By Ken Fletcher
A NEW collaboration between Bayer and F1 Seed is aimed at providing Bayer’s breeding programme with a pipeline of parents suitable to breed hybrid wheat varieties for the UK.
This significant investment into its wheat breeding programme is focused on developing hybrids that will deliver long-term benefits to growers. While it has assembled an extensive international germplasm base for its breeding programme, Bayer aims to multiply its genetic diversity by using UK germplasm.
The deal with F1 Seed will complement Bayer’s existing hybrid wheat breeding activity in France and Germany, and, according to Adrian Cottey, head of Bayer's seed operation in the UK, said: “This is a pivotal step on our
journey to be one of the UK’s leading wheat breeders, bringing true innovation to this critical crop.”
F1 Seed's wheat breeder, Bill Angus, is well known in the business, having brought significant wheat varieties, such as Claire, Einstein, Istabraq, Invicta and more recently Crusoe to the UK market.
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