Why Wheat Yields in North-West Europe Have Stalled

Seed World Staff on 01/23/2026

Wheat yields in north-west Europe have plateaued since the mid-1990s, stabilising around 7–9 tonnes per hectare despite continued genetic gains. Wageningen University & Research analysis combining trials, Dutch farm data and crop modelling finds climate change has not limited yields and has slightly

Turning Insight into Impact: How phenoLytics Is Redefining Seed Phenotyping

Marcel Bruins - Seed World Europe Editorial Director on 01/23/2026

phenoLytics won first prize at the 2025 Euroseeds InnovAction Stage for its high-throughput 3D and 4D X-ray CT seed phenotyping solutions. The technology delivers ground-truth data on seed and seedling quality across the entire value chain, enabling faster, objective decisions in breeding, processin

Collaboration Links Genomic Analysis with Regulatory Studies and Field Trials

Seed World Staff on 01/23/2026

Staphyt and GenoScreen have signed a collaboration agreement combining genomics, regulatory studies, and field trials for microbial product development. The partnership links genomic characterisation, bioinformatics, laboratory studies, and efficacy trials to support European regulatory requirements

Three-Year UK Award Funds Soybean Rust Resistance Research

Seed World Staff on 01/22/2026

The 2Blades Group at The Sainsbury Laboratory and Bayer won a BBSRC Industrial Partnership Award to develop durable resistance to soybean rust. The £860,000, three-year project will study novel immune gene mechanisms from wild Glycine relatives, aiming to protect soybeans from Phakopsora pachyrhizi,

Adding a New Wing to Pollination: How Polyfly Is Putting Hoverflies to Work

Marcel Bruins - Seed World Europe Editorial Director on 01/21/2026

For decades, seed production relied almost exclusively on bees for managed pollination. Polyfly is rethinking that model by industrializing the mass rearing of hoverflies as an alternative pollinator. Recognized at the 2025 Euroseeds InnovAction Stage, Polyfly offers breeders and seed producers a fl

Discussions to Modernize International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources Fail: What’s Next?

Seed World Staff on 01/19/2026

Lima, Peru marked a missed opportunity to modernize the FAO International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources. High hopes to address digital sequence information, benefit-sharing, and access reforms collapsed into stalemate. With negotiations halted, the seed sector warns that growing sovereignty disp

What if Ocular Grain Grading Could be Faster, More Accurate, and Objective?

Linnéa Peters – Sales Representative, Cgrain on 01/19/2026

Cgrain and Lantmännen are modernizing grain grading with AI-driven image analysis that automates ocular inspection. A patented V-shaped mirror and camera capture 90%+ of each kernel’s surface to detect defects, measure size and weight, and standardize results. Trained on global image datasets, the s

Researchers Discover Hidden “Early Warning” System in Plant Immune Response

Seed World Staff on 01/16/2026

University of Warwick researchers have identified a rapid, jasmonate-driven early immune response that activates systemic acquired resistance (SAR) within hours of infection. Published in Nature Plants, the study used a new live-imaging reporter, JISS1:LUC, to track fast immune signals spreading to

Filmmaker Hidde Boersma: Why High-Yield Innovation Belongs at the Centre of Sustainability

Marcel Bruins - Seed World Europe Editorial Director on 01/16/2026

This two-part interview with Dutch science journalist and filmmaker Dr. Hidde Boersma examines how a 1970s “harmony with nature” narrative came to define sustainability by promoting less growth and less technology. Boersma argues this mindset undermines high-yield agriculture, plant breeding and foo

CornPheno Uses AI to Measure Corn Ear Traits with a Smartphone

Seed World Staff on 01/15/2026

CornPheno is a smartphone-based AI system that measures key corn ear traits—kernels per ear, rows per ear and kernels per row—directly in field conditions. Developed by Hao Lu’s team and reported in Plant Phenomics (15 October 2025), it outperformed several counting models and maintained strong accu

Ghana–Netherlands Partnership Targets Quality Vegetable Seed for Farmers

Seed World Staff on 01/14/2026

Ghana launched the Ghana Seed Partnership (GSP) on 29 October 2025 in Accra, deepening Ghana–Netherlands agribusiness cooperation. The initiative unites 13 public, private and research partners to modernize Ghana’s vegetable seed sector, improve access to quality seed and inputs, and boost horticult

European NGT Regulations: Risks of Divergence and Adhocracy

David Zaruk – Seed World Columnist on 01/14/2026

UK, EU and Swiss NGT regulations due by 2026 remain fragmented and incoherent. The UK uses a product-based, two-tier system with lighter rules for precision breeding. The EU and Switzerland retain process-based, ad hoc approaches driven by activist pressure, creating patent uncertainty, research fli

