Industry merger to create new crop options for sugar

A Brisbane-based sugar industry biotechnology group has joined forces with Dow AgroSciences LLC to research new crop management opportunities for the Australian sugarcane industry.
The Cooperative Research Centre for Sugar Industry Innovation through Biotechnology (CRC SIIB) and Dow AgroSciences have signed a two-year research collaboration.

CRC SIIB chief executive, Dr Peter Twine, said the alliance meant more resources and expertise would be dedicated to finding bio-based solutions for sugarcane crop management.

"The world is shifting towards innovative crop management technologies that allow us to produce more with far less impact on surrounding environments," Dr Twine said.

"Currently weed and pest management costs the Australian sugarcane industry hundreds of millions of dollars each year in lost productivity.

"However, in terms of reducing these losses, our hands are often tied because overuse of traditional control measures can result in more costly and damaging side effects.

"However, bio-based solutions to a wide range of farming obstacles are on our doorstep.

"Agreements, such as the Dow AgroSciences/CRC partnership, take us one step closer to making these solutions reality."

According to Dow AgroSciences vice president for new business, Kay Kuenker, the collaboration will allow the organisations to combine technologies and capabilities to accelerate discovery and development of novel sugarcane products.
SOURCE:farmonline