The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has invited public comment on Corteva's application for the extension of deregulated status for the company’s genetically modified DP56113 maize for use in the Seed Production Technology for Africa (SPTA) process. DP56113 maize varieties have been developed for maintenance and recovery of male-sterile maize breeding lines. Corteva (previously DuPont Pioneer) previously developed the Seed Production Technology (SPT) process to facilitate the in-house production of male-sterile maize lines that are used as female inbred parents for subsequent hybrid seed production. This process is also utilised by DP56113 maize and is now called the SPTA process, aimed at providing a reliable and predictable method to produce high-quality hybrid maize seed for small and medium size seed companies in Africa.

APHIS previously reviewed and deregulated the traits in DP56113 maize in another maize variety developed by Corteva, referred to as DP-32138-1 maize. In its preliminary plant pest risk assessment, APHIS concluded that DP56113 maize is not more likely to pose a plant pest risk than the previously deregulated DP-32138-1 maize.