Origin Agritech's Three New Corn Varieties Pass Preliminary National Review, Advancing Toward Commercialization

The three varieties outyielded designated controls in regional and production trials, but approval procedures remain.

Rhea-AI Summary

Origin Agritech (NASDAQ: SEED) announced that three corn varieties passed China's preliminary national review, advancing toward commercialization in the Huang-Huai-Hai region.

Aoxiangyu 819, Aoyu 966 and Aoyu 288 passed review by the National Crop Variety Approval Committee, whose results were published on October 22, 2026. Their two-year national regional trial yields exceeded designated controls by 8.6%, 6.9% and 6.0%, respectively. Production-trial yield gains were 5.9%, 7.0% and 6.2%, respectively.

The 30-day public notice period runs from October 22 through November 22, 2026; applicable approval procedures remain before commercialization. Following those procedures, the varieties are suitable for cultivation in parts of eight provinces. Origin views the additions as supporting its planned portfolio and geographic expansion alongside existing commercial varieties.

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0 major · 1 point

Hollow bars mark forward-looking points. How the balance works

Positive

• Moderate pointThree corn varieties passed preliminary national review, advancing Origin's commercialization pipeline.
• Minor pointAoxiangyu 819 regional yield: 697.9 kilograms per mu, 8.6% above control; 2025 production yield: 662, 5.9% above control.
• Minor pointAoyu 966 regional yield: 696.8 kilograms per mu, 6.9% above control; 2025 production yield: 668, 7.0% above control.
• Minor pointAoyu 288 regional yield: 670.2 kilograms per mu, 6.0% above control; production yield: 694, 6.2% above control.
• Minor point. Forward-looking: it has not happened yet and may not happen.Origin plans portfolio and geographic expansion across China's major corn-producing regions.

Negative

• Minor point. Forward-looking: it has not happened yet and may not happen.Commercialization remains subject to applicable approval procedures, including a public notice period through November 22, 2026.

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Key Figures

Aoxiangyu 819 regional-trial yield gain: 8.6% Aoyu 966 regional-trial yield gain: 6.9% Aoyu 288 regional-trial yield gain: 6.0% +4 more

Aoxiangyu 819 regional-trial yield gain

8.6%

Above control over two years of national regional trials

Aoyu 966 regional-trial yield gain

6.9%

Above control over two years of national regional trials

Aoyu 288 regional-trial yield gain

6.0%

Above control over two years of national regional trials

Aoxiangyu 819 production-trial yield gain

5.9%

Above control in the 2025 production trial

Aoyu 966 production-trial yield gain

7.0%

Above control in the 2025 production trial

Aoyu 288 production-trial yield gain

6.2%

Above control in its production trial

Public notice period

30 days

October 22 through November 22, 2026

Key Terms

germplasm, gene-editing technologies, transgenic corn, glyphosate tolerance

4 terms

germplasm technical

"proprietary germplasm, conventional breeding"

Germplasm is the living genetic material—seeds, tissue, or cells—used to preserve and breed plants or animals. Think of it as a library or toolbox of traits (like drought tolerance or disease resistance) that breeders and biotech firms draw from to create new varieties. For investors, germplasm represents durable intellectual property and a source of future revenue and risk reduction because it underpins crop improvement, product differentiation, and resilience to changing markets and climates.

gene-editing technologies technical

"gene-editing technologies, and AI-assisted breeding tools"

Gene-editing technologies are laboratory methods that change an organism’s DNA to add, remove, or alter specific genes, like using precise molecular scissors to cut and rewrite genetic code. Investors watch them because they can enable new treatments, diagnostics, or crop improvements, influence development speed and costs, and affect regulatory and safety risks—factors that shape a biotech or agritech company’s potential value.

transgenic corn technical

"the first transgenic corn to receive a Biosafety Certificate"

