After many years of testing and debate, the Brazilian government has approved the cultivation of drought-tolerant HB4 wheat, developed by the Argentinian company Bioceres. The company reported that the National Biosafety Commission of the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation concluded the biosafety assessment of the technology and which has granted approval for its marketing and cultivation.

“Regard second country to authorize the planting of this type of wheat, after Argentina. Together, both countries plant 90% of the South American wheat area”, highlighted the company, recalling that the HB4 technology is a unique development of its kind at a global level, achieved after more than 20 years of research together with a team of scientists from Conicet led by Dr. Raquel Chan and from the Universidad del Litoral.

It is, simply put, a development that incorporates a sunflower gene into the wheat that produces it tolerant to drought and salinity conditionsas well as the herbicide glufosinate ammonium. The same technology has already been applied to soybeans and is in the same approval process by several countries. As specified by the company’s Communications Manager, Gabino Rebagliati, “from 2019 to today, HB4 technology has progressed rapidly in its regulatory status worldwide and today many of the main soybean and wheat producing and importing countries have already approved this type of wheat”.

Now the technology has gained key recognition, ever since Brazil is the main buyer of Argentine wheat. In November 2021 that country had already given the green light to imports of flours made from HB4 wheat. “The HB4 gene is critical to the adaptation of our agricultural systems to a more extreme climate and has shown yield increases of more than 40% in environments with severe water stress, according to results obtained in the latest crop in Argentina.” highlighted by Bioceres.

Brazil is the main buyer of Argentine wheat, with between 4 and 6.5 million tons per year, but aspires to strongly increase its production to achieve self-sufficiency and even export. The National Suppliers Company (Conab) declared that with domestic consumption of 12.05 million tonsBrazilian wheat exports in the 2021/2022 campaign were estimated at 3.20 million tons, a historical record.

Field tests of HB4 wheat in Brazilian soils have already been underway since the middle of last year. Now the technology must demonstrate its advantages to win the favor of producers and organizations such as the Brazilian Association of the grain industry (Abitrigo), which despite official approval has repeatedly spoken out against this innovation.