FAST allows researchers to grow maize to maturity in a fraction of the time needed to grow traditional maize Photo: Patrick Nijhuis

DuPont’s Pioneer Hi-Bred business has opened a new research and greenhouse facility which, through its new cutting edge technology, Functional Analysis System for Traits (FAST) and imaging, will reduce test plant growth times while electing the most promising plants for field testing.

“The technology in this new, state-of-the-art research facility will significantly increase the rate at which we bring new and better products to our customers to meet increased demand for grain for food, feed, fuel and materials”, commented William S. Niebur, Dupont vice president of crop genetics research and development.

The new advanced FAST technology, to be undertaken in the 12,000 square feet facility for round the clock, all year testing, is expected to increase testing throughput eight-fold over the original facility and process.  Neibur noted that this technology allowed research scientists “to evaluate advanced plant genetics and critical new traits more quickly in more plants, ultimately delivering new discoveries faster to Pioneer customers”.

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FAST works in two ways.  It allows researchers to grow maize to maturity in a fraction of the time needed to grow traditional maize (two months compared to 100 plus days in field conditions), thereby reducing testing which previously took two to three years to six to nine months.  The fully-automated digital imaging system, meanwhile, precisely measures the growth and other visual data (like plant colour) of the maize plant throughout its lifecycle. This allows the researchers to quickly identify advanced plant genetics and traits with beneficial properties for utilisation in field testing.

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