Mendel Announces US Miscanthus Field Trial Results: Second Year Data Demonstrate High-Yielding, Genetically Diverse Product Portfolio

HAYWARD, Calif., May 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Mendel BioEnergy Seeds, a division of Mendel Biotechnology, Inc., announced today that average two-year yields of its numerous varieties of Miscanthus indicate that Mendel's lead product candidates are on track to meet or exceed current commercial targets for biomass production from dedicated energy crops. The most promising yields reported were from Mendel's proprietary varieties of Miscanthus giganteus, a sterile, non-invasive species. Miscanthus is a genus of high-yielding perennial grass that has shown great promise as a sustainable source of renewable energy.

Mendel reported yield results from its field trial network throughout the southeastern and midwestern US which showed that average biomass yields among all Miscanthus giganteus ("MxG") varieties outperformed the average measured yield of all switchgrass entries.

Additionally, an advanced product candidate released last year from Mendel's extensive breeding program, MBX-002, demonstrated significant more biomass production in statistically validated trials than the public Miscanthus variety, MxG, cv Illinois. Perennial grasses such as Miscanthus typically reach 40 - 60% of peak yields by the second growing season.

"These second-year results demonstrate that Mendel's proprietary Miscanthus varieties have the potential to become a meaningful part of the renewable fuels and power feedstock solution in this country," said Don Panter, senior vice president of Mendel BioEnergy Seeds. "The reliable delivery of Miscanthus biomass for electricity or liquid transportation fuel production benefits from having genetically diverse Miscanthus clones. We anticipate that our 2010 field trial results will establish Mendel as a provider of such a genetically diverse offering of Miscanthus varieties with best-in-class yield performance."

About Mendel

Mendel Biotechnology, Inc. is a pioneer in the application of functional genomics to the study of plant genes, and a leading developer of dedicated energy crops for the bioenergy markets. Mendel has identified and patented the use of genes that control many aspects of plant growth and development, and is using such inventions to develop new plant varieties with improved productivity and quality. Mendel has relationships with leading agricultural, energy, forestry and horticulture companies for the commercialization of improved seed and plant products, and is developing new seed and feedstock products for the emerging bioenergy market. For more information, visit: www.mendelbio.com.

SOURCE Mendel Biotechnology, Inc.