RPT-UPDATE 2-Monsanto sees 2009 as Roundup's "peak" year

* Sees Roundup business peaking in 2009

* Still sees F2009 adjusted earnings $4.40 to $4.50/shr

* Wall St expects fiscal 2009 earnings of $4.76/shr

* Shares up about 1 percent early (Repeating to additional subscribers) (Adds details, share movement; changes dateline, previously NEW YORK)

By Carey Gillam

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Feb 10 (Reuters) - Monsanto Co (MON.N) said on Tuesday its growing biotech seeds and traits lines should more than make up for an expected decline in its popular Roundup line after the herbicide's business peaks this year.

Gross profits from Monsanto's Roundup herbicide should range from $2.4 billion to $2.5 billion in 2009, but could fall to $1.9 billion by 2012, said Monsanto Chief Financial Officer Terry Crews.

Roundup has been Monsanto's bread-and-butter product for years. The herbicide is a favorite among farmers, and Monsanto's genetically modified crops that resist Roundup have allowed farmers to kill weeds easily by spraying Roundup directly over the crops.

The company reiterated guidance from January that it expects fiscal 2009 adjusted earnings of $4.40 to $4.50 a share, up from $3.64 in fiscal 2008.

Analysts, on average, have forecast fiscal 2009 earnings of $4.76 a share, according to Reuters Estimates.

Monsanto's shares were up about 10 cents at $83.76, after rising as much as 1.6 percent in early New York Stock Exchange trading.

Crews was due to speak to investors Tuesday at the Goldman Sachs 13th Annual Agricultural Biotech Forum in New York.

The company said Crews will highlight Monsanto's plans for new product launches, and said current research and development pipeline products could generate an incremental $5 billion in gross sales by 2020.

Monsanto said it expects earnings-per-share growth in the second and third quarters to both be in the 10 percent to 12 percent range. (Editing by Maureen Bavdek)