PARSIPPANY, N.J. -- The Louisiana State University Agricultural Center and American Cyanamid Co. signed a global licensing agreement today (August 24) to bring a revolutionary technology to weed control in rice production.

American Cyanamid produces and markets the imidazolinones, a unique family of weed control products. The imidazolinones work on an enzyme that is present in plants but not in animals, birds, fish or insects.

This selectivity makes the imidazolinones very environmentally compatible to humans and wildlife while providing outstanding weed control.

A research scientist at the LSU Ag Center has developed new strains of rice that are tolerant to these herbicides, which can now be used to control major weed problems in rice.

The two new rice breeding lines were developed by Dr. Tim Croughan, a professor of agronomy with the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the LSU Ag Center.

Imazethapyr, the imidazolinone being used with the imidazolinone-tolerant rice in the United States, provides control of most major weed problems in rice, including difficult-to-control weeds such as red rice. Red rice, because it belongs to the same species as cultivated strains of rice, has historically been particularly difficult to control.

American Cyanamid currently is conducting studies needed to obtain approval for imidazolinone use on rice.

"American Cyanamid is delighted to be able to provide a new technology tool to rice growers around the world which can improve their yields through this new approach to controlling weed competition," said Dr. Howard Minigh, president of Cyanamid Global Agricultural Products.

"This special collaboration with industry will allow the LSU Ag Center and the people of Louisiana to participate in bringing this technology to farmers in ways we couldn't do alone," said Dr. William B. Richardson, chancellor of the LS
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Contact: Tom Merrill
tmerrill@agctr.lsu.edu
(504) 388-2263
Louisiana State University Agricultural Center
24-Aug-1998