As climate change is threatening longer dry spells in drought-prone regions and declines in crop yield that can lead to global food shortages, the scientists of Monsanto Company and BASF have announced discovery of a naturally-occurring gene that can help corn plants combat drought conditions and confer yield stability during periods of inadequate water supplies.
They have said that the gene would be used in their first-generation drought-tolerant corn product which is designed to provide yield stability . ??This product will be the first biotechnology-derived drought-tolerant crop in the world??’, Monsanto has said in a release.
Monsanto and BASF noted that the drought-tolerant corn product is targeted for as early as 2012 pending appropriate regulatory approvals. Both companies also recently announced that they have completed regulatory submissions for cultivation in the US and Canada, and for import to Mexico, the European Union and Colombia. Submissions in other import markets will follow in the months to come.
The US national academy of sciences has warned of declining crop yields and global food shortages as a result of climate change. A United Nations? Food and Agriculture Organisation report prepared for ministers of the G-8, had said that the number and duration of dry spells, especially in already drought-prone areas, is expected to increase.
In any given year, 10 to 13 million acres of farmland planted to corn in the United States may be affected by at least moderate drought. In field trials conducted last year in the western great plains, drought-tolerant corn met or exceeded the 6% to 10% target yield enhancement?about 7 to 10 bushels per acre in some of the key drought-prone areas in the United States where average yields range from 70 to 130 bushels per acre
According to Robert Fraley, chief technology officer for Monsanto, ??drought-tolerant corn will be another tool with which we can help the farmers meet the challenges facing agriculture today.??
Senior vice president R&D, BASF plant science, J?rgen Schweden, said, ??BASF and Monsanto?s drought-tolerant corn is the first result of our plant biotechnology collaboration. With our complementing technologies, we are able to bring more and better products to farmers faster.??
Drought-tolerant corn technology is part of the R&D and commercialization collaboration in plant biotechnology between BASF and Monsanto, announced in March 2007.
