Bayer’s ThryvOn Technology Moves Forward

Clint Thompson General

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently announced the deregulation of a cotton variety, designated as MON 88702, otherwise known as ThryvOn Technology. It was developed by the Monsanto Company, which is now owned by Bayer. It uses genetic engineering for resistance to certain insects, primarily tarnished plant bugs.

APHIS considered all public comments and conducted a thorough review of the potential environmental impacts in its final EA pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), reaching a finding of no significant impact. They concluded the MON 88702 cotton variety is unlikely to pose a plant pest risk to agricultural crops or other plants in the U.S. and deregulated it, effective Jan. 19, 2021.

Bayer’s ThryvOn Technology represents the industry’s first cotton biotech trait to protect against feeding damage from key tarnished plant bug and thrips species. These include tobacco thrips, Western flower thrips, tarnished plant bug and the Western Tarnished Plant bug. The technology provides cotton growers an additional tool to manage these damaging pests.