AgroPages-Brazil CTNBio approves Dow’s Conkesta Enlist E3 soybean-Agricultural news

The Brazilian National Technical Commission of Biosecurity (CTNBio) approved this month the first genetically-modified Bt soybean which besides being resistant to insects, and also tolerant to three herbicides - glyphosate, ammonium glufosinate and 2,4-D.

Belonging to Dow AgroSciences, the Conkesta Enlist E3 variety was released for planting, and human and animal consumption. It is the first product released by CTNBio that has genes for insect resistance and herbicide tolerance in a single event.

According to the Council of Information on Biotechnology, the approved variety was obtained through the crossing of the events DAS-44406-6 and DAS-81419-2 and contained two genes (cry1Ac and cry1F), referring to insect resistance and three events (aad-12, 2mepsps and pat), related to the tolerance to herbicides.

The cry genes come from the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and the insecticide action. Aad-12 comes from the Delftia acidovorans bacteria and brings tolerance to 2,4-D. 2mepsps is a gene excluded from corn and brings tolerance to glyphosate. The pats came from soil bacteria Streptomyces viridochromogenes, and are responsible for tolerance to ammonium glufosinate.

To be sold in the country, the soybean variety must be authorized by and registered with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply. Dow AgroSciences is now working on the registration with Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture. The product had obtained registration in Argentina in 2016, but it is not being sold there yet. Dow AgroSciences affirmed that no date had been set for its international launch.