<p style="text-align: justify;">BT11 x MIR162 (OECD identifier: SYN-BT&Oslash;11-1 x SYN-IR162-4) maize is an F1 hybrid resulting from the hybridization of the lepidopteran-resistant and glufosinate-tolerant maize line BT11 (SYN-BT&Oslash;11-1) and the lepidopteran-resistant maize line MIR162 (SYN-IR162-4). This stacked maize hybrid is a product of traditional plant breeding, and therefore is not automatically subject to regulation in all jurisdictions as are transgenic plants resulting from recombinant-DNA technologies. Certain jurisdictions may request notification in advance of the release of a stacked hybrid, or may request information to conduct an environmental and food safety assessment.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">The stacked hybrid BT11 x MIR162 expresses four novel proteins: the delta-endotoxin Cry1Ab which confers resistance to the European Corn Borer and other lepidopterans, the PAT protein which confers tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate ammonium, the vegitative insecticidal protein (VIP) 3Aa from <i>Bacillus thuringiensis</i> that is highly toxic to <i>H. zea, S. frugiperda, A. ipsilon</i>, and <i>S. albicosta</i> larvae, and the PMI protein which allows growth on mannose as a carbon source and is used as a selectable marker. The insecticidal protein Cry1Ab is produced by the <i>cry</i>1Ab gene and PAT is produced by the <i>pat</i> gene, both from BT11; the VIP3Aa protein is produced by the <i>vip3Aa20</i> gene and PMI is produced by the <i>pmi</i> gene, both from MIR162. The novel traits of each parental line have been combined, through traditional plant breeding, to produce this new hybrid.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">While crop losses attributable to <i>O. nubilalis</i> and Diabrotica infestations have been well characterized and are significant, there is not as much quantitative information available on the economic impacts of other major insect pests of maize, specifically <i>H. zea</i>, <i>S. frugiperda</i>, <i>A. ipsilon</i>, and <i>S. albicosta</i>. These pests are not as widespread as corn borers and rootworms; however, crop infestations by these leaf and ear-feeding pests can be very costly to growers, as they have the potential to signifi cantly lower grain yield and quality. Conventional insecticide applications are an option for reducing feeding damage caused by these insects; however, most growers do not treat their crops to control these pests because of cost and limited effectiveness of the chemical agents. Currently available novel varieties are not as efficacious against these lepidopteran insects as they are against <i>O. nubilalis</i>. For example, Bt11 maize containing the Cry1Ab toxin provides only limited or no protection against feeding damage caused by <i>H. zea</i>, <i>S. frugiperda</i>, <i>A. ipsilon</i>, and <i>S. albicosta</i>. The combination of the Cry1Ab protein from BT11 and the Vip3Aa protein from MIR162 can provide growers the means of protecting their maize crops from damage caused by a broad range of lepidopteran pests.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">For a full description of each parental line please refer to the individual product descriptions in the crop database for BT11 and MIR162.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">The inserted genes and their gene products have a history of safe use, and have undergone review and approval by several regulatory agencies. No interactions among the gene products or negative synergistic effects are expected in the stacked hybrid. The Cry1Ab and VIP3Aa proteins do not affect plant metabolism. PAT has a high affinity for L-Phosphinothricin, the active ingredient in glufosinate ammonium and PMI has a high affinity for mannose-6-phosphate, converting it to fructose-6-phosphate which is directly utilised by the plant. PMI, PAT, Cry1Ab and Vip3Aa are therefore not expected to interact within, nor affect the metabolism of the stacked hybrid.</p>
