A new series of Pioneer brand soybean products, developed through the DuPont Pioneer Accelerated Yield Technology process, will bring soybean growers across North America 39 new high-yielding varieties.

The new line of soybean products – named the T Series – will be introduced in this year.

Available in seven maturity groups, T Series products represent the largest number of soybean varieties advanced in a single year by Pioneer. The new T Series varieties succeed the popular Pioneer Y Series soybeans introduced several years ago.

New varieties will be available for 2013 growing season.

"The next generation T Series soybean products provides growers a total package that helps them gain the most from every acre," says Don Schafer, DuPont Pioneer senior marketing manager, soybeans. "A step change from earlier offerings, the T Series is a direct result of the AYT system that allows Pioneer soybean breeders to maximize yield potential, agronomic traits and resistance to pests."

Jessie Alt, DuPont Pioneer research scientist in soybean product development, says the AYT process improves soybean breeding efficiency.

"Soybean is all about probabilities, and AYT puts probabilities in our favor," Alt said in a media conference Wednesday. "Before AYT, we didn't have a way to preselect for yield, just defensive traits."

The AYT process pinpoints native trait genes for increased defensive trait protection and improved pest resistance packages tailored for specific geographies. It uses a proprietary matrix of gene mapping, molecular breeding technologies and intense local field testing for variety development.

Among the new class of T Series soybeans, 34 varieties will carry the Roundup Ready gene. There are two new Plenish high oleic varieties, five new products with the LibertyLink gene and two new varieties with the Roundup Ready/STSTM stack. Also, 32 products are soybean cyst nematode resistant and 29 carry a major Phytophthora-resistant gene.

Schafer says into 2014, the products will be available for nearly all geographies in North America. All T Series products will be available with Pioneer Premium Seed Treatment products.

Eventually, Schafer says the T Series will replace the Y Series soybeans. He expects the Y Series will remain in the marketplace as long as demand requires, but believes growers will see greater value in T Series products. Schafer estimates that more than 30% of DuPont Pioneer's soybean volume will be fulfilled by the T Series lineup in the coming years.

To distinguish the new T Series varieties, Pioneer initiated a new soybean product numbering system similar to the current nomenclature used for Pioneer brand corn products.  The new system will use key identifiers, enabling growers to easily determine maturity and technologies. T Series soybean varieties will be denoted with the letter T in the middle of the product number.

For more information about T Series soybean products from Pioneer, see your sales professional or go to www.pioneer.com.