NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) - DuPont and Chinese functional genomics company Beijing Weiming Kaituo Agriculture Biotechnology (BWK) have formed a joint venture to locate genes for specific agronomic traits, including stress tolerance and nutrient utilization, the firms said this week.
Under the agreement, the companies will work together to “develop enabling technologies and discover new genes” for traits to improve productivity, said DuPont VP of Crop Genetics R&D Bill Neibur.
“BWK’s strengths in functional genomics and molecular breeding will make a major impact across our entire product pipeline," Neibur added.
Peking University and its affiliate, Peking University Weiming Biotech Group, are participating in the joint venture through their ownership stake in BWK.
Financial terms of the agreement were not released.