Evogene allies with Syngentia to battle parasitic soy worms

Israeli biological engineering company Evogene has signed a cooperation agreement with Syngenta, one of the world's largest seed and pesticide makers, to do battle on a soybean pest. The two companies will join forces to develop soybean strains that are resistant to nematodes, a kind of parasitic worm that, in one form, lives underground and attacks plants. Nematodes are a major cause of damage to soybean crops. Soybean growers report losing up to 20% of their crops due to the pest.

In the United States alone, nematode damage to the soybean crop is estimated at $1 billion a year. In the agreement, Evogene, which does genetic research for the agriculture and biofuel industries, grants Syngenta an exclusive license to use genes identified by Evogene as potentially useful in developing nematode-resistant plant strains. Syngenta will examine the strains in its R&D facilities and have the right to market any new soybean strains it develops.
Lire la suite » (article de Yoram Gabison @ Haaretz)
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