Drought-tolerant GMO wheat boosts yields up to 22% in field trials, while drought-tolerant soy could launch in 2020
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During the latest harvest, drought-tolerant wheat yielded up to 22.1% more, according to tests conducted on 395 hectares, [the biotech firm] Bioceres said. Soybeans with the same technology, HB4, continue to multiply to be marketed in the future.
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“The performance benefits in the different environments ranged from eight percent …. to 22.1 percent, compared to commercial controls ….” said Bioceres. [T]his variety is not yet authorized to be marketed in Argentina, because worldwide there is no country where the entry of GM wheat is allowed.
The “Eco Soy”, also with the HB4 gene, has been approved in Argentina, Brazil, the United States and Paraguay. According to Bioceres …. “it is expected that the seeds produced will allow planting of up to 90,000 hectares during the sowing season next summer in the southern hemisphere, bringing the company closer to wide commercialization.”
Related article: Mennonite family shuns gadgets but grows GMO corn
After approval in the US, drought tolerant soybeans will be launched in 2020. For the variety to reach global markets, it has to be approved by China, the main buyer of the oilseed worldwide.
Source: Agrovoz