In 2008, Pioneer committed to transforming the size and scope of its breeding program by five fold in the next three years. Laser-Assisted Seed Selection is a powerful new tool in their Accelerated Yield Technology™ (AYT) toolbox and will help Pioneer achieve yield increases of up to 40% in 10 years. This breakthrough technology uses a 120-watt carbon dioxide laser to score a small slice from a seed to capture its genetic information enabling the rapid selection of the best genetics for advancement before they ever leave the lab, thus intensifying the impact of other AYT technologies, such as molecular breeding.

Pioneer has numerous patents pending for the technology and will be using it on millions of corn and soybean seeds by the end of 2009. By contrast with more antiquated chipper or blade methods of collection, a Laser-Assisted Seed Selection perfects the technique becauase it eliminates contamination, ensures seed viability and has much higher throughput.

SEED SLICE:  A laser scores a small slice from a seed to capture its genetic information.

While NuTech customers are afforded numerous advantages through the purchase of G2^® Genetics, one of the unseen benefits may lay with potentially superior conditioning resources. Processing of our G2^® Genetics holds the potential of applying a cutting edge technology originally adapted from the food industry. This technology utilizes sophisticated optical sorting systems that include both reflected light and infrared light.

In the past, seed conditioning options were based solely on kernel size, shape and weight, using gravity tables and sizers. In this process, good seed  may be removed with the damaged seed. And, more importantly, some damaged seed may pass through the screens making its way into the final product. Optical sorting enables much greater precision during seed conditioning of suspect lots and helps ensure seed, which fails to meet strict G2^® Genetics standards, will never reach our customers.