Monsanto scientists
step closer to unlocking greater yield potential of corn
Source: Monsanto Company
September 15, 2008
CheckBiotech
ST. LOUIS, Miss. - Scientists at Monsanto are a step closer
to further unlocking the yield potential of corn to help enable each seed to
increase its ability meet the world's growing demand for food, feed and fuel.
The company announced
Thursday (11. Sept.) it has
produced a genetic blueprint of one of its top-performing elite female corn
lines. The scientific achievement, important for developing better-performing
corn seeds for farmers, was made through the use of high throughput DNA
sequencing methods, as well as data generated by the recently completed maize
genome project.
"These sequencing efforts will not only identify
preferred genes for our research and development pipelines, but move us into a
high-definition molecular breeding era that uses a combination of sequence and
markers to derive future higher-yielding hybrids globally," said Monsanto
Chief Technology Officer Dr. Robert Fraley.
High throughput sequencing methods enable scientists to
rapidly identify variations in the genomes of complex organisms. In health
care, for example, high throughput sequencing aids in the discovery of gene
variants that can lead to development of new medicines.
"In agriculture, high throughput sequencing has the
potential to provide an unprecedented level of detail about our current
market-leading hybrids and to point us in the direction of meeting Monsanto's
commitment to double yields in our core crops by 2030," said Fraley.
In February, scientists led by a team of researchers at
Hybrid corn seed is planted by farmers each spring and is developed
by crossing two corn inbred parents, male and female. Monsanto's elite parents
represent the culmination of more than a decade of intensive breeding effort,
Fraley said.
In June the company announced a three-point commitment to
agriculture sustainability, which includes the goal of developing better seeds
to enable farmers to double yields in corn, cotton and soybeans by the year
2030, compared to a base year of 2000; helping farmers reduce by one-third the
amount of key resources required to grow crops by the year 2030; and helping to
improve farmers' lives globally.
About Monsanto Company
Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of
technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm
productivity and food quality. Monsanto remains focused on enabling both
small-holder and large-scale farmers to produce more from their land while
conserving more of our world's natural resources such as water and energy. To
learn more about our business and our commitments, please visit: www.monsanto.com.
Source: Monsanto Company
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