Swiss agrochemical giant Syngenta announced that it will invest $100 million to fund plant science-related ventures. The fund, which will be managed by biotech venture capital firm Life Science Partners (LSP), will be used to invest in growth and start-up companies involved in the following industries:

• crop biotechnology


• crop protection


• professional products


• biomaterials


• biofuels

Funds will be invested over a three to five year period as appropriate opportunities arise.

With Syngenta and Dupont already teaming up in a venture to market and distribute GM corn and soybean seeds, will this be the beginning of the end of Monsanto's dominance of the genetically modified seed market?