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Eurofins Scientific, Medicinal Genomics Partner on Cannabis SNP Chip

NEW YORK — Eurofins Scientific said on Tuesday that it has partnered with Medicinal Genomics to develop a high-density SNP chip for cannabis and hemp genotyping, breeding, and pathogen testing.

According to Eurofins, the chip will feature coding SNPs identified by Medicinal Genomics using its Kannapedia cannabis genomic database including trait-specific markers for plant sex, chemotypes, and disease resistance. Data from the chip can be further analyzed in Kannapedia to gather population frequencies, Bt:Bd allele coverage, heterozygosity, and cultivar relatedness.

The chip is slated for launch in the US and international markets in 2020, Luxembourg-based Eurofins said.

"Eurofins has one of the largest agricultural testing infrastructures in the world, and it has become increasingly important to extend our services to the burgeoning global hemp market," Eurofins BioDiagnostics CSO Farhad Ghavami said in a statement. "We wanted the best genetic solution for our cannabis customers, something that can revolutionize breeding, genetic purity, and IP security of cannabis seeds."

Earlier this year, Beverly, Massachusetts-based Medicinal Genomics formed an alliance with Arbor Biosciences to develop a genotyping panel for cannabis.

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