Corn that has been genetically modified by inserting one or more genes using recombinant DNA techniques so the plant expresses traits not present in the original variety, such as insect resistance, herbicide tolerance, drought tolerance, or altered nutritional content. Transgenic specifically means foreign or engineered genetic material has been introduced (as opposed to traits produced only by conventional breeding), and such varieties are typically subject to government safety reviews, approvals, and, in some jurisdictions, labeling requirements.

glyphosate tolerance technical

"including products with glyphosate tolerance and Bt (pest resistance) traits"

A genetic trait in a crop that allows the plant to survive applications of the herbicide glyphosate that would normally kill or damage non‑tolerant plants. Tolerance can be introduced by conventional breeding, mutagenesis, gene editing, or genetic engineering and commonly works by altering the plant's target enzyme or other physiological pathways so glyphosate does not prevent growth; regulatory approval processes govern how tolerant varieties may be planted and marketed. Having glyphosate tolerance describes the plant's response to the chemical, not the presence or safety of glyphosate residues in harvested food or feed.

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Aoxiangyu 819, Aoyu 966, and Aoyu 288 delivered yield gains of 6.0% to 8.6% over control varieties in two-year national regional trials; 30-day public notice period runs through November 22, 2026

BEIJING, Oct. 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Origin Agritech Limited (NASDAQ: SEED) ("Origin" or the "Company"), a leading Chinese agricultural technology company, today announced that three of its corn varieties, Aoxiangyu 819, Aoyu 966, and Aoyu 288, have passed the preliminary review of the 13th Session of the Fifth National Crop Variety Approval Committee of China. The three varieties are bred for the Huang-Huai-Hai Summer Corn Region, one of China's major corn-producing areas, and each outyielded its designated control variety in both the two-year national regional trials and the 2025 production trials.

The Committee published its preliminary review results on October 22, 2026, finding that the three varieties meet China's national standards for corn variety approval. Under China's Measures for the Approval of Major Crop Varieties, preliminary review is followed by a 30-day public notice period, which runs from October 22 through November 22, 2026. Following completion of the applicable approval procedures, the varieties are suitable for cultivation in major areas of the Huang-Huai-Hai Summer Corn Region, including parts of Henan, Shandong, Hebei, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Jiangsu, Anhui, and Hubei provinces.

Mr. Weibin Yan, Chief Executive Officer of Origin Agritech, commented: "The preliminary review of these three varieties is an important milestone for Origin's breeding and commercialization pipeline. Their consistent yield performance across regional and production trials demonstrates the strength of our breeding capabilities and provides additional products for our expansion in the Huang-Huai-Hai region."

"As we enter the Strong Growth Stage of our development plan, expanding our variety portfolio remains a key priority. Combined with our growing regional sales network and technology platform, these new varieties strengthen our foundation for sustainable growth and our long-term goal of becoming one of China's leading corn seed companies."

Yield Performance in National Trials

All three varieties demonstrated consistent yield advantages over the designated control varieties in China's national, regional, and production trials. One mu is one-fifteenth of a hectare, so a yield of 697.9 kilograms per mu equals roughly 10.5 metric tons per hectare, or about 167 bushels per acre.

Aoxiangyu 819, developed by Beijing Origin Agritech Seed Co., Ltd. and Hainan Aoyu Biotechnology Co., Ltd., achieved an average yield of 697.9 kilograms per mu over two years of regional trials, 8.6% above the control variety. In the 2025 production trial, Aoxiangyu 819 achieved an average yield of 662 kilograms per mu, 5.9% above the control.

Aoyu 966, also developed by Beijing Origin Agritech Seed Co., Ltd. and Hainan Aoyu Biotechnology Co., Ltd., achieved an average yield of 696.8 kilograms per mu over two years of regional trials, 6.9% above the control. In the 2025 production trial, the variety achieved an average yield of 668 kilograms per mu, 7.0% above the control.

