). Thirty-six plots were established in the ROS, each 1 / 5

2 surrounded by a 6 foot deep soil moisture barrier and an individualized drip irrigation system. Tools. Sap flow collars were used to measure water consumption by corn plants. The amount of water in the soil was examined with soil moisture probes. Together, those tools were used to validate whether the was more hydroefficient than the check (Figure 2). Irrigation and Drought Treatments. All plots had surface drip irrigation. For each of these drought stress treatments, irrigation was not applied during respective growth stages. The amount of water applied during the remaining portion of the growing season for each treatment is included in Figure 3. Drought stress treatments were V6 - V17, V17 - R3, and R3 - maturity (Figure 4). The timing of the treatments were chosen to coincide with key growth stages. The number of potential kernels (ovules) per ear is determined from approximately V6 through V17. Drought during that time frame may result in fewer kernel rows or fewer kernels per row. From V17 through R3 the corn plant is going through pollination and early grain fill. Drought stress during that time can 2 Figure 2. Soil moisture probes (left photo) measured the amount of water in the soil. Sap flow collars (right photo) were used to measure water consumption of the corn plant. Figure 3. Amount of irrigation water applied to the drought stress treatment plots outside of drought stress treatment timings. Drought Stress Water Applied Through Surface Irrigation to Treatment During Drought Stress Treatment V6 - V inches V17 - R3 8.6 inches R3 - Maturity 7.39 inches 18 Average water content (%) in soil profile Vegetative Stress Flowering Stress Grain Fill Stress V6 V17 Stress V17 R3 Stress R3 Maturity Stress 6/13 6/2 6/27 7/4 7/11 7/18 7/25 8/1 8/8 8/15 8/22 8/29 9/5 9/12 9/19 9/26 1/3 Date Figure 4. Average soil moisture content of check plots with different drought stress treatments as measured by capacitance probe. 2 / 5

3 Avg. daily sap flow (ml) Avg. daily sap flow (ml) Avg. daily sap flow (ml) 2 Vegetative Drought Stress (V6 - V17) Flowering Drought Stress (V17 - R3) Drought Grain Fill Drought Stress (R3 - Maturity) Drought Date Figure 5. Average daily water usage, as measured by sap flow meters, of a and a check, when exposed to drought at different parts of the growing season. result in poor pollination and/or kernel abortion. After R3, kernel abortion is minimal. From R3 through maturity the corn plant is focusing on filling kernels. Drought stress at that growth stage may result in lower test weights and/or stalk cannibalization. Hydroefficiency. Hydro-efficiency is calculated by dividing the yield (bu/acre) by amount of water drawn from the soil. Results and Discussion Water Usage. Using sap flow collars, it was observed that under water stressed conditions, sap flow movement was lower in the compared to the check (Figure 5). This study confirms previous findings from other Monsanto research in Davis, CA that DroughtGard Hybrids transiently reduce water use in response to drought conditions. Soil Water Content. Soil water content, measured using capacitance probes, supported the sap flow data. It was observed in this demonstration that the DroughtGard Hybrids product drew less water from the soil than the check, during drought stress and after full watering resumed, regardless of the timing of the drought stress (Figure 6). Results of this study illustrate the benefits of both the drought tolerance trait and the advanced breeding that constitute Genuity DroughtGard Hybrids. Kernel Set. This demonstration provided similar results as previous Amount of water (mm) drawn from the soil V6-V17 V17-R3 R3-Maturity Drought stress treatments Figure 6. Average amount of water drawn from the soil, over the majority of the growing season, by the Genuity DroughtGard Hybrids product and the check, when exposed to drought at different growth stages. 3 / 5

4 Yield (bu/acre) Kernel Number/Ear V6-V17 V17-R3 Drought Stress Treatment V6-V17 R3-Maturity V17-R3 Drought Stress Treatments R3-Maturity Genuity DroughtGard Hybrids product Figure 7. Average kernel number per ear and yield for the Genuity DroughtGard Hybrids product and check when exposed to drought stress at different stages. Drought Stress at V6 - V17 Yield. Drought stress at V6 - V17 resulted in the DroughtGard Hybrids product yielding 6 bu/acre more than the check. There was no significant difference between the DroughtGard Hybrids product and the check when they were exposed to drought stress from V17 - R3 and R3 - maturity. Drought Stress at V17 - R3 Drought Stress at R3 - Maturity Standard Market Genuity DroughtGard Hybrids Monsanto studies that indicated corn plants containing CspB have more kernels per ear under drought stress conditions1. The DroughtGard Hybrids product averaged 66, 15, and 79 more kernels per ear than the check for the V6 - V17, V17 - R3, and R3 maturity drought stress timings respectively (Figures 7 and 8). Figure 8. Ears from the Genuity DroughtGard Hybrid product and the check when exposed to drought conditions at various stages. 4 / 5

5 Hydroefficiency. The was more hydroefficient than the check when exposed to drought stress at V6 - V17, V17 - R3, and R3 - maturity stress (Figure 9). Differences in the hydroefficiency between the DroughtGard Hybrids product and the check supports our previous studies that found DroughtGard Hybrids may have an increased yield potential compared to the check under several moisture limited conditions 1. Summary The ROS demonstration was effectively used during the summer of 212 to discuss the functionality of DroughtGard Hybrids with approximately 4, Monsanto Learning Center visitors at Gothenburg, NE. The results demonstrate that the DroughtGard Hybrids product was hydroefficient. When used as part of a system that includes good agronomic recommendations that can help manage risk, a DroughtGard Hybrids product can provide yield potential even in extreme or severe drought stress conditions. While it is good to evaluate individual locations, it is critical to consider several replications and locations when making key decisions. Sources: 1 Reeves, W.R. and T. A. Pester. 29. Petition for the determination of non-regulated status for MON p 45, (Verified 12/14/212) Hydroefficiency (bu/acre/mm water) V6-V17 V17-R3 R3-Maturity Drought Stress Treatments Figure 9. Hydroefficiency for a Genuity DroughtGard Hybrids product and a check when exposed to drought stress at different growth stages. Learn more about the Ground Breakers Overview of Genuity DroughtGard Hybrids through one of the following methods: 1) Scan the code to right 2) Click here: Ground Breakers Overview of Genuity DroughtGard Hybrids 3) Visit YouTube and search for Ground Breakers Overview of Genuity DroughtGard Hybrids 4) go to The information discussed in this report is from a single site, replicated, 1-year demonstration. This informational piece is designed to report the results of this demonstration and is not intended to infer any confirmed trends. Please use this information accordingly. The Genuity DroughtGard Hybrids trait has been deregulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Import approvals in key corn export markets with functioning regulatory systems are in progress. For 213, DroughtGard Hybrids will be commercially available in the western great plains area to growers who have signed and agree to follow the Genuity DroughtGard Hybrids Stewardship Agreement. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted.roundup Technology includes Monsanto's glyphosate-based herbicide technologies. Individual results may vary, and performance may vary from location to location and from year to year. This result may not be an indicator of results you may obtain as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Degree Xtra is a restricted use pesticide and is not registered in all states. Degree Xtra, DroughtGard, Genuity, Ground Breakers, Roundup PowerMAX and Roundup Technology are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. Leaf Design is a servicemark of Monsanto Company. 212 Monsanto Company EJP 5 / 5