-- Collaboration Agreement to Focus on Developing Key Enabling Technology for Further Developments in Sorghum --
DAVIS, Calif. and DES MOINES, Iowa (November 21, 2013) – Arcadia Biosciences, Inc. and DuPont Pioneer today announced their intention to collaborate to develop enabling technology to help manage pollen flow in sorghum. This technology will help facilitate the development and deployment of agronomic and quality traits in the crop. Under the agreement, Arcadia receives exclusive global rights to develop specified Pioneer technology for use in grain, forage, sweet, and biofuel sorghum types.
“Globally, sorghum is an important crop for food and feed and has significant potential as a highly productive biofuel source,” said Eric Rey, president and CEO of Arcadia. “Our agreement with DuPont Pioneer will speed the development of much-needed technologies that will create added value and improved crop performance for sorghum growers worldwide.”
“We believe improvements in crop productivity through our advances in reproductive biology play a critical role in increasing crop yield and quality,” said Marc Albertsen, DuPont Pioneer research director, Trait Discovery. “We have already seen success in this space through the implementation of DuPont Pioneer Seed Production Technology (SPT) process in corn and its development for rice. We are pleased to form an alliance with Arcadia to leverage our capabilities into sorghum.”
Grown on approximately 100 million acres globally, sorghum is the world’s fifth-largest cereal crop. It is mostly used for food, animal feed, and a variety of industrial applications around the world. While sorghum is a hardy crop well suited for hot and dry climates, plants are still affected by environmental stresses that impact grain and biomass yield and quality. The potential exists for numerous agronomic performance and quality traits to be developed and commercialized in sorghum. This collaboration between Arcadia and Pioneer is focused on developing core technology that will enable the deployment of such traits.
About Arcadia Biosciences, Inc.
Based in Davis, Calif., with additional facilities in Seattle, Wash., and Phoenix, Ariz., Arcadia Biosciences is an agricultural technology company focused on developing agricultural products that improve the environment and enhance human health. Arcadia’s agronomic traits, including Nitrogen Use Efficiency, Water Efficiency, Salt Tolerance, Heat Tolerance and Herbicide Tolerance, are all aimed at making agricultural production more economically efficient and
environmentally sound. Arcadia’s health technologies and products create healthier ingredients and foods with lower cost of production. For more information visit www.arcadiabio.com.
About DuPont Pioneer
DuPont Pioneer is the world’s leading developer and supplier of advanced plant genetics, providing high-quality seeds to farmers in more than 90 countries. Pioneer provides agronomic support and services to help increase farmer productivity and profitability and strives to develop sustainable agricultural systems for people everywhere. Science with Service Delivering Success®. For more information visit www.pioneer.com.
About DuPont (NYSE: DD)
DuPont has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders, we can help find solutions to such global challenges as bringing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit www.dupont.com.