Bayer has entered an exclusive licensing agreement with RAGT Group to accelerate the development and commercialization of hybrid wheat, supporting plans to launch hybrid wheat seed in North America and Europe by the early 2030s.

The agreement provides Bayer with broad access to RAGT's elite wheat germplasm, expanding the company's wheat breeding portfolio and advancing its long-term investment in hybrid wheat. Bayer said the partnership combines RAGT's germplasm and breeding expertise with Bayer's breeding capabilities to strengthen the pipeline of hybrid wheat varieties.

RAGT, founded in 1919 by a group of farmers in France, is a leading European seed company that accounts for nearly 20% of the region's durum wheat seed sales.

Bayer said hybrid wheat represents a significant opportunity to improve productivity and sustainability as wheat production faces increasing pressure from drought, heat and other environmental challenges. The company expects the collaboration to strengthen its research and development efforts and deliver improved varieties for growers facing increasingly difficult growing conditions.

For the North American market, Bayer plans to focus on both spring and winter wheat through its WestBred wheat franchise. The company said the genetic material available through the agreement has the potential to serve more than 80% of wheat acres across the United States and Europe.

RAGT said the agreement aligns with its commitment to advancing innovation in wheat breeding and accelerating the development of hybrid wheat varieties capable of addressing agronomic, economic and environmental challenges.

According to RAGT, early hybrid wheat introductions have demonstrated yield increases of about 10% compared with conventional open-pollinated wheat without requiring additional inputs. The company also expects continued yield improvements through future breeding efforts.

RAGT said hybrid wheat offers producers greater crop reliability through stronger root systems and faster early growth, improving tolerance to disease, weeds and pests while increasing resilience to drought and heat stress.

Wheat is grown on more than 545 million acres worldwide and serves as a staple food crop for about 30% of the global population, making continued improvements in productivity an important priority for global food security.

Source: Michigan Farm News, "Bayer, European seed company RAGT partner to launch hybrid wheat in the US"