Ames, Iowa
June 8, 2009
Plant Bioscience Limited
(PBL) of Norwich, United Kingdom, and
Becker Underwood of
Ames, Iowa, a developer, marketer and producer of bioagronomic
products for agriculture, have announced the signing of an
agreement granting Becker Underwood exclusive global marketing
rights to patented new seed treatment technology. The technology
provides a radical new approach to protecting major food crops
from pest attack, according to officials of both organizations.
The new pest control method was developed by Drs. Michael
Roberts, Nigel Paul, Jane Taylor, Patricia Croft and Jason Moore
of Lancaster University,
Lancaster, United Kingdom, and their collaborator Patricia Croft
of Stockbridge Technology
Centre. The technology uses a natural plant compound that
“primes” the plant’s natural defense mechanisms so they are
deployed more effectively when challenged by a pest.
Field tests of the new technology in a number of important
agricultural crops have shown a significant reduction in pest
damage as well as increased crop yields, notes Eda Reinot, head
of research and development for Becker Underwood. When applied
as a seed treatment, this new technology appears to result in
long-lasting protection following germination. Additional field
tests are currently in progress.
“The use of this natural plant compound will offer farmers an
environmentally sustainable approach to crop protection,” says
Dr. Peter Innes, Becker Underwood chief executive officer.
Becker Underwood will incorporate the technology into the
company’s products, and the agreement also allows Becker
Underwood to establish licensing relationships with additional
partners in applying the technology as widely as possible.
"The combination of Becker Underwood’s expertise and market
position as an established supplier of seed treatments will
allow the far-reaching potential of this natural-product
technology to be quickly realized,” said Dr. Jan Chojecki, PBL’s
managing director. “Becker Underwood was quick to move into an
extensive testing program which then led to a commercial
license, and we are delighted Lancaster University’s first-class
science is being taken forward with such a committed partner.”
“We are extremely pleased about the addition of this new
technology to the Becker Underwood product line,” said Reinot.
“The potential for significant yield improvement due to the
lessening of plant damage caused by pests in each of the crops
in which the technology has been tested is very exciting.”
“We’re delighted to announce this license agreement with PBL and
look forward to the introduction of products utilizing the
technology as soon as possible,” added Dr. Innes. “This is one
more step in Becker Underwood’s planned strategy for increasing
our marketplace presence and performance in the development of
environmentally friendly and natural-product options that can
improve the profit potential for crop farmers around the world.”
Becker Underwood, Inc., founded in 1982, is an international
developer of bio-agronomic and specialty products. In addition
to being the leading manufacturer of seed coatings and
colorants, the company is also the leading global producer of
inoculants, beneficial nematodes, and a wide range of
agricultural and horticultural products. To learn more about its
products, visit the company’s Web site at .
PBL (Plant Bioscience Limited is an IP management and technology
development company, investing in emerging technology across the
life sciences. The Company is jointly and equally owned by
The John Innes Centre and
The Sainsbury Laboratory and
the Biotechnology and
Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). PBL brings
together innovative technologies from public research sources
worldwide, invests in building intellectual property protection
and technology development, and commercializes through licensing
and, where appropriate, new venture formation.
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