Ceres Accelerates Sugarcane Trait Development Following Positive Field Results

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., March 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Ceres, Inc. CERE, an agricultural biotechnology company, announced today that its biotech sugarcane traits have been advanced to the next stage of testing ahead of schedule due to positive data from initial field evaluations under tropical conditions in Latin America. Leading product candidates are currently being multiplied for wider-scale field evaluations which are scheduled to begin in May and June 2015.

Ceres reported that its yield traits accelerated growth and increased biomass in elite tropical sugarcane varieties. In addition, plants with one of the company's drought tolerance traits maintained biomass yields under low water conditions, and in certain cases, maintained yields with as little as half the water normally required during production. Field evaluations represent a critical stage in the development of biotech crop traits, as they provide greater insight into how traits may perform in an agricultural setting.  

Roger Pennell, PhD, vice president of trait development for Ceres, said that sugarcane industry researchers who completed the study on behalf of Ceres accelerated their first stage of field trialing ahead of the completion of the first growing cycle in order to expand the scale of the evaluations. "The positive results are especially exciting because the tests were completed in elite commercial varieties that are already known for their high yields and performance," he said. 

Pennell explained that faster growth, higher yield and greater resilience to drought and other stress conditions would not only increase output, but also lower production costs for the industry. "This could revolutionize the industry," Pennell said, noting that such traits could potentially increase the number of harvests during the lifetime of a sugarcane stand, extend the growing season and expand the area where economically attractive yields can be achieved. "We look forward to working with our collaborator in Latin America to generate the data that will be needed to confirm these positive initial results," he said.

Favorable results from a research setting are not a guarantee of future commercial performance, and further evaluations will be necessary to confirm these results. The next stage of research field trials, which will provide more definitive results, is expected to be completed by June 2016. At the current pace, commercial sugarcane cultivars with Ceres' traits could be ready for commercial scale-up as early as 2018.

According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, 65 million acres (26 million hectares) of sugarcane were harvested worldwide in 2013, including 32 million acres (13 million hectares) in Latin America.

About Ceres
Ceres, Inc. is an agricultural biotechnology company that develops and markets seeds to produce crops for forage, biofuels and other markets that utilize plant biomass. The company's advanced plant breeding and biotechnology technology platforms, which can increase crop productivity, improve quality, reduce crop inputs and improve cultivation on marginal land, have broad application across multiple crops, including food, feed, fiber and fuel crops. Ceres markets its seed products under its Blade brand. The company also licenses its biotech traits and technology, including its Persephone genome visualization software, to other life science companies and organizations.

Ceres Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, including statements regarding Ceres' efforts to develop and commercialize its products, anticipated yields and product performance, status of crop plantings, short-term and long-term business strategies, market and industry expectations, future operating metrics, and future results of operations and financial position are forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are, in some cases, beyond Ceres' control. Factors that could materially affect actual results can be found in Ceres' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Ceres undertakes no obligation to update publicly, except to the extent required by law, any forward-looking statements for any reason after the date it issues this press release to conform these statements to actual results or to changes in Ceres' expectations.

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SOURCE Ceres, Inc.