Bayer launches Intacta 5+ soybeans in Brazil.

Bayer announced the launch of Intacta 5+ soybeans. This is a new biotechnology containing tolerance to five herbicide molecules and five proteins for caterpillar management. The company anticipates commercial varieties ready for the 2027/28 crop season. The presentation took place at the company's innovation center in Paulínia.

The CEO of Bayer's agricultural division in Brazil, Márcio Santos (pictured), explained that an internal review of processes, initiated in 2023, accelerated the launch of the new generation of soybeans in the country. This technology is part of a group of ten blockbusters planned for the next decade.

New herbicides

Intacta 5+ soybeans offer tolerance to five herbicides: dicamba e glyphosate (present in the 2 Xtend technology); and mesotrione, glufosinate e 2,4-D.

As a result, the use of the new technology will allow for choices of pre- and post-emergent herbicides better adapted to the reality of each producer. This increases the precision of weed control. The proposal focuses on the control of horseweed, goosegrass, bittergrass, pigweed e cravorana.

Intacta 5+ expresses:

• the cp4 epsps gene, originating from the bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens, CP4 strain, which confers tolerance to glyphosate;

• the dmo gene of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, which encodes the DMO protein that confers tolerance to the herbicide dicamba;

• the tdo gene of Oryza sativa which expresses the triketone dioxygenase (TDO) protein, which confers tolerance to the herbicide mesotrione;

• the pat of Streptomyces viridochromogenes, which encodes the PAT protein, which confers tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate; and

• the ft_t.1 gene, a modified version of the R-2,4-dichlorophenoxypropionate dioxygenase (Rdpa) gene of Sphingobium herbicidovorans, which expresses an FT_T.1 protein (FOPs and 2,4-D dioxygenase) that confers tolerance to the herbicide 2,4-D.

Caterpillar control

The new technology also allows for the management of nine species of caterpillars. Ipro soybeans protected against Anticarsia gemmatalis, Chloridea virescens, Chrysodeixis includens e Crocidosema aporemaThe Intacta 2 Xtend added Helicoverpa armigera e cosmioides spodoptera.

Now, in addition to the six mentioned, Intacta 5+ facilitates the handling of three other species: Elasmopalpus lignosellus, Rachiplusia nu e Spodoptera eridania.

This happens because the insect protection system uses five proteins: Cry2Ab2, Cry1A.105, Cry1Ac, Cry1A.2, and Cry1B.2. The last two were added in the new technology.

The two new chimeric proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)Cry1A.2 and Cry1B.2 were constructed using specific domains, minimizing receptor overlap.

Cry1A.2 has a sequence with approximately 75% similarity to related proteins, such as Cry1A.107 and Cry1A.105, but with differences that prevent cross-resistance.

In turn, the composition of Cry1B.2 results in approximately 60% sequence identity with Cry1F-related proteins in domains 2 and 3, but only approximately 30% in domain 2, differentiating it from commercial toxins such as Cry1Ac or Cry1F.

Demonstrations and marketing

Bayer will begin installing test fields in the next growing season. It will demonstrate the technology at events throughout the country. Commercialization is expected to begin in the 2027/28 growing season, depending on approval from importing countries. In Brazil, the technology has already received authorization.

The company is forging partnerships with farmers, researchers, and other stakeholders in the supply chain. The goal is to launch with at least 13 varieties adapted to the main regions. In the first two years on the market, the offering could exceed 200 varieties.

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