Beijing, China
February 27, 2024
Origin Agritech Ltd. (NASDAQ: SEED) (the "Company" or "Origin"), a leading Chinese agricultural technology company, today announced a breakthrough development in its commercial corn hybrid offerings. Origin Agritech has successfully integrated a gene from wild corn into one of its elite commercial corn hybrids for the first time in the industry. This approach represents a significant scientific milestone and sets a new benchmark for crop yield performance and efficiency.
The integration of the wild corn gene marks the world's first instance of using genetics from wild corn—a type of grass—to enhance the performance of commercial corn hybrids. This innovative genetic modification has improved plant type and photosynthesis efficiency, enabling the hybrid to achieve higher yields by supporting increased plant density per acre.
One of Origin Agritech's mainstay commercial hybrids, which has been a market leader for over 20 years due to its superior performance, has been the focus of this enhancement. The improved version of this hybrid can now be planted at a 10-15% higher density, offering a potential yield increase of more than 10%. This advancement is expected to drive the new hybrid to replace the current version within two years, further solidifying Origin Agritech's market share and leadership in the agricultural sector.
Dr. Gengchen Han, Chairman and CEO of Origin Agritech, stated, "This breakthrough is a testament to Origin Agritech's commitment to innovation and our continuous efforts to push the boundaries of agricultural technology. By harnessing the untapped potential of wild corn genes, we have significantly improved our hybrid's performance, setting a new standard for efficiency and yield in the industry. We anticipate the enhanced hybrid will replace its predecessor and capture more market share thanks to its superior performance and adaptability. This is a proud moment for our team and a major step forward in our mission to provide sustainable and high-performing agricultural solutions to the world."
Origin Agritech is dedicated to leveraging cutting-edge biotechnological research to develop crops with higher yields, improved nutritional profiles, and better adaptability to environmental challenges. This latest innovation underscores the company's role as a leader in the global agritech industry and its commitment to enhancing food security and farming efficiency worldwide.
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