BEIJING, CHINA — Origin Agritech Ltd. has received approval for six new corn varieties from China’s National Crop Variety Approval Committee, the company announced Aug. 4.

The approval of these new corn varieties highlights new breeding technologies from the Beijing-based agricultural technology company. AOYU 728, for example, has unique characteristics such as resistance to stem rot, ear rot, southern rust 891 and small leaf spot, all of which improve resiliency and yield.

The other five that received approval are varieties with different nutritional components, one containing 45% more folic acid and other hybrids with significant increases in vitamin E, phenolic compounds, and other nutritional value-added characteristics.

“We continue to accelerate the pace and efficiency with which we are creating revolutionary new corn varieties and getting them to market,” said Dr. Gengchen Han, chairman of Origin Agritech. “This is translating into big customer wins and fast growth for the company, which we expect to continue.”

On Aug. 2, Origin Agritech announced that it had received a $35 million hybrid corn order from Muyuan Foods Co., Ltd., China’s largest hog farming company, as part of a five-year, 1 million tonne purchase agreement.