Dow AgroSciences opens crop research center in Sorriso，Brazil

Date:05-08-2014

Dow AgroSciences recently opened a research center on improvement and trait conversion in the municipality of Sorriso, Mato Grosso, Brazil. This town is the world's largest producer of soybeans. With the new plant, the company will develop corn hybrids with characteristics adapted to Mato Grosso and other tropical regions. It will provide with the most modern research available for the improvement of corn in the world and will also conduct researches with soybean, grass and sorghum.

The most important highlight of the new unit is that it is the first Center for Research on Improvement and Trait Conversion of Dow AgroSciences outside the United States, which reinforces the importance of this investment to Brazilian and world agriculture. With technologies suitable for tropical regions, it will be possible to reduce risks from climatic factors and pests.

According to Ramiro De La Cruz, President of Dow AgroSciences, "the products developed in this research center will represent gains in terms of productivity and profitability for the Brazilian farmer. With technologies suitable for tropical regions, it will be possible to reduce the risk of breakage due to climatic factors and pests. Other relevant aspects are the increase of production capacity per hectare and the decrease of production cost. "

Two laboratories will be responsible for the identification of disease incidents in the region and will ensure the development of plants with resistance characteristics to the most common pests.

Besides Brazil, the Research Center will develop hybrids for Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina. The traits conversion will serve markets such as Mexico, Argentina and India.