DuPont and NexSteppe to Collaborate on New Feedstocks for Renewable Industry

DES MOINES, Iowa and MALIBU, Calif., Jan. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- DuPont and NexSteppe have entered into a collaboration to develop advanced feedstocks for biofuels, biopower and biobased products.  The collaboration will focus on the development of new sweet sorghum and high biomass sorghum hybrids which will create additional feedstock options for these rapidly evolving industries. 

Under the agreement, DuPont has made an equity investment in NexSteppe, and through its Pioneer Hi-Bred business, will provide knowledge, resources and advanced technologies to help the company accelerate the breeding and commercialization of new hybrids of these crops in the United States and Brazil. 

"We're using science-based innovation and collaboration to develop scalable, sustainable feedstock options for the biobased industries," said John Bedbrook, vice president for DuPont Agricultural Biotechnology. "Collaborations like this one with NexSteppe will provide new opportunities for growers to address the rising demand for secure, environmentally sustainable and affordable alternatives to fossil fuels."

Anna Rath, NexSteppe founder and CEO, said, "Sorghum is a crop with significant genetic diversity and great potential that has received relatively little research attention and funding.  Combining DuPont's world-class research and development capabilities with our industry knowledge, experienced team and singular focus, we will be able to rapidly improve the crop to produce feedstocks tailored to the needs of the biofuels, biopower and biobased products industries."

Sorghum is naturally drought- and heat-tolerant and has the ability to grow in marginal rainfall areas with high temperatures where it is difficult to grow other crops.  It has a relatively short growing season and is suitable for crop rotation systems. Sorghum is increasingly grown as a source of feedstock for industrial value chains. Sweet sorghum can be used as a complement to sugarcane in existing Brazilian sugar to ethanol mills, and as a feedstock for advanced biofuels and other biobased products produced from sugars.  High Biomass Sorghum is a high-yielding crop that can be used as a feedstock for biopower and cellulosic biofuels.  DuPont, through its Industrial Biosciences business, operates and develops industrial processes that use sugar as a feedstock.

NexSteppe is dedicated to pioneering the next generation of scalable, reliable, cost-effective and sustainable feedstock solutions for the biofuels, biopower and biobased products industries.  Through the development and commercialization of tailored crops and fully integrated feedstock solutions, NexSteppe is laying a foundation for a more secure and sustainable future for our economy, our environment and our energy supply. For additional information, please visit www.nexsteppe.com.

Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, is the world's leading developer and supplier of advanced plant genetics, providing high-quality seeds to farmers in more than 90 countries.  Pioneer provides agronomic support and services to help increase farmer productivity and profitability and strives to develop sustainable agricultural systems for people everywhere.  Science with Service Delivering Success™.

DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802.  The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment.  For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit www.dupont.com.

The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont™, The miracles of science™ and Science with Service Delivering Success™ are registered trademarks or trademarks of DuPont or its affiliates.  The NexSteppe logo and NexSteppe™ are trademarks of NexSteppe.

SOURCE DuPont