How are biotechnology companies like Bayer and researchers like IRRI working to prevent reduction in crop varieties from thousands of heirloom and conventional crops to a few commercial and GM crops?

Expert response from Paul Degreef

Global Head of Crop Development for Vegetables, Bayer

Tuesday, 19/04/2016 20:16

After a long research process, only a few crop varieties reach the market and become commercial. Whether those crops are GMO and or non-GMO, it is valid to say that only varieties that have the best combination of genes make it to market.

Companies like Bayer recognize the importance of detecting and maintaining many different genes available in heirloom, old varieties and landraces, which are ancient, local varieties. The reason being that these genes may not be so important now, but they could become very important in the future. There are many examples of new diseases on the horizon, for which no resistance is available in current commercial varieties. We could identify new resistance genes in old varieties and heirloom crops and use those genes to develop new commercial varieties with that resistance. Other examples are genes related to heat and drought tolerance. Until recent years there hasn’t been a strong focus on these traits, but with climate change and the rising lack of water, these traits are becoming more important. We’re able to identify genes in heirloom, old varieties and landraces that improve the varieties with respect to heat and drought.

In order to maintain the global variability in each crop, Bayer supports national gene banks worldwide, which have collected all material available over the last 150 years. We support these gene banks by helping identify important genes, taking care that the material is multiplied in such a way that no variation is lost and that the material is stored in such a way that it can be used forever (by using storage freezers). This prevents the loss of any gene in the world that is available in the public domain.

Additionally, Bayer takes care that in all of our Research Crop programs the global available variation is secured by constantly trying to identify new genes, making sure that the material is multiplied and stored in such a way that no material gets lost. This is seen as a key activity in all the Bayer Research Crop programs.