New Brunswick, New Jersey
September 17, 2002

Senesco Technologies, Inc. ("Senesco" or the "Company") (AMEX:SNT) announced today that it has signed a Development and License Agreement with Cal/West Seeds, which will enable the two companies to incorporate Senesco's technology into the enhanced proprietary alfalfa varieties being developed by Cal/West. The agreement includes options for the development of various other forage crops. The financial terms of the agreement were undisclosed.

According to the USDA, alfalfa is the fourth most widely grown crop in the United States, behind only corn, wheat and soybeans. It is a vital component of both the beef and dairy industries, along with being a primary feed for all domesticated livestock. There is no published value of harvested alfalfa hay, as it is not consumed directly by people, but industry estimates put the U.S. value at approximately $10 billion.

Bruce Galton, President and CEO of Senesco, stated, "This agreement is a major accomplishment in Senesco's agricultural commercialization strategy and it further validates our technology in regulating cell death in plants. Cal/West is an ideal licensing partner in the area of forage crops due to their ability to incorporate our technology into their ongoing research programs, coupled with their extensive worldwide sales and marketing expertise."

"Adding Value through innovation in Research is a cornerstone of our business. The Senesco technology presents a great opportunity for us, the seed companies we serve as well as alfalfa hay producers. Successful development and commercialization of this technology is of primary importance to our company," said Paul Frey, President/CEO Cal/West Seeds.

Cal/West Seeds officially came into being in January 1969, resulting from a merger of Calapproved Seed Growers, headquartered in Modesto, California, and Caladino Farm Seeds, Inc. The company is one of the original private forage breeding firms in the US. Today, Cal/West Seeds maintains a membership of nearly 550 member growers, ranking it as the largest member-owned seed production cooperative in the United States. The company is headquartered in Woodland, California and is headed up by a ten-member board of directors, composed of member-growers and one outside director. For the past three and a half decades, the company's major research efforts have centered around the development and production of proprietary alfalfa varieties for marketing to customers throughout the world. Cal/West research and marketing efforts currently are free-standing programs independent of any partnership or joint ventures. The objectives of our research program remain committed to meeting the customers' needs for improved germplasm and to continue positioning for future growth.

Senesco takes its name from the scientific term for the aging of cells: senescence. The Company has developed technology that regulates the onset of cell death. Delaying cell breakdown in plants extends the freshness of perishable produce (e.g. flowers, fruits and vegetables) after harvesting and also increases crop yields, plant size and resistance to environmental stress. The Company believes that Senesco's technology can be used to develop superior strains of crops by delaying natural plant senescence and reducing the incidence of premature senescence due to environmental stress. Senesco has also begun to explore ways to trigger or delay cell death in mammals (apoptosis) to determine the extent to which the technology may be applicable in human medicine. Senesco partners with leading-edge companies and earns research and development fees for applying its gene-regulating platform technology to enhance its partner's products. Senesco is headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and has research laboratories at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.