Outback Plants announced that it merged its tissue culture supply management and genetics licensing activities with Ball Horticultural Company. According to Ball, the merger will strengthen its capabilities of tissue culture supply management by merging with the Outback team, according to a release.
Outback Plants will continue to foster collaborative relationships with breeders to commercialize their genetics through licensing arrangements.
“For years, Outback Plants has been passionate about refining pathways for tissue culture into both the local and global markets,” says Mark Lunghusen, managing director of Outback Plants. “Merging these services with Ball Horticultural Company is a natural next step to pursuing even wider assortments of specimens into tissue culture.”
Through the merger, Ball will retain the naming rights to Outback Plants and Australian Horticultural Services, and Lunghusen will join Ball in a licensing and supply management position. The Outback Plants team will continue their work on sourcing new plant specimens from independent breeders.
“Mark and his team have built a strong foundation in tissue culture supply management and have found new avenues to bring new and exciting plants to market. Their close relationships with designated labs across all stages of T.C. development places them in the center of this growing segment,” says Allan Davidson, president of Ball Horticultural Company. “We look forward to combining forces and opening new channels for breeding and supply management in this area.”
