Arcadia Biosciences, Genective signed water use efficiency technology agreement

Arcadia Biosciences, Inc., and Genective S.A., a joint venture between Group LIMAGRAIN and Group KWS, recently announced that they have signed an agreement that will allow Genective to develop new corn hybrids incorporating Arcadia’s Water Use Efficiency (WUE) technology.

Under the terms of the agreement, Genective receives global rights to Arcadia’s WUE technology in corn, and Arcadia receives an upfront payment, milestone payments and participates in value sharing on sales of commercial products.

Corn is among the world’s most important crops, with more than 176 million hectares planted worldwide. While major gains have been made in corn productivity over the past 30 years, water availability remains a key determinant of crop yield. Arcadia’s WUE technology may enable corn to produce high yields using less water, reducing the negative impact of water stress and improving on-farm economics.

“Considering the key role that corn plays in the global supply of feed, food, and fuel, the application of WUE technology can have a positive impact on food security and farm income,” said Eric Rey, president and CEO of Arcadia. “Genective’s expertise, heritage, and access to key markets makes the company a perfect partner to get this important technology to the growers who need it.”

“The WUE technology has the potential to complement other water efficiency traits in Genective’s corn GM product development pipeline,” said Bruce Lee, CEO of Genective.