November 19, 2009
US biotech firm to deliver non-GM drought and herbicide tolerance crops
Cibus Global, a Californian biotech firm will soon introduce non-GM crops that are resistant to herbicide, drought and disease while having better oil profiles.
Cibus has developed a new breeding technique that will induce the plant to change its DNA coding to produce new traits, instead of introducing other genetic material from other sources.
This technique sets it apart from genetic modification, and it has been recognised by the US regulatory authorities, said Cibus president Keith Walker.
If the EU classifies the technology as conventional breeding, that would pave the way for traits similar to those being developed for GM crops to be introduced.
But the technology will still be regulated, Walker said.
Cibus said the technology is faster than conventional marker-assisted and transgenic breeding, speeding programmes by three to four years.
Herbicide tolerance is one of Cibus'' first targets, and the company will first develop the traits before establishing partnerships with plant breeders or agchem firms to bring them to the market.
Herbicide-tolerant products are being developed in North America and Europe, and Walker expects to announce the first products in the next few weeks with introductions of varieties in North America within two to three years.
The technique will also allow the development of a range of crops tolerant of other actives, not just glyphosate, he said.
Cibus''s technology controls the cell''s own repair system, directing enzymes to change the targeted gene to produce a desired trait.
The system, in principle, could allow plant breeders to make targeted beneficial changes to key genes, said Ian Crute, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board chief scientist said.
But the technology''s widespread application will depend on the way it is controlled and licensed, the response of regulators and, over time, producing evidence of reliable application across a range of crops, said Crute.