Bayer CropScience Consolidating Biotechnology R&D In Belgium

Matt Hopkins Posted by Matt Hopkins|6 April 2009

Germany-based Bayer CropScience AG announced in a press release that it intends a realignment of its biotech research activities, putting its focus on stress tolerance, increasing yields, and optimized quality traits. The company will consolidate its European plant biotechnology research activities at its Innovation Center in Ghent, Belgium. The BioScience (Seed & Traits) division’s share of Bayer CropScience’s total research and development expenditure is planned to increase from its current 20% to 25% in 2012. Bayer CropScience plans to invest more than (US $) one billion in the development of new solutions in its Seeds & Traits business from 2008 to 2012.

The company also intends to further extend its research and development capacities in North America, the world’s most important market for commercial
use of plant biotechnology. However, Bayer CropScience will no longer pursue its research into nutrition specialty ingredients at its site in Potsdam, Germany. The company has said it will make every effort to offer all employees at the Potsdam site new assignments at the Innovation Center in Ghent and at Bayer CropScience’s other research sites.

The plant biotechnology research and development activities realignment intends to more clearly identify new agronomic properties and qualitative plant
traits, in order to better address major trends in global agriculture such as increasing demand for food, feed, fibers, and renewable raw materials. The fields of stress tolerance and increased yields are crucial elements for the company’s future market success, says Bayer CropScience, which also wants to further develop its quality plant trait research activities, building on its successful business platform in cotton, canola, rice, and vegetable seeds. The research program in these four key crops covers key quality traits such as the development of new canola profiles, improved tomato processing characteristics, and improved fiber quality on the basis of new cotton varieties.

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