Calling it the largest product launch in its 82-year history, Pioneer Hi-Bred International announced that its new Y series soybeans will be available for the 2009 marketing year.

“The Y series from Pioneer represents a step-change in soybean productivity,” says Pioneer President Paul Schickler. The company claims the entire line has demonstrated a 5% yield advantage over competitor varieties in more than 1,800 on-field comparisons.

The Y series will be a major addition to Pioneer’s lineup, with more than 10 million units available in 32 new varieties in maturities ranging from Group 0 to Group VII in its first year of introduction.

The new product launch is part of Pioneer’s goal to increase its share of the soybean seed market. The company says it has gained six points of market share over the last eight years. The launch is also part of the company’s stated commitment to increase soybean yields by 40% in the next 10 years.

Pioneer has not yet announced prices for the new soybean varieties. It reports, “As we bring value to the marketplace, and increase the value of an acre of soybeans, we will price the product to the value it delivers.”