Michigan State University, Monsanto back $3 million research program to fight corn rootworm
U.S. Department of Agriculture says U.S. farmers lose about $800M a year to corn rootworm, spend $200M on treatments
Michigan State University says it's working with Monsanto Co. to find ways to fight corn rootworm, one of U.S. agriculture's most damaging pests.
The East Lansing school says Monsanto is pledging up to $3 million to support research on rootworm.
Michigan State says the Corn Rootworm Knowledge Research Program will give awards of up to $250,000 per year for up to three years for research on "corn rootworm biology, genomics and management issues."
St. Louis-based Monsanto is a leading seed producer.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says U.S. farmers lose about $800 million a year to corn rootworm and spend $200 million on treatments.
Rootworm treatments include herbicides as well as rotating corn with soybeans plants, which the rootworms don't attack.
Online:
Application information: http://www.Monsanto.com/CRWknowledge
Rootworm background: http://bit.ly/OPglVS
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