DuPont seed producer Pioneer Hi-Bred and Dow AgroSciences have reached an agreement where each company will license its proprietary technology to the other firm. The licenses are nonexclusive and grant each company the right to "stack," or combine the technology with additional genetically modified traits. Financial details were not disclosed.

DuPont is developing a trait known as Optimum GAT, which helps crops tolerate two different types of herbicides -- glyphosate, commonly known by the brand name Roundup, and ALS herbicides. The company expects to introduce Optimum GAT soybeans commercially in 2011.

Dow's trait technology provides tolerance to another class of weed-killers, 2,4-D herbicides. The company said it plans to submit data to U.S. regulators this year, and it anticipates commercial introduction "early in the next decade" pending regulatory approval.

When the two traits are stacked together, the companies said the resulting soybeans would be tolerant to all three types of herbicides, giving farmers a wider range of options to control weeds without harming their crops. Both firms said they are developing new herbicides to complement their traits.

DuPont licenses the Roundup Ready trait for herbicide tolerance from seed-industry leader Monsanto Co. to use in Pioneer seeds. DuPont and Monsanto are currently embroiled in a lawsuit over DuPont's intention to stack the Roundup Ready trait with Optimum GAT in soybeans.

Pioneer and Mycogen Seeds, a unit of Dow AgroSciences, previously collaborated on developing an insect-resistant seed technology called Herculex.

Earlier this year, Dow had hinted that it may try to sell Dow AgroSciences. On Thursday, Dow CEO Andrew Liveris said the company will not sell the $4.5-billion agriculture business. In a separate announcement Thursday, DuPont said it would collaborate with BSES Ltd., an Australian sugar industry research firm, to bring advances to sugarcane production through plant biotechnology. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.