DowDuPont unit and Monsanto sign insect licensing deal
Corteva Agriscience, the agriculture division of DowDuPont, has signed a licensing deal with Monsanto to use its technology for fighting insects found on corn.
The deal, which covers the US and Canada, will allow Corteva to apply Monsanto’s technology for controlling insects that cause corn rootworm.
Corteva will receive a licence to “stack Monsanto’s Corn Rootworm III and MON89034 traits with Corteva’s insect control traits”, said a release, dated May 16.
According to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications, ‘gene stacking’ refers to the process of combining two or more genes of interest into a single plant.
“Gene pyramiding and multigene transfer are other monikers in the scientific literature referring to the same process. The combined traits resulting from this process are called stacked traits,” it added.
Financial details of the agreement have not been disclosed.
“This collaboration demonstrates the commitment Corteva has to bringing greater choice to growers, helping them increase their productivity and profitability,” said Tony Klemm, global corn portfolio leader at Corteva Agriscience.
Calvin Treat, Monsanto’s global soy and corn technology lead, said that Monsanto’s broad licensing approach continues to put valuable, cost-effective tools into the hands of farmers when they need them most.
“We view this agreement as an endorsement for the novel mode of action that Monsanto’s Corn Rootworm III trait brings to farmers, as it builds on the current products planted today by adding a new RNAi mode of action that enhances effectiveness against one of the industry’s most destructive insect pests.
“Corn Rootworm III offers increased control and additional durability against the corn rootworm,” he added.
The announcement came just a week after Monsanto’s chairman and CEO Hugh Grant announced his intention to leave the company after its acquisition by Bayer has closed.
Worth $62.5 billion, the deal has yet to be approved in the US, although Reuters reported in April that this process should be complete by the end of May. The deal was approved in India this month.
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