The biotechnology company Evogene, a world leader in the development of biotechnological methods for plant improvement, and the company Biogemma, a subsidiary of Limagrain - the leading supplier of corn varieties for agriculture in Europe, announced today that they have signed an agreement for the joint commercial development of drought-resistant corn.
The global climate changes of recent years have increased the frequency of droughts and waves that harm the stability of the global grain harvest, which is the basis of food for humans and livestock. Maize is defined as one of the three leading crops that "feed the world", reaches maturity during the peak period of the summer months and requires large amounts of water in order to ripen properly. The summer heat waves and dry periods are the main concern of the farmers, as they significantly reduce the amount of produce and result in a loss of billions of dollars.
Corn is one of the main crops in which biotechnological improvement is used today (for example, reducing the required use of pesticides). About 60% of the corn fields in the US that are sown every year include seeds that have undergone genetic improvement. The development of corn varieties with resistance to drought conditions is one of the main goals among leading global seed companies due to the important economic consequences that this resistance has on the global economy. The intensive activity of the Evogene company in this field in recent years has led to the discovery of a group of genes and technologies that allow plants to better deal with drought conditions and maintain high crop levels. The joint project makes it possible to integrate the unique technology developed at Evogene into the leading corn lines of Biogemma and other seed companies.
Ofer Habib, CEO of Evogene, says: "The integration of our genes for resistance to drought conditions in commercial lines is a leap forward in connecting Evogene's technology with the global seed industry. Biogemma's scientific team has knowledge and experience from the best in the world in agriculture and biotechnology and we are convinced of the capabilities of the joint team to achieve impressive results. ".
Michael Gebrand, CEO of Biogemma says: "Evogene's technological platform is one of the most promising in the field of plant biotechnology. We strongly believe in the potential of the developed product and the capabilities of the joint team"
About Biogemma
Biogemma, is a leading agricultural biotechnology company in Europe, which deals with applied genomics in the field of corn and wheat. The company is the result of the merger of the biotechnological resources of 3 leading European seed companies, the best known of which to the Israeli public is Limagrain, which recently announced an increase in its holdings in the Israeli seed company Genetics to 90% (through its subsidiary Vilmorin CC. Biogema's research programs deal mainly with In the improvement of corn and wheat, focusing on biotic (various pests) and abiotic (environmental conditions) traits. More information about the company can be found on the website: www.biogemma.com.
About Evogene
Evogene is a pioneer in the biotechnological improvement of plants to improve the existing limitations in classical cultivation methods. The purpose of the company is to develop agricultural crops with improved properties on the basis of biotechnological improvement. The company has a unique technology that enables reliable and fast linking of genes to traits in plants through computational biology together with molecular biology and advanced cultivation methods. The company focuses on the following projects: improving the resistance of the plant to environmental conditions such as dryness and salinity, cotton with improved fiber quality, more efficient utilization of nitrogen fertilization, developing improved oil seeds for the biodiesel industry and improving the taste and smell of tomatoes. In addition, the company is developing a unique plant platform to create proteins for the pharmaceutical industry. Evogene completed a $7 million fundraising in February this year.
