The American Soybean Association (ASA), in partnership with Plant Health Care, Inc. (PHC), today announced the 2007 "N-Hibit™ Partnership" field trial program that will evaluate N-Hibit Seed Treatment during the 2007 growing season as a tool to lower Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) pressure and improve soybean plant health.

"ASA views this field trial program as an opportunity for its members to maximize soybean yield and profitability, and reduce the threat of SCN damage," said ASA Vice President Rob Joslin, a soybean producer from Sidney, Ohio. "We believe soybean growers will want to conduct their own on-farm trials to determine results with N-Hibit on a commercial scale under their own growing conditions and management systems to help document the performance of this seed treatment."

N-Hibit is a dry material that is not a restricted use product. It is easy to apply by the seed dealer or in the hopper box, has an excellent safety profile, and leaves no residuals in the water, soil or on plants.

"Field research at the University of Illinois at Urbana has shown that N-Hibit reduces SCN eggs significantly," said Dr. Ned French, PHC Director of Field Biology and Development. "Other replicated and commercial research trials have shown N-Hibit increases root and plant growth and also increases soybean yield about 6.5 percent, or more than 3 bushels per acre."

Participating growers will be provided a kit that will include a coupon redeemable at local seed retailers to have enough N-Hibit Commercial Seed Treatment to treat up to 2,500 pounds of soybean seed. Also in the kit will be flags to mark the trial location and a notebook containing detailed instructions, data sheets, and other information. They will be asked to use 20 to 50 acres for the treated area and monitor an equivalent number of acres as an untreated control. When yield and other data are turned in after harvest, participants will be automatically entered into a drawing for power tools.

"We believe N-Hibit can be a very economical and helpful tool in reducing SCN egg counts and damage in soybeans, just as other university research has shown that N-Hibit reduces Root Knot Nematode and Reniform Nematode eggs among roots by about 50 percent," said Dr. French.

The active ingredient in N-Hibit and other Harp-N-Tek™ products is harpin protein, which is produced by disease causing bacteria that attack plants. Harp-N-Tek products do not contain pathogens, but cause the plant to respond as though being attacked. Harpin proteins do not enter the plant. They bind with the plant’s external harpin protein receptors, which are present on seed, as well as foliage. This turns on the plant’s natural self defense and growth systems. Then the harpin proteins harmlessly disintegrate.

For further information on the N-Hibit Partnership Program, phone PHC at 800-421-9051. Sign-up forms for the N-Hibit Partnership Program will be available by phone and the PHC web site, www.N-HibitPartners.com. Enrollment forms also will be available at the PHC booth Number 217-219 at Commodity Classic. Growers can access information about the program on the ASA web site www.SoyGrowers.com.