Texas Crop Science and GDM Establish Strategic Collaboration to Develop Higher-Yielding Soybean Varieties
8 March 2023 Texas Crop Science (TCS), a developer of sustainable crop yield traits, and GDM, a leading company in plant genetics with U.S. headquarters in Champaign, IL, have announced a strategic collaboration to develop higher-yielding soybean varieties for farmers.
By incorporating TCS high-yielding technology into GDM’s world-leading soybean genetics using gene-editing and advanced plant breeding techniques, the collaboration aims to develop new soybean varieties that deliver higher yield under a wide range of growing conditions, varying from ideal to stress-impacted. Soybeans are one of the main sources of plant protein for both human and animal nutrition. In addition to the ongoing need for higher yields, soybean growers also face increasing challenges associated with the impacts of climate change.
Forty percent of worldwide soybean production is made using GDM genetics, stemming from innovative technologies that combine data science, biotechnology, and agricultural management for the continual genetic improvement of soybean crops.
High-yielding technology from TCS has been under development for more than a decade and proven to increase soybean yields by up to 34 percent through more than 70 intensive field trials carried out over seven years and nine growing seasons at locations in North and South America. A recent scientific publication describes yield improvements in soybean lines with TCS yield technology, as well as stress tolerance characteristics that contribute to achieving climate resilience in crops. The publication can be found here.
“Soybeans provide the foundation of the world’s protein supply, and the twin challenges of global demand for protein and climate instability create stress on the soybean production system,” said Simon Hiebert, CEO of TCS. “Bringing together TCS’s ground-breaking yield trait technology and GDM’s world-leading position in plant genetic innovation and development results in a powerful combination to create a stream of soybean products that will benefit farmers with increased and climate-stable yields, while also benefitting consumers through increased global food security and reduced environmental impact,” he said.
“We are excited about our partnership with TCS. GDM’s focus on bringing the best high-yielding varieties to the market and thus sustainably contributing to productivity fits with a collaboration with TCS, which strives to address global issues such as food security and a clean environment. We are looking forward to the results of this collaboration,” concludes André Beló, New Breeding Technologies Global Manager.
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