The Pioneer patent was challenged by Lactosan Starterkulturen GmbH & Co.KG, a subsidiary of H. Wilhelm Schaumann GmbH. The process included an oral hearing held at the EPO in Munich, Germany on Oct. 16 and concluded the patent of Lactobacillus buchneri by Pioneer was maintained.

“The strain of L. buchneri is a primary component of the major Pioneer fiber technology inoculants product lines and the patent was maintained without amendment,” says Joe Lebeda, DuPont Pioneer director for global forages.

The L. buchneri strain is the basis for Pioneer brand silage additives 11CFT, 11GFT and 11AFT inoculants for corn silage, grass/cereal and alfalfa silage, respectively.

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The strain was discovered by Pioneer microbiologists and advanced through product testing to produce a specific enzyme during silage fermentation. The result is that these products deliver fermentation efficiency, improved aerobic stability and improved fiber digestibility.  FG

—From DuPont Pioneer news release