R-P/Mycogen link-up boosts GM research
R-P/Mycogen link-up boosts GM research
RHONE-Poulenc and Mycogen Corporation are to pool their plant biotechnology assets to develop and market genetically modified plants and seed products containing multiple traits.
The planned collaboration will initially focus on modifying cotton and sugarcane with Mycogens insect resistance gene, derived from the natural insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), and Rhone-Poulenc Agros gene sequences, which provide tolerance to herbicides, including glyphosate, bromoxynil and isoxazoles.
The proposed agreement also provides for future expansion of the alliance to develop insect-resistance and herbicide-tolerance traits for other crops, including maize, oilseed rape, soybean and sunflower, and to incorporate additional agronomic and quality traits such as oil and protein output enhancement.
"This alliance will enable Rhone-Poulenc Agro to consolidate its position in biotechnology by offering complete, integrated crop production solutions," says Michel Maupu, Rhone-Poulenc Agros president.
"The industry will be very receptive to an alternative source of multiple, stacked crop enhancement traits that improve production efficiency and increase the value of crops," added Carl Eibl, Mycogens President.
Mycogen is majority owned by Dow AgroSciences. *