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Technology improves canola yields without foreign genesCibus Global, a pioneering crop trait development firm, and Brett-Young, a leading independent seed company, recently announced an agreement that will bring new canola traits to the North American market. Through the partnership, Cibus will develop unique crop protection and performance enhancement traits for canola using its patented Rapid Trait Development System (RTDSâÑ¢). BrettYoung will bring the value-added traits to market through its seed distribution network in the United States and Canada. RTDS is an environmentally safe trait development procedure that will use canola's natural process of gene repair to effect a precise change in the genetic sequence. By mimicking natural methods in a highly targeted way, RTDS technology avoids the introduction of foreign genetic material into plants. RTDS has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a mutagenesis technique, and is therefore not subject to the regulations applied to transgenic (or GM) crops. Mutagenesis-derived crops and traits are produced around the globe in a number of food categories, including food grains (rice, oats and durum wheat), vegetable oil crops (sunflower, canola and flax), beer ingredients (barley, hops and yeast) and seedless fruits (grapes and citrus fruits). "Cibus' initial crop protection trait for canola and oilseed rape has demonstrated significant commercial potential through field trials that yielded successful and robust results," said Keith Walker, president, Cibus Global. "We look forward to introducing its economic benefits to farmers over the next several years, as the first among many such environmentally responsible crop traits we plan to bring to market." "Offering the ability to create specific traits more precisely and much faster than conventional plant breeding or other techniques, Cibus' RTDS technology marks a considerable development for agriculture, in North America and beyond," said Calvin Sonntag, co-chief executive officer, BrettYoung. "Our collaboration will deliver enhanced canola seed products that meet the ever-evolving needs and demands of our customers. We are confident the market response will be positive." "This agreement with BrettYoung, along with our recent $37 million Development Alliance with Mahkteshim-Agan, puts in place the commercial infrastructure for a successful launch of our first non-GMO crop traits in both North America and Europe," said Stephen Evans-Freke, chairman of the Board, Cibus Global. The North American market for canola traits covers approximately 16 million acres with an annual trait value of $240 million. This same trait will be marketed in Europe with other seed partners; the European market for oil seed rape traits has a value of 450 million Euros annual revenue on 6.5 million hectares. Cibus has far-reaching plans to develop additional yield and performance enhancement traits in canola, including shatter tolerance, improved bio-energy feed stock attributes and healthier oils.
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