Dutch molecular agro-diagnostics specialist NSure has revealed this week that it has signed an agreement with Plant & Food Research, the New Zealand-based fresh produce R&D organisation, that will see cooperation in exploring product development options.
Under the present cooperation, NSure will be commercial partner for marketing Plant & Food Research's results, with both organisations active in the field of optimising quality monitoring in fruit production by using the latest insights from molecular science.
'Part of the research Plant & Food Research conducts in the field of genomics is closely related to the technology that NSure is using for molecular agro-diagnostics,' NSure noted. 'Plant & Food has a strong interest in valorisation of its research results, which will allow the agro-industry in New Zealand and abroad to make use of the latest scientific developments for the improvement of products and processes.
'NSure is interested in expanding its product portfolio with new tests that are of value to the industry and will thus allow the company to serve its customers better,' the group added. 'The present agreement is an opportunity for both companies to translate state-of-the-art scientific data into practical and useful tools for growers and marketers of fresh produce.'
Initially, NSure and Plant & Food Research are expected to explore possibilities for the development of tests for kiwifruit and apples, while the Dutch group is also planning to establish a presence in New Zealand within the next year. The first commercial tests resulting from this collaboration can be expected on the market in 2012.
