Bayer and Meiogenix aim to foster plant breeding and genome editing technologies

Bayer and Meiogenix, a biotech company focused on next-generation breeding technologies, have announced a collaboration to advance agricultural research and development by accelerating the development of Meiogenix’s proprietary technologies related to plant breeding and genome editing applications.

The companies say this research collaboration has the potential to deliver much-needed plant health and nutrition improvements to food crops so farmers can more efficiently and sustainably grow improved plant varieties that deliver the types of foods consumers want.

“Farmers need innovative solutions as they face limited natural resources and a changing climate,” said Jeremy Williams, Head of Plant Biotechnology, Crop Science Research & Development (R&D) at Bayer. 

“Access to Meiogenix’s proprietary technologies could improve the precision and speed with which our breeders enhance crops, which could ultimately accelerate those solutions for the diverse needs of people and our planet.”

EPA approves new fungicide for use on cereal crops

The Environmental Protection Authority has approved an application to import a new fungicide, Vimoy Iblon, into New Zealand, for use on cereal crops.

The applicant, Bayer, intends to market the fungicide to farmers as a means of controlling a range of diseases including scald and net blotch in barley, leaf rust in barley and wheat, stripe rust in wheat and wheat-rye hybrid triticale, speckled leaf blotch in wheat and stem rust in ryegrass crops.

New Zealand is the first country to approve the use of a new active ingredient contained in Vimoy Iblon – isoflucypram. While isoflucypram is not yet in use elsewhere, a European Commission draft assessment report published in August reached similar conclusions to those of the EPA regarding potential risks to human health and the environment.