December 14, 2009

Brazil approves second GM soy

A new GM soy seed developed jointly by BASF and Brazilian agricultural researchers has been approved by authorities in Brazil.

The soy is tolerant of imidazoline-based herbicides and it is the first GM seed to be approved by Brazil's CTNBio biosecurity commission that was developed with the participation of a government entity.

BASF said it plans to launch the seed in the 2011-12 soy season, meaning it would be sown for the first time around October 2011. BASF supplied the modified gene and researchers Embrapa inserted it into the soy's genetic material.

BASF and Embrapa have been partners since 1997.

Currently the only GM soy available in Brazil is Monsanto's glyphosate herbicide-resistant Roundup Ready.