Shriram Bioseed and KeyGene announce a multi-year strategic co-development research program for development of improved rice hybrids with higher yields, increased tolerance to abiotic stresses, and better grain quality for consumers in India and south east Asia.

KeyGene’s innovation platforms will be exploited to boost these important traits in Bioseed’s elite rice germplasm. The program will lead to growth of hybrid rice markets in the region.

Under this partnership both companies will make joint investments. “The aim of this strategic investment is to generate value in rice by incorporating new traits that help vigorous growth of rice with customized preferences for consumers in different parts of India and in the South-East Asian rice market.

The end goal is to benefit the rice farmers by providing them with seed of high performing hybrids”, says Arjen van Tunen, CEO of KeyGene.

“We are excited about our extended collaboration with KeyGene and the opportunity of using KeyGene’s proprietary technologies and innovation platforms to develop novel tools specifically for rice which will enable us to improve our products with increased precision and efficiency”, says Dr. Paresh Verma, Director Research at Shriram Bioseed.

Source: http://www.keygene.com/