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DuPont Enters Collaboration for Yield-Boosting Effort

DuPont has announced it will enter into a research collaboration with Japan Tobacco for development of yield-related traits. Scientists at Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., will work directly with JT - terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

"We are excited with the progress and findings to date, and anticipate the knowledge gained through this relationship will help us achieve our goal of doubling our rate of yield gain by 2014, thereby growing our industry-leading yield advantage," says Jim Miller, vice president DuPont Crop Genetics Research and Development, in a press announcement."Yield is one of the most important agronomic traits for farmers around the world, and it's a top priority in our research program."

JT has developed a proprietary screening system for evaluating yield and yield-related parameters in rice plants. The screening system has already identified a number of promising leads that the companies will evaluate in several important row crops. The collaboration aims to identify key genes and produce traits to enhance product development. Miller notes that part of the work will be on plants that maintain yields under stressful environmental conditions, including drought.