Brazil′s CTNBio Approves Cotton With TwinLink Technology From Bayer CropScience

 
The National Biosafety Technical Commission (CTNBio) in Brazil has granted approval for TwinLink® technology for cotton developed by Bayer CropScience. The TwinLink technology contains two insect resistance genes which confer important characteristics to cotton seed for effective management of a number of lepidopteran pests (caterpillars). Additionally, TwinLink cotton is fully tolerant to glufosinate-ammonium herbicides (Ignite®, Basta®). Therefore, the TwinLink technology will allow the Brazilian farmers to manage both pests and weeds that may impair crop productivity and the quality of the cotton lint that is produced.

"This technology will be an important tool and an attractive, modern alternative for Brazilian cotton farmers to improve their crop management, increase productivity sustainably, and maintain Brazil as one of the main leaders in the production of quality cotton,” said Joachim Schneider, Head of the BioScience business unit of Bayer CropScience.

TwinLink is one product in a series of new weed and insect management solutions being developed for the cotton farmer by Bayer CropScience. In Brazil, the company is already marketing LibertyLink® cotton and, in December 2010, CTNBio approved the commercial use of GlyTol® -technology, which enables the selective use of a glyphosate-based herbicide to control weeds.