Prof Ian Bancroft and colleagues at The John Innes Centre, UK (JIC) have developed a revolutionary new method to predict heterosis. The method can be used to accurately predict hybrid vigour for a range of important
crop performance traits, including yield.

Accurate predictions of field performance of hybrids can be made from transcriptome analysis of samples taken from parental seedlings grown in the laboratory.

Plant Bioscience Ltd. (PBL), the technology transfer company of the JIC, has funded the further development of this method, extending from the original work in Arabidopsis, to prove that the technology also works accurately in maize.

PBL is now offering licences to the seed and plant breeding industry to use this technology to assist the breeding and development of a wide range of crops, worldwide.

Various possibilities can also be arranged with PBL and the JIC to allow companies to evaluate the methods on their own germplasm. "

For further information and contact details, please see attached information sheet:
http://www.seedquest.com/News/releases/2007/pdf/18005.pdf