1-28 IAN Bayer/Nebraska

 Bayer CropScience AG (Bayer) and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) have signed a non-exclusive agreement to improve wheat breeding and generate new wheat varieties. This mutually beneficial public-private collaborative agreement will allow both parties to enrich their respective wheat breeding programs, provide innovation to wheat growers and ensure resources for advanced education in the field of wheat agronomy.

This agreement provides Bayer with access to UNL’s outstanding wheat germplasm. Spokesperson Peter Peerbolte explained to me the importance of Nebraska’s genetic science to the Bayer equation: “By  the end of our ten year agreement hopefully we’ll have some collaboration of traits that might or might not come from University of Nebraska, it might come from an outside source but still using the genetics of Nebraska.

 Subsequently, Bayer will establish its first North American wheat breeding station near Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. The company will also contribute to the improvement of wheat cultivation through research and education initiatives in the state. Further support for Nebraska wheat growers will include their involvement in local seed production activities for Bayer. The University says agreements of this type benefit all wheat growers because they will have a greater selection of improved varieties from both public and private wheat breeding programs