AgroPages-TMG signs partnership to develop drought resistant soybeans‏-Agricultural news

Brazilian company Tropical Melhoramento & Genética (TMG) firmed a partnership with Verdeca LLC for the development of new soybean varieties with the BH4® gene, which brings the plant tolerance to abiotic stresses, especially drought. The trait, developed by Verdeca, allows that the plant adapts to adversities of environmental stress conditions, maintaining elevated levels of productivity.

The HB4® stress tolerance trait has had its performance validated through eight years of field trials, including trials in different parts of Argentina and the United States, and two years of trials for regulation. The results of these studies demonstrated that HB4® enables an increase of yield by 14% under various stress conditions normally encountered in soybean producing areas, including drought.

In April of this year, Verdeca (a joint venture of companies Bioceres and Arcadia Biosciences) announced that the Argentine authorities have granted regulatory approval. This was the first approval of HB4® and also the first approval of a regulated trait in the world which brings tolerance to abiotic stress on soybeans. This drought tolerant soybeans is currently on phase 4 of development, considering the advances on field tests and the initial process of trait.

For Francisco Soares Neto, CEO of TMG, the partnership is an important step because Verdeca is a recognized innovative organization and its work is complementary to TMG. "The union of the two companies will bring significant results for agriculture," he says. The president also says that the development of varieties with HB4® is an alternative that goes beyond of the solutions offered in the market currently. "The gene promises to bring greater stability to the crop in the areas with water stress".