Aoyu 288, developed by Beijing Origin Agritech Seed Co., Ltd., achieved an average yield of 670.2 kilograms per mu over two years of regional trials, 6.0% above the control. In its production trial, Aoyu 288 achieved an average yield of 694 kilograms per mu, 6.2% above the control.

The three varieties also demonstrated competitive agronomic characteristics, including maturity periods of approximately 103 days and 100-kernel weights ranging from 34.7 grams to 35.6 grams.

Expanding Origin's Commercial Variety Pipeline

The Huang-Huai-Hai region is a strategically important corn-growing area in China. The addition of three varieties with demonstrated yield advantages further expands Origin's product portfolio and provides additional opportunities to strengthen its presence in the region.

The new varieties complement Origin's existing commercial portfolio, including Zhongdan 6202 and Bangzhongbang 889, as the Company continues to introduce new products across its major markets.

Advancing Breeding Innovation and Commercialization

The preliminary review of the three varieties represents another milestone in Origin's breeding and commercialization program. The Company continues to strengthen its breeding capabilities through a combination of proprietary germplasm, conventional breeding, biotechnology, gene-editing technologies, and AI-assisted breeding tools.

With an expanding portfolio of commercial and pipeline varieties, Origin is focused on improving its ability to deliver high-performing corn varieties to farmers while expanding its geographic coverage across China's major corn-producing regions.

About Origin Agritech Limited

Origin Agritech Limited, founded in 1997 and headquartered at the Origin R&D Center in Songzhuang, Tongzhou, Beijing, is a leading Chinese agricultural technology company. In crop seed biotechnology, Origin Agritech's phytase corn was the first transgenic corn to receive a Biosafety Certificate from China's Ministry of Agriculture. Over the years, Origin has established a robust biotechnology seed pipeline, including products with glyphosate tolerance and Bt (pest resistance) traits. For further information, please visit the Company's website at https://originagritech.com. The Company also maintains an X account to update investors on Company and industry developments, available at https://x.com/origin_agritech.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the Company's expectations concerning the final approval, commercialization, market acceptance, and potential benefits of the three corn varieties described herein, as well as the Company's variety pipeline, geographic expansion, breeding and biotechnology programs, and strategic goals.

Words such as "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "seek," "will," "would," "target," and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including delays in or failure to obtain final regulatory approval, grower adoption of the Company's varieties, seed production yields and weather conditions, competitive variety introductions, pricing pressure in the Chinese seed market, regulatory and agricultural policy developments in China, and the Company's ability to fund and execute its plans. These and other factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

In particular, the three varieties described in this release have passed preliminary review but remain subject to the public notice period and the subsequent review and final approval requirements under China's national crop variety approval system. There can be no assurance that final approval, commercialization, market acceptance, or the anticipated market opportunities will occur as currently expected.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Origin Agritech undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities and other applicable laws.

For more information, please contact:

Origin Agritech Limited Contact:

Kate Lang (Mandarin/English)
Director of Investor Relations
Phone: +86 186-1839-3368
Email: bing.lang@originseed.com.cn

Investor Relations Contact:

Matthew Abenante, IRC
President
Strategic Investor Relations LLC
Tel: 347-947-2093
Email: matthew@strategic-ir.com

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

Which Origin Agritech corn varieties passed preliminary national review?

Aoxiangyu 819, Aoyu 966 and Aoyu 288 passed preliminary review by China's National Crop Variety Approval Committee. The committee published its results on October 22, 2026, finding that the varieties meet national standards for corn variety approval.

Are Origin Agritech's three corn varieties fully approved for commercialization?

The three varieties have passed preliminary review, but applicable approval procedures remain. The 30-day public notice period runs from October 22 through November 22, 2026.

Where could Origin Agritech's three corn varieties be cultivated after approval procedures?

Following completion of applicable approval procedures, the varieties are suitable for cultivation in parts of Henan, Shandong, Hebei, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Jiangsu, Anhui and Hubei. These areas belong to the Huang-Huai-Hai Summer Corn Region.