RAGT Seeds has licensed Bayer Crop Science to exclusively market its hybrid wheat varieties in Europe and North America, with the first commercial material expected in the early 2030s.
The two companies had been collaborating over hybrid wheat since 2021, combining RAGT’s germplasm with Bayer’s global strength in crop protection and seeds production and marketing. Bayer’s own established wheat hybridisation programme in Europe was divested to BASF in 2018 as a competition authorities’ condition for its acquisition of Monsanto in that year. In turn, RAGT had acquired Monsanto’s European wheat and Barley breeding programmes – including Cambridge PBI – in 2004, marking its first presence in the UK market.
Under the updated agreement, Bayer will receive licensed access to RAGT’s wheat genetics and to the scientific expertise and research developed by RAGT’s teams. Bayer says the latest agreement with RAGT advances its plans to sell hybrid wheat varieties in Europe and North America simultaneously by the early 2030s. It believes hybrid wheat could generate annual revenues of up to €1 billion for the company a decade after their launch. The move will strengthen Bayer’s position in Europe, as the wheat germplasm is tailored for European environments.
In Europe, Bayer will concentrate on hybrid winter wheat varieties, with both winter and spring types in the US market, building on its successful WestBred wheat brand. The company estimates that 80% of the wheat area in Europe and the US could benefit from hybrid wheat technology.
The company believes that hybrid wheat growers will see initial productivity increases of 10%, with additional gains over time. This will benefit farm profitability and sustainability at a time of challenging changing weather and growing conditions. The hybrids have enhanced root systems, allowing faster growth and establishment which leads to better potential for weed, pest and disease tolerance as well as greater resilience to drought and heat.
“We’re very excited about the potential of this broad licensing agreement with Bayer, as it represents a significant step in RAGT’s commitment to innovation in wheat breeding,” comments RAGT head of R&D Sébastien Chatre. “By sharing our expertise, we can accelerate the development of hybrid wheat solutions that will benefit the entire market and meet the evolving needs of farmers and the seed industry.
“This agreement recognises the strength of our partnership, the scientific expertise of our teams, and the value of the wheat genetics that RAGT has developed over decades. Our ambition remains unchanged: to help develop new generations of hybrid wheat capable of meeting the agronomic, economic, and environmental challenges facing farmers”, he says.
For Bayer Crop Science, cereals, cotton, canola/OSR and biofuels lead Peter Mueller adds: “Wheat is one of the most important staple food crops in the world. But wheat production has stagnated and is coming under pressure from prolonged drought and heatwaves, such as the one we just experienced in Europe. At the same time, sturdier hybrid varieties of wheat are still not widely available.
“Our deal with RAGT is about to change that. Combining RAGT’s top performing germplasm and know-how with our breeding capabilities will significantly boost and expand our pipeline of hybrid wheat varieties, allowing us to compete in a rapidly evolving market. With the North American program in full gear, we will deliver higher value to growers on both sides of the Atlantic.”