Monsanto announced its commercial launch plans for Roundup Ready2 Xtend soybeans after China gave approval for imports of the dicamba herbicide-tolerant oilseeds. The company said the technology will now be available in the U. S. and Canada for the 2016 season.

“We are pleased to bring Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans to the market,” said Brett Begemann, Monsanto president and CEO, noting the technology had been under development for a decade.

Monsanto’s Asgrow, Channel and regional brands, along with Corn States licensees, expect to introduce more than 70 soybean products across eight maturity groups with agronomic traits including resistance to nematodes and phytophthora root rot. Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans are licensed to more than 100 seed brands.

While new varieties containing traits making them tolerant to both glyphosate and dicamba herbicides will be available, Monsanto is still awaiting final EPA approval for the use of dicamba herbicide over the top of Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans.

It said new formulations of the herbicide remain in late stage of Environmental Protection Agency review. Once approved, the Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System – including Bollgard II XtendFlex cotton – will offer growers a new tool for managing tough-to-control and glyphosate-resistant weeds.

Miriam Paris, U.S. soybean marketing manager, says demand for Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans has been strong. “To date, we’ve had significant pre-orders from farmers and are excited to move forward with commercialization,” she said.

“Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans are built on the same high-yielding germplasm as Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans, which continue to deliver a greater-than-four-bushel per acre advantage compared to the original Roundup Ready soybeans. Pending dicamba approval, growers can continue to maximize their yield opportunity through the weed management recommendations and incentives provided by Roundup Ready PLUS Crop Management Solutions.”