Landec Corporation (Nasdaq:LNDC), a developer and marketer of technology-based polymer products for food, agricultural and licensed partner applications, today announced that its seed subsidiary, Landec Ag, Inc. has reported that its Intellicoat(R) Early Plant(R) coated corn technology has achieved significant yield results in the 2004 harvest, confirming the value of using Intellicoat Early Plant coated corn to plant corn seed earlier than normal.

"Yield results this season have validated the importance of our Early Plant coating technology and timely planting," said Tom Crowley, Landec Ag President and CEO. "We have seen record corn yields this year. In parts of the northern Corn Belt, farmers have seen corn with Intellicoat Early Plant coatings out-yield late-planted corn by over 40 bushels per acre. These differences really show the value of the Intellicoat technology."

In a typical planting season, there is a narrow window of one to two weeks of optimum soil temperature for planting seed corn. Often farmers end up planting 20%-25% of the seeds late. Late planting often produces lower yields and requires more drying thus increasing costs and lowering profits.

The patented Intellicoat Early Plant corn is designed to allow corn farmers to safely and reliably plant hybrid corn three to four weeks earlier than normal, by using Landec Ag's proprietary Intellicoat coating which prevents germination until the soil reaches the optimal soil germination temperature. Without this protective coating, planting earlier in cold, wet soil could cause poor or no germination to occur. Intellicoat Early Plant corn provides the farmer with a wider planting window, which effectively lowers costs, reduces risks associated with late planting and potentially increases yields across the entire farming operation.

During 2004 when cold, wet early spring conditions caused many farmers in the northern Corn Belt to miss their optimum planting dates, and lack of heat units in the spring and summer caused slower corn growth than normal, Intellicoat Early Plant coated corn delivered important benefits in yield and dry-down versus corn planted after the optimum period. Farmers who used Intellicoat Early Plant coatings could easily see the rewards of getting a portion of their corn planted earlier than normal.

Chris Jefferies, President of Ohio-based seed company Seed Consultants, said, "Our data shows that Intellicoat Early Plant coated corn can mean as much as 43 more bushels per acre versus late-planted corn." Jefferies added, "Getting a few extra days of planting by using the Intellicoat technology can advance a farmer's whole planting schedule seven to ten days. For some farmers that means the difference between getting everything planted on time or suffering yield loss from late planting."

Steve Ottilie, President of Ottilie Seed said, "We established an early plant corn program versus planting late. Using the Intellicoat Early Plant coated corn we averaged 38 bushels more per acre versus corn that was planted on May 25th. When you add on extra drying costs for late planted corn, you can experience a $125 per acre added value on a $14 per acre investment for the protection with Intellicoat technology. Intellicoat technology is an excellent management tool for farmers to help manage their risks."

"The 2004 growing season was the first year of broader commercial use for Intellicoat Early Plant coated corn following a number of years of R&D and commercial trials. Intellicoat Early Plant coated corn is currently marketed through ten seed partners up from six for last year. The measurable benefits to our customers in 2004, and in prior years, strengthen our already positive outlook for continued growth in the use of Intellicoat Early Plant coated corn," added Tom Crowley.

In addition, Landec Ag produces and sells Intellicoat Pollinator Plus(R) coatings used by more than thirty seed companies involved in the production of hybrid seed corn. In this application, the coating delays germination of the male inbred seed. This widens the pollination window, minimizing risks and reducing production costs in the production of seed corn. Seed companies continue to increase their use of this technology.

Also on the commercial horizon is another Intellicoat application, Relay(TM) Intercropping of wheat and Intellicoat coated soybeans. This application enables central and northern Corn Belt farmers, whose growing season is normally too short for double cropping, to successfully inter-plant coated soybeans into wheat and gain more revenue by harvesting two crops off the same field in the same year. This Intellicoat application is in its third year of successful commercial on-farm trials.

Landec Corporation designs, develops, manufactures and sells temperature-activated and other specialty polymer products for a variety of food, agricultural and licensed partner applications. The Company's temperature-activated polymer products are based on its proprietary Intelimer(R) polymers which differ from other polymers in that they can be customized to abruptly change their physical characteristics when heated or cooled through a pre-set temperature switch.