Scientists Uncover Shared Genetic Adaptations in Barley and Wheat

Seed World Staff on 01/14/2026

Researchers from The James Hutton Institute’s International Barley Hub and an INRAE-UCA-led consortium have found genomic evidence of convergent selection in barley and wheat. Published in Nature Plants, the study analysed 1,300+ barley and wheat lines, identifying shared variants linked to developm

Genome-Based Models Predict Rapeseed Flowering Time and Yield

Seed World Staff on 01/13/2026

A study in Horticulture Research shows that optimized genomic prediction models can accurately forecast flowering time, yield traits and oil content in rapeseed using genome-wide data. By integrating GWAS-linked variants with statistical and machine-learning methods, researchers achieved over 90% ac

Top 10 Best Read Stories on Seed World Europe in 2025

Marcel Bruins - Seed World Europe Editorial Director on 01/12/2026

Discover Seed World Europe’s most-read seed sector stories of 2025. After a year of coverage on innovation, policy shifts, industry debate and the people driving change, these articles rose above the rest—sparking conversation and topping our traffic charts. Join our countdown from number 10 to the

Copa-Cogeca: Organic Framework Proposal Progress, But Key Gaps Remain

Seed World Staff on 01/09/2026

Copa-Cogeca welcomed the European Commission’s targeted proposal to amend parts of the EU organic framework, but said major gaps remain. The organisation regretted that key recommendations were not addressed in the basic act, including broiler strain harmonisation and clearer rules for pig outdoor a

CRISPR Switch Boosts Wheat Yield and Resistant Starch

Seed World Staff on 01/09/2026

A Chinese study has identified TaJAZ1 as a key gene behind the wheat yield–nutrition trade-off. Using CRISPR to deactivate TaJAZ1, researchers produced wheat lines with significantly higher grain yield and nearly double the resistant starch content. Published in The Crop Journal (8 November 2025), t

2026 Named International Year of the Woman Farmer

Seed World Staff on 01/08/2026

FAO has launched the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026, a global campaign to recognise women’s essential contributions to agrifood systems and accelerate action to close persistent gender gaps. Proclaimed by the UN General Assembly, the initiative will drive policy reform, investment and p

CropLife Europe Calls for Faster, Science-Based EU Approval Processes

Seed World Staff on 01/08/2026

CropLife Europe said the European Commission’s Food and Feed Safety Omnibus is a chance to modernise EU crop protection approvals while maintaining strong consumer and environmental safeguards. It warned that no new conventional active substances have been approved in six years and the toolbox has s

Europe Moves Toward New Gene-Editing Rules as UK Leads Regulatory Shift

Seed World Staff on 01/08/2026

Europe’s crop biotech policy is shifting as New Genomic Techniques (NGTs), including gene editing, gain support for delivering climate-resilient, nutrient-rich, pest-resistant crops. Regulation remains fragmented: the UK has enacted a precision breeding pathway, the EU is in final NGT negotiations,

From Seed to Food: FAO’S First Universal Expo

Franco Brazzabeni – Seed World Columnist on 01/07/2026

From Seed to Food, the first FAO Universal Exposition in Rome (October) celebrated FAO’s 80 years of global action to end hunger and strengthen food security. The event showcased the full agri-food value chain—from research and seeds to farming, processing, and consumers—highlighting innovation need

EU Member States Back NGT Rules, Boosting Innovation in Plant Breeding

Seed World Staff on 01/07/2026

Europe’s seed sector has welcomed EU Member States’ agreement on the Regulation on New Genomic Techniques (NGTs), calling it a decisive step toward more innovative, competitive and resilient European agriculture. Euroseeds said the endorsement of the trilogue compromise sends a strong signal in supp

Why Crop Diversity Matters More Than Ever for Europe’s Agricultural Future

Seed World Staff on 01/06/2026

Europe’s seed market is consolidating fast—raising urgent questions about innovation, resilience, and food security. Nearly 80% of Europe’s arable land is planted to just four crops: corn, wheat, oilseed rape, and sunflower. Seed World Europe spoke with Régis Fournier, former Limagrain Field Seeds C

Tired of Competing on Price? Start Competing on Status

Shawn Brook - Seed World Group President on 01/06/2026

High-status brands don’t win faster sales through louder promotions—they win through clearer stories that build trust. Status means being seen as an expert guide, not a replaceable vendor, leading buyers to seek advice instead of discounts. A strong narrative centers the customer, defines their real