Michael Butterfield
Centro de Tecnologia Canavieira (CTC), Piracicaba, Brazil; michael.butterfield@ctc.com.br
The first genetically modified sugarcane was developed in 1992 and subsequently many research reports of GM sugarcane have been published. Development of commercial GM sugarcane, however, has faced challenges such as the efficiency of producing events with molecular characteristics adequate for regulatory approval, the cost of regulatory approval, and questions regarding benefit-sharing. The first GM sugarcane approved for commercial planting was released in Brazil in 2017, containing the insect resistance trait (IR) against the sugarcane borer. Additional IR varieties were released in 2018, 2019 and 2020, and current are planted on 45,000 ha in Brazil. In addition to eliminating borer damage, studies have shown additional benefits in sugar quality and efficiency of ethanol production from IR sugarcane.