SmartStax
{{short description|Seeds protected against bugs, weeds}}
{{ infobox
| above = Smartstax
| abovestyle = background-color: White
| image1 = 150px
| caption1 = Genuity Smartstax logo
| headerstyle = background-color: White
| header1 = Development Status
| label2 = Developer:
| data2 = Monsanto and Dow AgroSciences
| label3 = Currently Available in:
| data3 = Corn
| label4 = Coming Soon In:
| data4 = Cotton, Soybean, and specialty crops
| label5 = Introduced to Market:
| data5 = 2009
| label6 = Website:
| data6 = http://www.genuity.com/Traits/Corn/Genuity-SmartStax.aspx
| header20 = Technologies
| label21 = Herbicide Tolerance:
| data21 = Roundup Ready 2 and Liberty Link
| label22 = Insect Protection
| data22 = VT Triple Pro and Herculex Xtra
| label23 = Seed Treatment
| data23 = Acceleron
}}
SmartStax is a brand of genetically modified seed made through a collaboration between Monsanto Company and Dow Chemical Company.{{cite web|url=http://www.dowagro.com/newsroom/corporatenews/2007/20070914a.htm |accessdate=September 6, 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090525030040/http://www.dowagro.com/newsroom/corporatenews/2007/20070914a.htm |archivedate=May 25, 2009 |title=Monsanto, Dow Agreement Paves the Way for Industry's First-Ever, Eight-Gene Stacked Offering in Corn}} It takes advantage of multiple modes of insect protection and herbicide tolerance. SmartStax takes advantage of Yieldgard VT Triple (Monsanto), Herculex Xtra (Dow), RoundUp Ready 2 (Monsanto), and Liberty Link (Dow). The traits included protect against above-ground insects, below-ground insects, and provide broad herbicide tolerance. It is currently available for corn, but cotton, soybean, and specialty crop variations are to be released. Previously, the most genes artificially added to a single plant was three, but Smartstax includes eight.{{cite web | url=http://www.isaaa.org/resources/publications/biotech_traits_annual_updates/download/Biotech%20Traits%20Annual%20Updates-2016.pdf | title=Biotech Traits Annual Updates | date=2016 | author=International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications}}{{cite journal | last1=Que | first1=Qiudeng | last2=Chilton | first2=Mary-Dell M. | last3=de Fontes | first3=Cheryl M. | last4=He | first4=Chengkun | last5=Nuccio | first5=Michael | last6=Zhu | first6=Tong | last7=Wu | first7=Yuexuan | last8=Chen | first8=Jeng S. | last9=Shi | first9=Liang | title=Trait stacking in transgenic crops: Challenges and opportunities | journal=GM Crops | publisher=T&F | volume=1 | issue=4 | date=2010-07-01 | issn=1938-1999 | doi=10.4161/gmcr.1.4.13439 | pages=220–229 | pmid=21844677 | s2cid=19518863| quote=p.{{nbs}}221, "Monsanto..."; p.{{nbs}}222, "In 2009..."}} Smartstax also incorporates Monsanto's Acceleron Seed Treatment System which protects against insects at the earliest stages of development. Smartstax is sold under the Genuity (Monsanto) and Mycogen (Dow) brands.
Insect Spectrum
SmartStax seeds control a broad spectrum of pests which includes larvae of above-ground insects such as European corn borer, black cutworm, southwestern corn borer, corn earworm, fall armyworm, western bean cutworm, and below-ground feeding larvae of western corn rootworm and northern corn rootworm.{{cite web|url=http://www.dowagro.com/en-us/usag/product-solution-finder/traits/smartstax|title=Dow AgroSciences SmartStax}}
Refuge acres
To prevent or delay insect resistance, growers plant a refuge on their farm. This is an area of non-GM plants where insect can live. These insect will not evolve resistance to GM technology. These refuge acres ensure that rare resistant insects that feed on insect-protected varieties of corn will mate with susceptible insects and slow the development of resistance.{{cite web|url=http://cropwatch.unl.edu/corn-growers-reminded-follow-refuge-requirements-spring-planting-nears|title= Corn Growers Reminded to Follow Refuge Requirements as Spring Planting Nears|date=6 March 2009|author=Rob Korff}}
Promotion and branding
Smartstax corn has been advertised and promoted on television, at farm trade shows, and online as Monsanto has geared up for widespread commercial release. Smartstax is sold under the Genuity Brand by Monsanto and the Mycogen brand by Dow, but both companies have the right to sell it under as many names with as many additional technologies as they wish.
Weed and insect resistance
Recently, rapid emergence of weeds thought to be resistant to Roundup have been observed. Horseweed, giant ragweed and pigweed, among others have been found growing with crops across the United States.{{cite web | url = http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/06/invasion-of-the-superweeds/?ref=energy-environment | work =New York Times | title = Invasion of the Superweeds| date =6 May 2010 }}{{cite web | url = http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=12804 | publisher = The National Academies | title = GE Crops Benefit Farmers, But Management Needed to Maintain Effectiveness}}{{cite news | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/04/business/energy-environment/04weed.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all | title = Farmers Cope With Roundup-Resistant Weeds | work = New York Times| date = 4 May 2010 | last1 = Neuman | first1 = William | last2 = Pollack | first2 = Andrew }} Insects including corn rootworm and bollworm have also begun showing signs of resistance.{{cite journal | pmid = 21829470 | year = 2011 | last1 = Gassmann | first1 = AJ | last2 = Petzold-Maxwell | first2 = JL | last3 = Keweshan | first3 = RS | last4 = Dunbar | first4 = MW | title = Field-evolved resistance to Bt maize by western corn rootworm | volume = 6 | issue = 7 | pages = e22629 | doi = 10.1371/journal.pone.0022629 | pmc = 3146474 | journal = PLOS ONE | bibcode = 2011PLoSO...622629G | editor1-last = Meyer | editor1-first = Peter| doi-access = free }}{{cite web | url = https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120605102846.htm | title = Bigger Refuges Needed to Delay Pest Resistance to Biotech Corn | publisher = Science Daily}}{{cite web | url = https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080207140803.htm| publisher = Science Daily | title = First Documented Case Of Pest Resistance To Biotech Cotton}}{{cite web | url = https://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2011/12/05/143141300/insects-find-crack-in-biotech-corns-armor | title = Insects Find Crack In Biotech Corn's Armor | website = NPR | date = 5 December 2011 | publisher = NPR Food Blog| last1 = Charles | first1 = Dan }} In response, Monsanto has continued to develop new products.{{cite web | url = https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101118084429.htm | publisher = Science Daily | title = New Disease-Resistant Food Crops Under Development}}{{cite web | url = https://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2011/08/monsanto-gm-super-insects | title = Attack of the Monsanto Superinsects | publisher = Mother Jones}} The USDA approves use of Bt crops.{{cite web|url=http://www.ers.usda.gov/data/biotechcrops/adoption.htm |title=Adoption of Genetically Engineered Crops in the U.S.: Extent of Adoption |publisher=United States Department of Agriculture |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120610043433/http://www.ers.usda.gov/data/biotechcrops/adoption.htm |archivedate=June 10, 2012 }} Monsanto has denied there is a problem with their product.{{cite web | url = https://www.motherjones.com/files/epa-hq-opp-2011-0922-0003.pdf| title = Memorandum | publisher = United States Environmental Protection Agency}}
{{anchor|Transgenic events|Genes|Transgenes|Traits}}