Biotech Traits

biotech traits annual updates

herbicide tolerance Herbicide tolerance (HT) is deployed in soybean, maize, canola, cotton, sugar beet, and alfalfa. HT crops are planted in 102.6 million hectares or 57% of the 181.5 million hectares of biotech crops planted globally, compared with 99.4 million hectares planted on 175.2 million global biotech hectarage in 2012.

insect resistance Insect resistance (IR) is deployed in cotton, corn, and eggplant. Hectarage featuring IR decreased from 28.8 million hectares in 2013 to 27.4 million hectares in 2014.

stacked traits The stacked traits IR and HT are deployed in cotton and soybean (Bt/HT), and maize (Bt/Bt/IR, Bt/HT, and Bt/Bt/HT). The Bt/Bt/IR stack refers to different Bt or other IR genes that code for different traits, for example above ground pests and below ground pests in maize. Stacked traits increased from 47.1 million hectares in 2013 to

Biotech Traits 51.4 million hectares in 2014 – an increase of 4.3 million hectares equivalent to 9% increase. Stacking is a very important feature of the technology with SmartStaxTM comprising 8 genes coding for three traits, launched in the USA and Canada in 2010. The deployment of stacked traits is most prevalent in the USA which had approximately 62% of the 51.4 million hectares as “stacked traits” in 2014, this compares with 66% in 2013. U.S. adoption of stacked traits dropped as the trait became more prevalent in other countries. The other nine principal countries, of a total of 13, which deployed stacked traits in 2014 were: Brazil (12.6 million hectares), Argentina (2.6), South Africa (1.2), Canada (1.1), Philippines (0.76), Paraguay (0.5), Uruguay (0.4), Australia (0.2), and Mexico (0.2).

first 18 years of commercialization of biotech crops 1996 to 2013 was as follows: all herbicide tolerant crops at US$54.9 billion and all insect resistant crops at US$78.1 billion, with the balance of US$0.3 billion for other minor biotech crops. For 2013 alone, the benefits were: all herbicide tolerant crops at US$7.9 billion, and all insect resistant crops at US$12.48 billion plus a balance of US$0.02 billion for the minor biotech crops for a total of ~US$20.4 billion.

sources James, Clive. 2014. Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2014. ISAAA Brief No. 49. ISAAA: Ithaca, New York. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. http://www.fao.org/countryprofiles/ The World Bank. http://www.worldbank.org/

Colombia, Honduras, and Chile planted less than 0.1 million hectares each.

For more information, contact:

benefits from biotech traits

ISAAA SEAsiaCenter GS Khush Hall, IRRI Los Baños, Laguna 4031 Philippines Telefax: +63 49 5367216 Email: [email protected]

Distribution of economic benefits at the farm level by trait, for the

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