Posted on March, 7, 2025 at 09:45 am
Months after gaining approval for cultivation of its genetically modified HB4 wheat in the United States, Bioceres Crop Solutions Corp. said on March 4 it has received a Notice of Allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for its first event-specific patent covering the drought-tolerant wheat variety.
It is the first of four potential patents the Rosario, Argentina-based company is pursuing for HB4 wheat in the United States, securing protection for the technology and associated production system until 2042.
In August 2024, HB4 wheat received approval from the US Department of Agriculture for cultivation, two years after the Food and Drug Administration approved HB4 wheat for food and feed use in the United States. The United States is the fourth largest wheat producer, with nearly 40 million acres harvested in the most recent marketing year.
Bioceres said HB4 wheat offers improved tolerance to drought and enhanced weed management options compared to conventional wheat. It has been shown to increase wheat yields by an average of 20% in water-limited conditions, a key adaptation that favors double-cropping systems, where water management is increasingly critical, the company said. Under no-till practices, HB4 soy-wheat rotations result in an estimated 1,650 kilograms of carbon fixed into the soil per hectare per year, compared to positive emissions from conventional soy monoculture, Bioceres said.
In alignment with the company’s commitment to responsible commercialization, Bioceres said it will adhere to the US Wheat Associates’ (USW) “Wheat Industry Principles for Biotechnology Commercialization” developed with the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG). These principles include maintaining fluent dialogue with USW/NAWG, securing regulatory approvals for food and feed in major wheat export markets, establishing tolerance thresholds for low level presence, providing trait detection tests, and ensuring product stewardship through education, outreach and a certified seed value capture model.
USW and other stakeholders have expressed cautious optimism about the impact HB4 wheat could have in the United States and globally.
“A drought-tolerant trait offers more stable and sustainable production,” said Michael Peters, former USW chairman, after the USDA approved HB4 wheat for cultivation last August. “At the same time, it is important that customers who may be concerned about introducing transgenic wheat into US supplies understand the industry supports their ability to purchase the type of wheat they want. That remains our policy after more than 16 years.”
The United States is the fourth country to greenlight production of HB4 wheat, following Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Nigeria, Thailand, Indonesia, Colombia and Chile have all approved the technology for food and feed use.
The commercial rollout of HB4 wheat in the United States will follow a broad licensing approach, Bioceres said, consistent with the company’s recently announced go-to-market strategy for its HB4 technology.
Source: World Grain