Brazilian agency to expand GMO wheat tests, Embrapa official says (updated)

Bioceres Crop Solutions

07/03/2023 19:52

(Adds context and details from the interview)
    By Ana Mano
       SAO PAULO, March 7 (Reuters) - The Brazilian
government's agriculture research agency, Embrapa, plans to
expand testing of a variety of drought-resistant, genetically
modified wheat as Brazil aims to become more self-sufficient in
the staple crop.
    In an interview with Reuters, Embrapa Chief of Wheat
Research Jorge Lemainski said on Tuesday that in addition to
testing the transgenic materials in the Cerrado region of
Brazil, Embrapa also aims to plant them in Minas Gerais state as
part of efforts to observe the adaptability to tropical
conditions of the GMO wheat seeds developed by Argentina's
Bioceres  BIOX.O .
    Last week's landmark approval for the planting and sale of
GMO wheat in Brazil means Embrapa can test the wheat designed to
resist water stress in more corners of the country, Lemainski
said. 
    This will allow Brazilian researchers to see how the plants
behave under different conditions, putting the country's farmers
closer to planting GMO wheat on a commercial scale, he added.
    The ideal time to sow the drought-resistant seeds is between
March 1 and April 10, Lemainski said. However, he noted that
Brazil still has not enough GMO wheat seeds for large scale
testing. 
    Some four years of research would be necessary to evaluate
adaptability of GMO wheat to Brazilian tropical conditions, 
Lemainski added.
    Embrapa's first trials began around this time last year. 

 (Reporting by Ana Mano; Editing by Paul Simao and Sandra Maler)
 ((ana.mano@thomsonreuters.com; Tel: +55-11-5644-7704; Mob:
+55-119-4470-4529; Reuters Messaging:
ana.mano.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))