Biotech Updates

DuPont Leader: Drought Tolerance Technology Vital to Increase Food Production

August 6, 2010

Agricultural innovations such as the drought resistance technology are needed to increase productivity and meet the demands of the growing population, announced DuPont Executive Vice President James C. Borel in Woodland, one of two managed stress facilities of DuPont.

"Drought tolerance technologies are part of the next great wave of agricultural innovation that will improve agronomic characteristics of plants so they more efficiently use available resources," said Borel. "They will further empower farmers with better product choices to meet growing demand while reducing their environmental footprint."

Drought is the most harmful among the environmental factors that affect agricultural productivity. In 2009, drought cost farmers $14 billion worldwide. Pioneer has been working on drought-tolerant corn hybrids for over 50 years and is planning to release the first of the next generation of hybrids as early as 2011.

Read the complete news article at http://www.pioneer.com/web/site/portal/menuitem.50ccfe7db37d91e389108910d10093a0/.