Benzinga | Mar 8, 2021 09:24AM EST

Origin Agritech Says Has Successfully Utilized Gene Editing Technology To Create New Corn Traits

BEIJING, March 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Origin Agritech Ltd. (NASDAQ:SEED) (the "Company" or "Origin"), an agriculture technology company, today announced that it has successfully utilized gene editing technology to create new corn traits. Gene editing refers to editing DNA strands by introducing cuts into the DNA strands, enabling the removal of existing DNA and the insertion of replacement DNA.

The Biotechnology Center of Beijing Origin Seed, Ltd. (Origin Agritech's subsidiary) established its gene editing technology platform several years ago. Through collaborations with leading universities and research institutions, the research center has developed new corn traits, including reducing the plant height, increasing growth period and chloroplast content. The center is currently evaluating the commercial value of these new traits in corn seed production.

Dr. Gengchen Han, Origin's Chairman, said, "We are very excited by the possibilities the gene editing technology may bring us. The ability to create new crop traits ideally positions us to capitalize on the broader industry trend of GMO acceptance in China."