Bioceres & Arcadia Biosciences Receive Regulatory Approval for Stress-Tolerant Soybeans in Argentina Through Verdeca Joint Ve...
28 April 2015 - 01:30AM
Business Wire
-- Approval Is World’s First For a Stress
Tolerance Trait In Soybeans --
Bioceres S.A. and Arcadia Biosciences, Inc. announced today that
their soybean joint venture, Verdeca, has received the first
regulatory approval of its HB4® stress tolerance trait in soybeans
in Argentina. This is the world’s first regulatory approval of an
abiotic stress tolerance trait in soybeans, which Bioceres and
Arcadia believe is an important initial step in pursuing additional
regulatory approvals that Verdeca will seek in multiple geographies
globally.
The National Advisory Commission on Agricultural Biotechnology
(CONABIA), an FAO reference organization on the biosafety of
genetically modified organisms, and the Biotechnology Directorate
from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of
Argentina recently concluded that Verdeca’s soybean containing the
HB4 trait is as safe for the environment as conventional
soybeans.
Field trial results have shown that Verdeca’s HB4 soybeans
produce stable and high yields under multiple stresses, including
drought and low-water conditions. HB4 soybeans have undergone
extensive testing, including six seasons of multi-location field
trials in Argentina and the United States and two years of
regulatory field trials. These field trial results demonstrate that
the HB4 trait provides up to a 14 percent yield advantage under
multiple stress conditions typically found in soybean production
areas.
“We believe that the HB4 trait will help growers increase
their yields under sub-optimal conditions, while preserving the
maximum yield potential of the soybean crop,” said Federico Trucco,
CEO of Bioceres. “This trait is highly anticipated by our grower
customers as well as commercial seed partners. Working through our
Verdeca joint venture, the Bioceres and Arcadia teams generated
extensive field data and applied for regulatory approval, while
collaborating at the same time with multiple breeding partners in
preparation for commercial launch. Our near-term goal is to
continue to work closely with local and global regulatory agencies
to pave the way for commercialization, and then make the trait as
widely available as possible.”
“Verdeca’s HB4 soybeans can help farmers meet the growing global
demand for soybeans by improving yield performance under
environmental stresses common to agriculture, as well as those
associated with climate change,” said Eric Rey, president and CEO
of Arcadia Biosciences. “Approval of the HB4 soybeans is unique for
a company of our size in a major commodity crop, and is a major
step forward to getting the trait into the hands of growers who
need it.”
Soybeans are the world’s fourth-largest crop, grown on 110
million hectares worldwide. Global demand is projected to increase
over the next decade as a result of population growth and the
expanding middle class in highly populated countries such as India
and China. South America is the world’s largest exporter of
soybeans to both developed and developing countries, and more than
45 percent of the world’s soybeans are grown in Argentina and
Brazil. Verdeca’s HB4 soybeans were developed to give farmers an
option to help increase productivity and meet increasing soybean
demand.
About Bioceres
Bioceres is a fully integrated agricultural biotechnology
company utilizing multiple technology platforms to develop and
commercialize products that enhance crop productivity and expand
feedstock applications. The company is owned by more than 250 of
South America’s largest growers. Bioceres is a major shareholder of
INDEAR (Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology of Rosario) and
Bioceres Semillas. For more information visit
www.bioceres.com.ar.
About Arcadia Biosciences
Based in Davis, Calif., with additional facilities in Seattle,
Wash. and Phoenix, Ariz., Arcadia Biosciences develops agricultural
products that create added value for farmers while benefitting the
environment and enhancing human health. Arcadia’s agronomic
performance traits, including Nitrogen Use Efficiency, Water Use
Efficiency, Salinity Tolerance, Heat Tolerance and Herbicide
Tolerance, are all aimed at making agricultural production more
economically efficient and environmentally sound. Arcadia’s
nutrition traits and products are aimed at creating healthier
ingredients and whole foods with lower production costs. The
company was recently listed in the Global Cleantech 100 and was
previously named one of MIT Technology Review's 50 Smartest
Companies. For more information, visit www.arcadiabio.com.
About Verdeca
Verdeca, a US-based joint venture between Bioceres and Arcadia
Biosciences, develops and deregulates soybean 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. For more information
visit www.verdeca.com.
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BioceresLaura Amelong,
+54-341-4861100laura.amelong@bioceres.com.arorArcadia
BiosciencesJeff Bergau,
+1-312-217-0419Jeff.bergau@arcadiabio.com