Key Takeaways:
- NRGene Green reports field trial results showing immunity-level resistance to clubroot in canola.
- The Canadian-developed trait achieved 0% infection rates under high pathogen pressure.
- Existing industry-resistant varieties recorded 74–85% infection rates in the same trials.
- The discovery offers long-term value for Canada’s $43.7 billion canola industry.
- Resistant lines and markers are now available for global licensing and commercialization.
NRGene Green Announces Field Trial Success
NRGene Green, a subsidiary of NRGene focused on AI-driven crop genomics, announced breakthrough results from its 2025 canola field trials. According to the company, its new donor lines demonstrated complete resistance to clubroot, a soil-borne disease that has significantly impacted canola yields worldwide.
The trials, conducted under high pathogen pressure, showed 0% infection in NRGene Green’s advanced resistant lines, while existing commercial varieties labeled as resistant recorded infection levels of more than 74%.
NRGene’s Findings from 2025 Trials
The field studies confirmed multiple performance benchmarks:
- Donor lines achieved total protection against clubroot infection.
- Hybrid varieties incorporating the resistance showed infection rates as low as 0.2%.
- Stabilized breeding lines consistently performed with less than 1% infection.
- Commercial “resistant” varieties failed under test conditions, with up to 85% infection.
“These results represent a global breakthrough in sustainable agriculture,” said Dr. Masood Rizvi, General Manager of NRGene Green. “For the first time, farmers worldwide will have access to canola varieties that combine complete disease immunity with commercial viability.”
Technology and Agricultural Applications
The resistance trait was developed in Saskatchewan using AI-driven genomics and molecular breeding technologies. NRGene Green noted the process was achieved without genetic modification, relying on natural resistance genes identified and introgressed through advanced breeding tools.
The company emphasized three key advantages: durability across environments, compatibility with existing breeding programs, and sustainability by reducing reliance on fungicides.
Gil Ronen, CEO of NRGene, stated that the achievement highlights how “AI-driven genomics combined with biology understanding can solve agriculture’s most challenging problems.”
Commercialization and Global Reach
The resistant donor lines and molecular markers are now available for licensing by seed companies worldwide. NRGene Green is pursuing a royalty-based revenue model and has begun working with commercial breeding partners to accelerate integration into hybrid development pipelines.
By enabling faster commercialization, the company expects the innovation to support global farmers with more resilient canola varieties while enhancing profitability and food security.
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