Cibus completes first field trials in UK for pod shatter reduction in winter oilseed rape

Cibus, Inc. (Nasdaq: CBUS), a leading agricultural technology company that develops and licenses plant traits to seed companies for royalties, announced that it has completed initial field tests of its Pod Shatter Reduction (PSR) trait in the United Kingdom. The initial data from these trials support Cibus’ continuing commercial development of its PSR trait in winter oilseed rape. These trials represent an important progression in the Company’s commercial development with the application of Cibus’ spring oilseed rape (canola) PSR trait to winter oilseed rape.

Simplified rules, introduced in 2022 by the UK Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs led to a science-based and streamlined regulatory approach that enabled Cibus’ PSR trait to be tested in winter oilseed rape under European growing conditions for the first time.

Cibus is a leader in the development of complex gene edited traits in plants like Pod Shatter Reduction in winter oilseed rape. The Company uses its proprietary Rapid Trait Development System™ (RTDS^®), which includes techniques such as Gene Repair Oligonucleotides (GRON) and molecular scissors including Transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), to develop these traits.

Dr. Jim Radtke, Senior Vice President of Product Development at Cibus commented, ″The results of these first PSR field trials in winter oilseed rape are very encouraging. We’ve been able to validate our existing PSR trait’s performance under controlled environments now in UK field conditions. These results pave the way for a second season of trials that are now underway.″

Tony Moran, Senior Vice President of International Development and Government Affairs at Cibus added, ″Pod shatter in winter oilseed rape can impact growers’ productivity and national food security. With potential yield losses of 5% to 25%, we’re really excited to see our latest trait tested in European growing conditions. The completion of the first field trials in the UK is an important milestone for our European seed partners and winter oilseed rape farmers. We look forward to delivering the benefits of precision breeding tools to UK farmers and ultimately the broader European agriculture community.″