KWS launches six new hybrid corn varieties in the Brazilian market

Einbeck, July 30, 2019

Seed specialist KWS is further expanding its corn breeding program in Brazil / launch of KWS’ own new corn genetic material / six new hybrids enable very good yield potential and high resistance to a broad range of pests

The independent seed specialist KWS has brought six new hybrid corn varieties to market for its two Brazilian brands KWS and Riber. They offer a leading combination of maximum genetic potential and protection against insects. “We’re very proud to be able to offer these innovative hybrid corn varieties to Brazilian farmers,” said Marcelo Salles, KWS’ Regional Director for Brazil and Argentina. “The new hybrids are highly competitive in terms of yield, tolerance to widely used herbicides, and resistance to a number of caterpillar pests.”

The new corn hybrids combine KWS’ latest proprietary genetic material with the trait stack VIP3, which has been developed by Syngenta and is licensed to KWS. Following the merger of the breeding activities KWS acquired in Brazil, the performance of the local genetic material has been enhanced enormously, also thanks to the possibility of knowledge sharing as part of KWS’ international network. The new hybrids thus embody the latest breeding progress achieved by KWS. Syngenta’s VIP3 technology supplies plants with a high level of resistance to a broad range of Lepidoptera pests throughout their vegetation period. These pests are widespread in Brazil and can be combated with conventional pesticides only by applying large quantities.

Further expansion of the breeding program

Under its corn breeding program, KWS will further expand its seed portfolio in Brazil with a large variety of high-performance hybrids in the coming years: “KWS’ breeding program is quickly picking up speed, and we plan to launch many new corn hybrids over the next few years. Our breeding progress and our sales figures make us confident that we’ll become a leading provider of corn seed in Brazil in the medium to long term,” noted Alexander Drotschmann, Head of Business Unit Corn & Oilcrops Americas.

KWS in Brazil

KWS has operated in the Brazilian market since acquiring the Brazilian corn seed vendor Riber in 2012. Since then, KWS has grown its share in the corn seed market from around three percent to approximately seven percent and is currently ranked fifth. With cultivation area of around 15 million hectares, Brazil is the world’s third-largest market for corn after the U.S. and China (each with cultivation area of some 36 million hectares).

About KWS*

KWS is one of the world’s leading plant breeding companies. In the fiscal year 2017/18 more than 5,000 employees in 70 countries generated net sales of EUR 1,068 million and earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of EUR 133 million. A company with a tradition of family ownership, KWS has operated independently for more than 160 years. It focuses on plant breeding and the production and sale of seed for corn, sugarbeet, cereals, rapeseed and sunflowers. KWS uses leading-edge plant breeding methods to increase farmers’ yields and to improve resistance to diseases, pests and abiotic stress. To that end, the company invested approximately EUR 200 million last fiscal year in research and development.

* All indications excluding the results from the companies accounted for using the equity method AGRELIANT GENETICS LLC., AGRELIANT GENETICS INC. and KENFENG – KWS SEEDS CO., LTD.

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