Wageningen, The Netherlands
March 28, 2014

On March 23, 2014 Kazakhstan-based company Kok-Saghyz TM Ltd (KSTM) and KeyGene, an international molecular genetics company specialized in agricultural biotechnology with headquarters in The Netherlands, signed an agreement that forms the start of a long-term strategic partnership on the production of natural rubber from the Kazakh dandelion. Part of the agreement is the shipment of seeds of a new Kazakh dandelion variety that has been developed and optimized by KeyGene for yield and natural rubber production. The Dutch company unleashed its molecular and DNA tools enabling a fast and highly specific molecular breeding of this new rubber crop. The agreement was signed in presence of Mr. Hans Driesser, Ambassador of the Kingdom of The Netherlands to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan and Mr. Asset Issekeshev, Deputy Prime-Minister, Minister of Industry and New Technologies of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Mr Asset Issekeshev was part
of the Kazakhstan business delegation headed by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H.E. Nursultan Nazarbayev who visited the Netherlands. President Nazarbayev attended an exhibition stand of KZPEARLS and showed live interest in this project.

The agreement aims to boost the breeding of the Kazakh dandelion towards increased production of natural rubber in Kazakhstan through the KZ-PEARLS initiative that was developed by KSTM. Next steps of the collaboration involves the use of Kazakh dandelion in crosses with the common Dutch dandelion in order to generate a highly productive inter-specific hybrid producing rubber with Kazakh dandelion quality on the one hand and the fitness and yield of the common Dutch dandelion on the other. “We are glad to have signed this document as it can open a whole new page in the industrial life of Kazakhstan. Our country has all sources to produce both natural and synthetic rubber and having internally produced these two key ingredients Kazakhstan has a potential to enter a tire production
market. Strong governmental support as well as our partnership with one of the leading breeding companies in the world KeyGene will certainly speed up this process. We hope that cultivated seeds of Taraxacum Kok-Saghyz or Kazakh Dandelion will give better yield in its homeland.” said KSTM Director Kamila Magzieva.

“This agreement enables KeyGene to closely collaborate with KSTM and to directly collaborate with Kazakh governmental organisations and to use Kazakh dandelion for molecular breeding. Through the collaboration we will also benefit from the fast amount of resources in terms of land and agricultural production capacity of Kazahkstan. In this way we will be able to develop seeds for new dandelion varieties that are used to produce all natural rubber in a profitable way. Ultimately this will contribute to a greener economy and to sustainably fulfil the world’s need for high quality bio materials.” said KeyGene CEO Arjen van Tunen.

About KeyGene
KeyGene is a privately owned, innovative molecular genetics Ag Biotech company with a primary focus on the improvement of 6F (Food, Feed, Fiber, Fuel, Flowers and Fun) crops. KeyGene’s passion is a Green Gene Revolution approach to explore and exploit natural genetic variation in vegetable and other 6F crops. KeyGene delivers sustainable responses to the world’s needs for yield stability & quality of vegetable and field crops. It supports its strategic partners with cutting edge breeding technologies and plant-based trait platforms to meet their needs. KeyGene performs strategic and applied research with more than 135 employees from all over the world, with state of the art facilities and equipment. KeyGene has its headquarters in Wageningen, the Netherlands, a subsidiary in Rockville, USA and a Joint Lab with the Shanghai Institute of Biological Sciences in Shanghai, China.

About Kok-Saghyz TM ltd
Kok-Saghyz TM has been registered in Almaty, Kazakhstan as an operator of the natural rubber production within KZ-PEARLS project. KZ-PEARLS is an abbreviation for Kazakhstan-based Production and Exploitation of Alternative Rubber and Latex Sources, this project is based on the results of EU FP7-funded project EU-PEARLS that took place in 2008-2012. KZ-PEARLS has got a grant from National Agency for Technological Development of Kazakhstan in 2013 to create Kazakhstan seed-stock of rubber plants.

Website: http://www.keygene.com

Published: March 28, 2014