Changes in cell cycle can effect plant cell growth and cell size, as well as plant maturity, shape and general health. By modulating cell cycle and other genes, CropDesign and GBA intend to develop hardier and high yielding wheat varieties adapted for specific environmental requirements. According to Dr. Herman Van Mellaert, CropDesign CEO, the alliance with GBA will help validate the company s strategy and technologies for cereal yield enhancement and stress tolerance under actual field conditions. This agreement with GBA leverages our gene discovery and function research further into product development. This agreement gives us a head-start in developing higher yielding wheat and other cereals for Australia and the rest of the world.
Wheat is the most important food crop worldwide.
In Australia we face a number of abiotic or environmental stresses that limit wheat production, and we believe that the cell cycle genes will constitute an important addition to our portfolio of novel genes. Dr. Edwards, former Worldwide Director of Field Crops Research for Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. has 35 years of international experience in wheat breeding and variety and hybrid development. CropDesign, based in Gent, Belgium is an agbiotech company focussed on the application of functional genomics for improved crop performance, including higher yield, heightened tolerance to stress and diseases and better quality. CropDesign applies its technology in rice, wheat and other cereals. Founded in 1998, CropDesign employs over 60 people at its research facilities in Gent.