Hexima puts up its defensins
Thursday, 31 July, 2008
Agbiotech company Hexima [ASX: HXL] has concluded a set of trials of its defensin-based technology in cotton crops.
The trials tested the company's genetically modified strains against two common fungal diseases, verticillium wilt and fusarium wilt.
Both crops demonstrated increased yield, and the modified plants in the fusarium trial showed increased survival rates.
A third, healthy, crop was also modified with defensin to test the effect of the technology on healthy plants. The crop showed no adverse effects.
Defensins are small peptides, analogues of which are also found in humans and other animals, which help destroy bacteria and fungi. Some are also thought to have insecticidal activity.
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