DGAP-News: KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA: KWS receives approval in France for high-yielding winter rapeseed varieties with new resistance

Einbeck (Germany), 14 August 2019

Adelmo KWS and Feliciano KWS, two high-yielding winter rapeseed varieties that are resistant to fungal infection caused by Phoma, are now available in France for the 2019/2020 sowing season.

KWS has obtained approval in France for two innovative winter rapeseed varieties. Both offer high yields and great resistance to fungal infection caused by Phoma. Infection with the Phoma fungus can result in heavy losses of yield in rapeseed cultivation.

"Following long and intensive research and development work, we're now delighted to offer Adelmo KWS and Feliciano KWS, two varieties with very high resistance to Phoma as well as top-class yield," said José Manuel Bustos, Head of Business Unit Cereals at KWS.

Of the 30 varieties tested by France's national approval authorities, the two KWS varieties ranked among the top 3 in terms of resistance to infection. Feliciano KWS exhibited the lowest intensity of Phoma infection in the tests. The newly approved varieties are therefore well suited for locations where there is a high risk from fungi.

With a cultivation area of around 1.2 million hectares, France is one of the key regions for growing winter rapeseed in Europe. The newly approved varieties will help KWS strengthen its market position moving ahead (current market share: 17%).

Phoma - a fungus to be taken seriously

Phoma is a fungus that infects rapeseed stands, usually in the fall. Apart from the leaves, the fungus infects the root crown, from where it spreads to the stems. It decreases the transport of nutrients and water through the plants' pathways. Typical symptoms, which can be seen on the stem and root crown, are a black coloration and, in the later stage, the formation of spore carriers.

About KWS*
KWS is one of the world's leading plant breeding companies. In the fiscal year 2017/18 more than 5,000 employees in 70 countries generated net sales of EUR 1,068 million and earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of EUR 133 million. A company with a tradition of family ownership, KWS has operated independently for more than 160 years. It focuses on plant breeding and the production and sale of seed for corn, sugarbeet, cereals, rapeseed and sunflowers. KWS uses leading-edge plant breeding methods to increase farmers' yields and to improve resistance to diseases, pests and abiotic stress. To that end, the company invested approximately EUR 200 million last fiscal year in research and development.
^* All indications excluding the results from the companies accounted for using the equity method AGRELIANT GENETICS LLC., AGRELIANT GENETICS INC. and KENFENG - KWS SEEDS CO., LTD.

For more information: www.kws.com. Follow us on Twitter(R) at https://twitter.com/KWS_Group.

Contact:
Peter Vogt
Head of Investor Relations
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[email protected]

KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA
http://www.kws.com