Scotts and Monsanto resubmit RR bent petition

MARYSVILLE, Ohio - The Scotts Co. and Monsanto resubmitted their petition for Roundup Ready bentgrass to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) April 14. The companies originally submitted the petition in May 2002, but withdrew their application Oct. 3 after APHIS issued a “letter of deficiency” in September.

“We have not changed the petition,” said John Bosser, senior specialist for environmental communication for Scotts. “We just provided the additional year’s worth of data that they asked for.”

According to Bosser, the requested data supports the performance of the variety and how it behaves in terms of growing characteristics. Bosser also said that since 1998, some 40 percent of petitions to APHIS have been withdrawn at some point and then subsequently resubmitted and approved by the agency.

No timetable has been set for APHIS approval or commercialization, but Scotts and Monsanto are moving ahead and plan to harvest their 400-acre test plot in Oregon in July.

“Once they complete their scientific review we will have seed available for commercialization,” said Bosser.

As Scotts and Monsanto proceed with their approval process, Bill Rose’s HybriGene is currently seeking an APHIS permit to grow its proprietary male-sterile glufosinate resistant creeping bentgrass outside in field trials (GCN March 2003).