Lignin. It’s all around us. We walk on it. We eat it. And we burn it to keep warm. It is the second most abundant polymer on earth.

Lignin is a compound found in all plants that enables the trunks, branches and stems to
remain rigid and/or upright. Different plant species, and different parts of a single plant,
contain differing amounts of lignin.

While lignin is essential for the growth and survival of plants, too much lignin - particularly in
a forage crop - can reduce their digestibility in livestock.

Researchers at The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation in Ardmore, Oklahoma, have been
working for almost eight years on how lignin is made in plants. Much of this research has
focused on ways to reduce lignin content in alfalfa, an important forage crop not only in Texas
and Oklahoma, but throughout much of the world. This research conducted by the
Foundation’s Plant Biology scientists has led to a biotechnology contract between the
Foundation and AgriBioTech, a Las Vegas, Nevada-based company specializing in forage and
cool season turfgrass seed.

As specified in the agreement, The Noble Foundation will conduct scientific research on ways
to improve alfalfa digestibility. The objective of the research is to make genetically
transformed plants with a lower lignin content. This, in turn, could lead to significant added
value for farmers and ranchers in terms of increased meat and milk production.

“Lignin prevents the cellulose in the plant cell walls from being digested,” explained Dr.
Richard Dixon, Director of the Foundation’s Plant Biology Division. “It masks the cellulose,
which is a major source of energy for cattle. By reducing or altering the composition of the
lignin we should be able to make contents of forage crops more digestible.”

“We couldn’t be more pleased to have The Noble Foundation conduct this scientific
research,” said Dr. Johnny Thomas, Chief Executive Officer of AgriBioTech. “It is an
important agreement for us, but more important for our farmer and alfalfa grower customers.”

The scientific research tied to the contractual agreement will be carried out at Noble
Foundation labs under the direction of Dr. Dixon.

“I view the consummation of this Agreement as significant for two reasons,” said Michael A.
Cawley, Noble Foundation President. “First, it serves as a confirmation of the high quality of
work being conducted by our Plant Biology Division, and, secondly, AgriBioTech’s work will
provide the mechanism whereby the farmer and rancher will enjoy the benefits of our
research.”

Once developed, the genetically engineered alfalfa lines produced by the Foundation will be
owned by AgriBioTech. W-L Research, a subsidiary of AgriBioTech, will further develop
these lines through a specialized breeding program.

Why is The Noble Foundation involved in this kind of research? The answer lies in the
original mission of the Foundation as well as the specific goals of the Plant Biology Division.

“Our original mission, articulated by Lloyd Noble in 1945, was to work for the improvement of
mankind by helping farmers and ranchers make wiser use of the land,” explained Joe Lobell,
Communications Manager of the Foundation. “Our agricultural specialists have been carrying
out that mission for more than 50 years through education and consultation. In 1988, the Plant
Biology Division was organized to carry that mission several steps further. The research
carried out by our scientists is designed to provide farmers and ranchers with the tools they
need to increase production, remain competitive in the world marketplace, and improve their
profitability.”

“Our mission in the Plant Biology Division centers on fundamental research and applied
biotechnology, most of which is carried out in the laboratory,” Dixon explained. “This kind of
contractual interaction with private industry will ensure that the fundamental research done in
our labs will find real-world applications and ultimately reach the farmers and ranchers.”

The Foundation’s Plant Biology Division now includes seven full-time staff scientists and
approximately 30 other Ph.D.-level researchers involved in a variety of projects, including
studies of interactions between plants and microbes (bacteria, viruses and fungi), nutrient
uptake, and methods of genetically engineering the chemical composition of plants.

Lignin-related articles authored by Foundation researchers have appeared in national and
international scientific publications, including Transgenic Research, Plant Physiology, Plant
Molecular Biology, and the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Approximately 200 full-time employees work in the Foundation’s Plant Biology, Agricultural,
and Administrative divisions located in Ardmore.

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