Evogene extends agreement with SLC

Biodiesel company Evogene has extended its agreement with Brazilian agriculture company SLC Agricola in order to further develop castor bean seeds as a feedstock for biofuels.

This follows the development of seed varieties in trials in northeast Brazil through this year which the companies say has been successful.

The partnership between the two companies began in 2010 and involves developing castor seeds under rainy conditions and Evogene says the castor seeds produced have ‘improved yield potential and performance’ compared to other types.

‘Combining Evogene's capabilities for crop improvement with SLC's agricultural production systems is expected to strongly position our castor varieties as a sustainable and economically viable feedstock solution for the growing biodiesel and biojet markets. There is a substantial opportunity for large scale commercial production of castor in Brazil,’ says Assaf Oron, EVP strategy & business development at Evogene.

COO of SLC Agrícola, Aurélio Pavinato, says: ‘We are developing a new alternative crop to plant as a second crop after the soybean harvest. Also, it can be another source of oil to maximise the production of biodiesel at the cotton seed oil industry.’

According to a life cycle assessment carried out on Evogene's biodiesel derived from castor saves about 75% more greenhouse gas emissions than conventional oil.