Bayer aims to launch ten blockbuster products in the next ten years to support farmers worldwide, the company announced at its 2024 Crop Science innovation update in Chicago. According to Bayer farmers will benefit from new technologies that will help them produce more while restoring nature through innovations that power regenerative agriculture.
Bayer considers regenerative agriculture as an outcome-based production model, with improving soil health as a key component, leading to increased resilience. Other key aspects include increased productivity; adaption and mitigation of climate change through reductions in greenhouse gas emissions; increased carbon sequestration in the soil; maintaining, preserving or restoring on-farm biodiversity; conserving water resources through improved water retention, reduction in water run-off, as well as improved social and economic well-being of farmers and their communities.
Regenerative agriculture
Bayer’s R&D pipeline is driving the transformation to regenerative agriculture through three pillars. The first is through an annual portfolio refresh of new germplasm and new crop protection formulations that help farmers compete in a changing environment.
The second pillar refers to completely new products like seed and trait technologies or novel crop protection solutions with blockbuster potential, fueling stable long-term growth.
The third pillar consists of key collaborations on technologies like gene editing and biological solutions with strategic partners that are complementing Bayer’s in-house R&D efforts.
Preceon Smart Corn System
With the Preceon Smart Corn System farmers will benefit from better protection of their crops, better access during the season and higher yields. Bayer’s 2023 Groundbreaker trials in the U.S., which included 365 growers, resulted in more than 80 percent reporting they would plant Preceon Smart Corn again. The targeted commercial launch of the conventional breeding short-stature corn approach earlier this year is also paralleled with progress on the biotech version which has now advanced to R&D phase 4.
Biologicals are complementing synthetic products
Bayer has accelerated its Biologicals R&D pipeline substantially. Through multi-year strategic research and development partnerships with Ginkgo Bioworks, Kimitec, MustGrow and others, Bayer is accelerating the delivery of breakthrough biological innovations in the areas of next-generation nitrogen fixation, crop protection and biostimulant products – all while continuing to deliver innovative new products through leading development platforms.
Ibisio, a biological bird control which uses black pepper oleoresin as its active ingredient, was advanced to Phase 4 and is expected to launch in Europe where it will help to protect freshly sown fields prevent attacks from crows, pigeons, pheasants and other birds. In 2023, about 20 percent of the total corn area in the EU and the UK was protected with a seed treatment solution including bird repellents and there are very few remaining crop protection products to address the problem.
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