Bayer CropScience Collaborates With CTC On Sugarcane R&D

Posted by Matt Hopkins|4 June 2010

MONHEIM, Germany — Bayer CropScience and the Centro de Tecnologia Canavieira (CTC) — the Center for Sugarcane Technology in São Paulo, Brazil — will enter into a research and development cooperation for biotech sugarcane varieties intended to improve ethanol production. Developing varieties with higher sugar content can increase the production efficiency of sugarcane-based ethanol, according to researchers. As part of the agreement, Bayer CropScience plans to combine its technologies for introgression with CTC´s proprietary elite germplasm.

Early research results for the biotech varieties under development have indicated increases of about 30% to 40%. The products resulting from this cooperation are anticipated to be ready for submission for regulatory approval by 2015.

About 40% of global sugarcane production occurs in Brazil.