Biotech Updates

As the world celebrates the International Women's Day (IWD) 2018, more women are speaking up for their rights, equality, and justice. With the theme "Time is Now: Rural and Urban Activists Transforming Women's Lives", the United Nations Commission puts a focus on the activism of rural women, who make up over a quarter of the world population, and being left behind in every measure of development.

Brazil Sugar Mills Start Planting GM Sugarcane

Around 100 sugar mills in Brazil have started planting the first commercialized variety of GM sugarcane. Developed by Centro de Tecnologia Canavieira (CTC) to be resistant from cane borer, the GM sugarcane has been initially planted on 400 hectares (988 acres) of land.

Argentina Approves Three GM Crops

Argentina, the world's third largest producer of genetically modified (GM) crops, has approved two GM maize varieties developed by Syngenta and the local unit of Dow AgroSciences, as well as a GM soybean variety from Bayer SA. One GM maize has multiple genes for greater control of lepidopteran insects, as well as tolerance to glyphosate and glufosinate herbicides; the other has resistance to 2-4D herbicides and aryloxyphenoxy. The GM soybean has tolerance to the herbicides glyphosate, glufosinate, and isoxaflutole.

Researchers Use NBTs to Develop Tobacco Plants as Biofactories

Researchers at the Molecular and Cellular Plant Biology Institute (IBMCP) of the Universitat Politècnica de València in Spain, along with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), are collaborating for the NEWCOTIANA project, a research and innovation initiative, which makes use of new plant breeding technologies to produce medicine, cosmetics, and other products of added value in tobacco plants.