December 23, 2013
Verdeca, GDM Seeds to develop and commercialise stress-tolerant soy
Verdeca and GDM Seeds announced the completion of an agreement to develop and commercialise new soy varieties based on Verdeca's HB4® stress-tolerance technology.
HB4® technology enables plants to adapt to multiple stresses and achieve higher yields. The agreement and collaboration leverage Verdeca's technology and regulatory expertise, and GDM Seeds' world-class soy germplasm and breeding capabilities.
Verdeca's HB4® stress-tolerant soy has completed six seasons of multi-location field trials in Argentina and the US, including two years of extensive regulatory trials. The results of these trials demonstrate that HB4® technology provides a consistent and significant yield advantage under multiple environmental stress conditions typically found in soy production areas.
Under the collaboration, GDM Seeds will develop and commercialise proprietary soy varieties incorporating HB4® stress-tolerance technology. Integration of the HB4® trait into the GDM Seeds soy breeding programme has been in progress under an earlier research agreement.
"GDM Seeds is one of the most respected names in the soy seed industry, with a significant market share in South America, which accounts for 49% of global soy planted area," said Eric Rey, President and CEO of Arcadia Biosciences.
"The combination of GDM Seeds' elite germplasm with Verdeca's proven HB4® stress-tolerance technology and regulatory capabilities creates an exciting opportunity to fundamentally change the landscape of the soy business in South America," said Federico Trucco, CEO of Bioceres.
Grown on 112 million hectares globally, soy is the world's fourth-largest crop. Nearly 44% of the world's soys are grown in Argentina and Brazil. Growth in global population, combined with a growing middle-class in countries such as China and India, create an ever-increasing demand for dietary protein from soy.
"GDM Seeds invests in breeding programmes and new technologies to develop better soy varieties and bring those varieties to farmers through its brands Don Mario and Brasmax as well as its licensing partners," said Gerardo Bartolome, President of GDM Seeds.
GDM Seeds is a leading Argentina-based seed company focused on soy, but with operations in wheat and corn. GDM Seeds soy varieties are consistently ranked among the top varieties in key soy markets such as Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay.
Verdeca, a US-based joint venture between Bioceres and Arcadia Biosciences, develops and deregulates soy varieties with next-generation agricultural technologies. Working in partnership with South American growers, Verdeca provides technologies that help increase crop productivity, making more efficient and sustainable use of land and water resources.
Bioceres is an investment company focused on the creation, management, and funding of companies and projects related to the development of technologies, products, and knowledge in agricultural biotechnology and related sciences.
Arcadia Biosciences is an agricultural technology company focused on developing agricultural products that improve the environment and enhance human health. Arcadia's agronomic traits, including nitrogen use efficiency, water efficiency, salt tolerance, heat tolerance and herbicide tolerance, are all aimed at making agricultural production more economically efficient and environmentally sound.
