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Swiss agrochemicals group Syngenta has introduced in Britain the world's first hybrid variety of barley, developed to be hardier and to improve yields, it said on July 10, Reuters reported. The conventionally developed barley, called Colossus, was approved by British authorities for sale earlier this year. "This is the first hybrid barley variety to be produced anywhere in the world," a Syngenta spokesman told Reuters. "Wheat and corn hybrids have been produced but not barley," he added.

British crop consultants said hybrid barley varieties had not been grown until now because the crop was not seen as being as important as wheat and corn in the United States, where much of the technology has been developed. "Barley is predominantly used as a feed grain in the U.S., so it's not surprising this hasn't been done before," said John Garstang of leading British crop consultants ADAS. Syngenta said that in trials the seeds, bring promoted alongside Syngenta chemical products, had helped to raise yields by up to 10 percent when compared with standard varieties.

The company expects to start selling the new barley variety in France, Germany and Denmark once approvals are given, probably next year. As the new variety is not genetically modified (GM) it is not affected by a de facto ban in the European Union on approvals of new GM crop varieties.


11 July, 2003