This summer DuPont Pioneer expanded its Tipton County, Indiana research location in Windfall to include another 15,000 square feet of indoor work space, 9,600 square feet of equipment and machinery storage and three new breeding programs. Windfall is a prime product development research location for the company, and Senior Research Scientist at Windfall, Murt McLeod says Indiana farmers understand the important work going on there.
“They’re excited that we are expanding our facilities and the work that we do and the resources, because ultimately for them they understand that that brings to them better products for their farms,” he told HAT. “I think they do get it and they’re excited that in Indiana, DuPont Pioneer is making significant investment.”
He explains why doing research in Indiana specifically is important to growers in the state.
“Geography is very important. Developing products, we know that there are geographical differences in terms of how some of the products work. We have hybrids that are most suited for eastern growing environments vs. western growing environments. It’s a telling need for research programs across the country, but local growers also are very interested in products that have been developed and tested widely in their growing environment. That’s a natural thing for growers to want.”
And McLeod says one of the products soon to come from the Indiana research is called Qrome.
“It’s a multi mode of action, above and below ground integrated refuge, single bag solution for our customers, and it brings with it the ability to really open up the genetic potential of our germplasm. So our corn breeders now are able to work with an expanded germplasm base with this particular product.”
He says the focus is on corn rootworm with very high yield potential. According to the company DuPont Pioneer will advance its new line-up of corn offerings, Pioneer® brand Qrome™ products, to stewarded on-farm trials in 2016.