Evogene, French co get good corn results

Evogene and France's Biogemma plan to expand the trial of their high-yield drought resistant corn next year.

Israeli agro-biotechnology company Evogene Ltd. (TASE:EVGN) and French biotech firm Biogemma SAS today reported success in the first year field trial of high-yield drought resistant corn developed with genes located by Evogene. The company said that statistical analysis of the crop found significant improvement in non-enhanced crop yields compared with corn raised in both regular and drought conditions.

Evogene and Biogemma conducted the trial at several sites in Israel and the US. The trial began in 2006, with the goal of testing the enhanced corn. The Israeli Office of the Chief Scientist, the French government, and the EU Eureka program support the collaborative venture. The companies plan to expand the trial in 2009, in order to confirm the first year results and to characterize the genes that have the best commercial potential for improved corn crop yields.

Rehovot-based Evogene was founded in 2002 as a plant focused spin-off of Compugen Ltd. (Nasdaq: CGEN; TASE: CGEN) to apply Compugen's predictive gene discovery technology for crops. The company's gene discovery platform - ATHLETE' (Agro Trait Harvest LEads TEchnology) - enables highly accurate and creative comparative genomics by applying computational and biological tools to plant genome databases in order to identify and prioritize gene candidates linked to a certain plant trait.

Evogene's share rose 4.3% in morning trading to NIS 5.60.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 9, 2008

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2008

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