Syngenta Crop Protection, a leader in agricultural innovation, and Lavie Bio Ltd., a subsidiary of Evogene Ltd. (Nasdaq: EVGN, TASE: EVGN), a prominent ag-biologicals company, announced an agreement to explore new biological insecticidal solutions. The collaboration aims to harness Lavie Bio's unique technology platform for the swift identification and optimization of bio-insecticide candidates, combined with Syngenta’s extensive global research, development, and commercialization capabilities.

Insects pose a significant challenge to crop health worldwide, causing direct harm by feeding on plants’ stems, fruits, and roots, and indirectly by transmitting bacterial, viral, and fungal infections – resulting in an estimated $70 billion annual loss to the global economy, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. With global warming expanding the reach of invasive insects and resistance to existing insecticides on the rise, experts anticipate escalating losses.

“Syngenta is a leader in advancing sustainable agriculture and we are thrilled to collaborate with Lavie Bio in biocontrol innovation and bring novel modes of action in the growers’ toolbox to combat insect resistance,” said Camilla Corsi, Global Head of Research at Syngenta Crop Protection. “This collaboration underscores Syngenta's commitment to collaborating with cutting-edge agricultural technology companies, merging digital and experimental approaches to accelerate and diversify innovation.”

"We're excited to collaborate with Syngenta, a world leader in agricultural innovation," said Amit Noam, CEO of Lavie Bio. "Both companies share a mutual commitment to sustainable farming and together, we aim to develop an impactful bio-insecticide product. Lavie Bio's unique computational capabilities and Syngenta's vast experience in developing and commercializing innovative products make this partnership significant. We enthusiastically look forward to joining forces to achieve the mutual task of insect management in agriculture."

Syngenta Crop Protection is a leading force in agricultural innovation, delivering breakthrough technologies and solutions that enable farmers to grow productively and sustainably. With a portfolio of crop protection solutions for plant and soil health, alongside digital solutions transforming farmers' decision-making capabilities, Syngenta serves agriculture in more than 90 countries globally.

Lavie Bio, a subsidiary of Evogene Ltd., seeks to enhance food quality, sustainability, and agricultural productivity through microbiome-based ag-biological products. Leveraging a proprietary computational predictive platform, the BDD platform, powered by Evogene's MicroBoost AI tech-engine, Lavie Bio harnesses big data, artificial intelligence, and advanced informatics for the discovery, optimization, and development of bio-stimulant and bio-pesticide products.

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