Syngenta has signed agreements with 16 ethanol plants for Enogen so far

In Minnesota, Syngenta announced that, to date, it has reached agreements with 16 ethanol plants to use Enogen grain. Together, the plants have a combined production capacity of more than 1 billion gallons. Syngenta is in discussions with a number of other ethanol plants, as well, with plans to continue its expansion.

Enogen was grown on approximately 225,000 acres in 2015, and that number is expected to top 400,000 acres next season, demonstrating the continued commercial success of this technology. According to Jack Bernens, head of Enogen for Syngenta, the robust alpha amylase enzyme found in Enogen corn hybrids helps an ethanol plant dramatically reduce the viscosity of its corn mash and eliminate the need to add a liquid form of the enzyme.

Assuming an average yield of 165 bushels an acre, Enogen corn is expected to generate approximately $26 million of additional revenue for local growers in 2016 through per-bushel premiums. Furthermore, numerous trials have shown that Enogen hybrids perform equal to or better than other high-performing corn hybrids.