Cibus and Loveland Products Ink Sign U.S. Rice Trait Development Agreement By Investing.com

© Reuters.

SAN DIEGO – Cibus Inc. (NASDAQ:CBUS), a pioneer in agricultural gene editing technology, has entered into a development agreement with its subsidiary Loveland Products Inc. nutrient Ltd. (TSX and NYSE: NYSE:) is working to improve herbicide tolerance in rice crops, especially for the southern U.S. market.

The goal of this collaboration is to address weed management challenges facing U.S. rice growers by integrating Cibus’ gene editing capabilities with Loveland’s advanced rice seed genetics.

Under this agreement, the two companies will collaborate to commercialize new traits within Loveland’s elite rice seed genetics utilizing Cibus’ proprietary Trait Machine™ system. This system is part of Cibus’ Rapid Trait Development System™ (RTDS™), which enables precision breeding without incorporating foreign DNA, creating traits that are indistinguishable from those developed through conventional breeding.

The partnership is expected to provide rice growers with innovative solutions to combat weeds, which have been a major concern in agriculture, with a global economic impact estimated at $300 billion annually, according to the United Nations. The Trait Machine™ system has already been developed for canola and rice, and Cibus has sent the edited germplasm back to customers.

Cibus is recognized for its gene-edited productivity traits that address key productivity and sustainability challenges for farmers, such as disease and pests. The company is not a seed producer, but licenses its traits to seed companies in exchange for royalties on seed sales. Its focus includes major world crops such as canola, rice, soybeans, and wheat.

Nutrien, the parent company of Loveland Products, is a leading supplier of crop inputs and services. We are committed to providing sustainable food for the world’s growing population and operate a comprehensive network of production, distribution and agricultural retail facilities.

This development agreement is a forward-looking statement that involves risks and uncertainties, including possible changes in competition, intellectual property protection challenges, and regulatory developments. The Company’s actual results and the success of the collaboration may differ materially from current expectations.

The information presented in this article is based on the press release.

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