Evogene, Bayer CropScience form closer ties Rehovot, Israel - based Evogene Ltd. has strengthened its on-going collaboration with Bayer CropScience to increase yield in rice. In June 2007, the two companies announced a collaboration to increase rice productivity and yield. Pursuant to the collaboration agreement between the companies, Bayer CropScience has recently exercised its option to exclusive licensing rights in rice to additional candidate genes discovered by Evogene. More†

Legal

New Zealand OKs GM onion trials New Zealand's Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) have given state science company Crop and Food Research approval for field tests of a wide range of genetically engineered onion plants. More†

Sci/Tech

Epigenetic reversal demonstrated Although nearly every plant cell is genetically identical, each cell type expresses a distinct set of genes. Changes to the proteins around which DNA is wound are called "epigenetic" modifications, because they alter patterns of this gene expression without changing the actual DNA sequence. One kind of gene is quite distinct from all of the others, because it is nearly always epigenetically inactivated. These are the genes carried by transposons, or "jumping genes." Transposons are mutagens, genes that can modify their host cell in different ways. More†

Development

Cuba may approve GM maize Cuba could soon authorize the planting of 124 acres of GM maize, which regulators expect to yield enough seed to plant 14,830 acres next year. Despite being hailed as a 'modern miracle' of sustainable and organic agriculture, and a recipient of the 'Alternate Nobel Prize' for self-sufficient farming practices, Cuba imports around 60 percent of its food, including large amounts of soy, wheat and maize. More†