New Potato, Maize Crops In Development
13 April 2006 BASF, more known for agrochemicals than biotechnology, plans to enter the biotech fray with a new high-starch potato that could be available as soon as next year.
Hans Kast, president of BASF’s plant-science unit, said that the potato would be used primarily by the paper, textile, and adhesives industries in Europe, where the crop is in the midst of regulatory review.
“We are going to be head on with the Monsanto’s and DuPont Pioneer’s of the world,” said Kast.
In addition, BASF’s drought-resistant maize began field trials last year, and could be available in the US by 2010. The two crops are a part of the company’s commitment to become involved in traits development — BASF has already slated US $320 million of its US $1 billion research budget for 2006-2008 on plant science.
Monsanto has its own drought resistant maize under development, which is slated to launch between 2010 and 2012.
Hugh Grant, CEO of the company, says that the seed has the potential to become “a blockbuster.” Monsanto has completed 53 large-scale field trials in the past two years and is now identifying the highest-yielding varieties.
Grant was further cited as saying that drought resistance represents Monsanto’s “biggest single opportunity” due to the high costs of irrigation for farmers, and that farmers who don’t irrigate because their land is not prone to drought will be offered a discount.
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