Embrapa and Helix launch the first self-developed genetically modified corn BTMAX in Brazil

 

The BTMAX maize transgenic event improved the Brazilian maize variety, which is highly effective
against the main pests of maize: the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) and the sugarcane borer (Diatraea saccharalis).
The BTMAX transgenic event was obtained by adding the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) gene, the result of a full national public-private partnership between Embrapa and Helix, and unanimous approval
by CTNBio (National Technical Committee for Biosafety) in June 2022.

 

Experiments and field results in areas related to maize agribusiness in Brazil showed that "BTMAX is as efficient as the best technology on the market, even in areas with dense fall armyworm, the infestation does not cause any damage to leaves or plant roots," explains
Cesar Moisés Camilo, a researcher at Helix.

 

Even if BTMAX corn leaves are diluted 25 times in artificial feed, 70% of the pests will die
within 7 days.
After 14 days, BTMAX eliminated 99% of the pests and the remaining 1% did not complete the digestion cycle
.
"This is a key point in managing protein resistance," Helix's researchers emphasize, "BTMAX corn does not develop cross-resistance with proteins in other marketed corn transgenic events
.
" BTMAX is a powerful product in this field, with high expressiveness, representing new modes of action and technologies
.
That's why the technology is disruptive," Camilo said
.

 

Urbano Ribeiral Júnior, financial director of Agroceres Group, said Brazil's biodiversity alone speaks for the good performance of GM events
.
"Through the partnership between the two companies, differences were discovered, namely the use of Brazil's biodiversity in a special way to solve the problem
of pests in tropical countries encountered in crop cultivation.
I believe that the focus on tropical agriculture will make this product viable, which will be the reason for the success of BTMAX and other technologies in the
future.
" With the unanimous approval of CTNBio, the world's benchmark for technical excellence, we launched the deregulation process
in other countries in June this year.
But there are still no predictions for the commercial release of the technology, as much depends on regulators
.
The product has already been approved in Brazil, but since it is in the export chain, we need more approvals
.
″

 

For FredericoDurães, General Manager of Embrapa Maize and Sorghum, "In strategic alliances and functional agreements, Embrapa, driven by biotechnology, synthetic biology, gene editing, bioinformatics and artificial intelligence, has established smart and creative initiatives and campaigns
for biological inputs for the transition from the first to the advanced generation.
In theory and practice, we integrate knowledge, technology and products to add value and impact to farmers and tropical agriculture," he concluded
.