The State - News from Sept. 28, 1988

A Davis-based company has been granted a patent for a method of genetically engineering agricultural crops to make them resistant to a popular and powerful weed killer called Round-up. The weed killer, which contains glyphosate and is manufactured by Monsanto, cannot yet be used on some crops in California because it will kill the plants as well. Officials of Calgene Inc., which obtained the new patent, said the company hopes to form partnerships with major chemical companies and market crop seeds along with chemicals to kill weeds. The resistance trait is being developed in tomatoes, cotton, corn and soybeans.