Why they're Hot: Syngenta – #44 so far (#33 last year)

The Latest News: In February, Syngenta announced a partnership with Brazil’s Instituto Agronomico to develop sugarcane varietals optimized for ethanol production. “We are bringing innovation to sugar cane cultivation through 40 different projects, focused on agronomy performance, weed and bug control, and raising sugar content,” said Marco Bochi, director of New Sugarcane Technologies at Syngenta for Latin America.

The Digest’s Take: Somewhat of a quiet year for Syngenta compared to previous years, and we are not entirely surprised to see the company backing up somewhat in the rankings. But don;t underestimate the company’s interest in sugarcane – that platform may well be the most important in advanced bioenergy over the next few years.