Syngenta said it has agreed a five-year research collaboration with the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology in Beijing.

The agreement focuses on the identification and development of novel agronomic traits including drought tolerance for key crops, such as corn, soybean, wheat, and sugar beet and will allow Syngenta to commercialise previously and newly developed traits in the agreed range of field crops.

The institute forms part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing and is one of China's leading biotechnology research institutes, the Swiss speciality chemicals group said.