The Quagmire of Nutritional Studies
Joe Schwarcz - Seed World Columnist on 12/12/2025
Thousands of nutrition studies publish yearly, yet few offer practical guidance. Comparing mouse research on grape compounds and human trials on beetroot nitrates, this analysis highlights the gap between academic interest and real-world impact. Evidence favors whole foods, realistic doses, and huma
Council Progress on EU PRM Legislation Welcomed by Euroseeds
Seed World Staff on 12/12/2025
Euroseeds welcomed progress by the EU Council (under the Danish presidency) on the Plant Reproductive Material file, noting the Council agreed its position on new seed rules and trilogues should start in early 2026. It said the text supports a true internal market with common rules, while keeping fl
Europe’s New NGT Agreement: What the Trilogue Deal Means for Plant Breeding
Marcel Bruins - Seed World Europe Editorial Director on 12/11/2025
Europe is finally reviving EU plant-breeding innovation. After the 2018 court decision pushed NGTs into outdated GMO rules, the new 2025 NGT regulation creates a two-category system that better matches biological reality. This unlocks faster, more precise, climate-resilient crop improvement for farm
The Future of Farm Biostimulants May Start in the Sea
Seed World Staff on 12/09/2025
A James Hutton Institute study shows sugar kelp extracts could help crops absorb nutrients more efficiently under fertiliser-limited conditions. The Innovate UK–supported project, led by Algapelago Marine Ltd, tested barley and beans under nitrogen and phosphorus deficiencies, revealing promising be
Here’s What’s Ahead in Next-Gen Plant Nutrition
Seed World Staff on 12/08/2025
ChatGPT said:Two years after Seed World US first spotlighted his big idea—starting nitrogen innovation at the seed—Arevo CEO Nicolás Åström is now a frontrunner in next-gen, sustainable fertilizer tech. In our latest video interview, he explains why “data, data, data” will decide which innovators su
New Tech Shows How Farms Can Cut Chemicals and Improve Yields
Seed World Staff on 12/05/2025
The eight-year Physics for Food project has demonstrated how plasma and other physical technologies can boost sustainable agriculture and food production. Led by Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences and INP, the initiative showed plasma can improve seed health, enhance crop resilience, enab
Green Transition – Plant Breeding Moved to the Forefront
Klaus K. Nielsen on 12/04/2025
Denmark’s Green Tripartite Agreement accelerates climate-smart agriculture, land use reform and biodiversity, helping meet 2030 targets and 2045 climate neutrality. It introduces the world’s first agricultural CO₂e tax on livestock from 2030 and funds long-term plant breeding from 2026 (DKK 50m year
Europe’s Seed Sector Welcomes Trilogue Deal on New Genomic Techniques
Seed World Staff on 12/04/2025
ChatGPT said: Europe’s seed sector welcomes the positive conclusion of trilogue negotiations on New Genomic Techniques (NGTs), as EU co-legislators agreed a new Regulation for NGT plants. The deal largely preserves the Commission’s intent to enable conventional-like NGT crops, supporting farmers wit
EU Reaches Agreement on New Genomic Techniques Regulation for Plant Breeding
Seed World Staff on 12/04/2025
EU institutions have struck a provisional agreement on regulating New Genomic Techniques (NGTs), creating a two-tier system for plant breeding. Category 1 NGTs, equivalent to conventional plants, get streamlined approvals and no product labelling, with seed-level identification. Exclusions (e.g., he
Study Shows Farming Practices Can Improve Fresh Produce Microbes
Seed World Staff on 12/04/2025
A new study from IBMCP (CSIC–UPV) reveals that agricultural biostimulants and controlled saline stress can significantly reshape the endophytic microbiome of lettuce and tomato. Published in Foods, the research shows these treatments boost microbial diversity and increase beneficial genera linked to
Farms Could Be Our Secret Climate Weapon
Seed World Staff on 12/03/2025
A new international study led by Queensland University of Technology shows global farmland could become a powerful climate solution. Published in Plant Physiology, the research outlines a framework comparing carbon-mitigation strategies — from reduced nitrogen fertiliser use to advanced synthetic bi
Green Manure Boosts Maize Yield by Improving Soil Moisture and Photosynthesis
Seed World Staff on 12/03/2025
A three-year field study in Gansu, China found that returning green manure after wheat improves soil moisture and early-season soil temperature, strengthening maize roots and canopy cover. These gains raise chlorophyll (SPAD), net photosynthesis, and PSII efficiency while limiting NPQ, boosting biom
Europe’s Plant Breeding at a Crossroads: New Study Reveals IP Challenges in the NGT Era
Seed World Staff on 12/02/2025
Technopolis has published a new study examining how the EU intellectual property framework influences innovation in the bioeconomy, with a focus on agricultural biotechnology and new genomic techniques (NGTs). Combining legal, economic and market analysis, the report highlights patent complexity, li
Scientists Decode Root Response to Compacted Soil
Seed World Staff on 12/02/2025
A new Nature study reveals how plants naturally adapt to compacted soil — a growing global problem intensified by heavy machinery and climate-related drought. Researchers found that ethylene triggers the OsARF1 gene, reshaping root structure to act like a biological wedge. This breakthrough opens op
A 40% Emissions Cut Is Possible for Europe’s Farms — Without Losing Harvests
Seed World Staff on 12/01/2025
A new Nature Communications study finds European farmers could cut agricultural climate emissions by 40% while protecting biodiversity — without reducing food production. Led by NTNU and CICERO, the research shows that relocating crops away from suboptimal land and restoring it to natural vegetation
Precision and Intelligence in Motion: The New Galaxy & Globe
Seed World Staff on 12/01/2025
Elica ASM’s new Galaxy and Globe optical sorters deliver advanced multispectral 4K vision, AI-driven analysis, and precision ejection for superior seed and material purity. Powered by the ARGOS system and SophIA software, they detect defects, contaminants, and non-germinating seeds in real time. Des
Crop-killing Pathogen Found to Disable Plants’ Alarm System
Seed World Staff on 11/28/2025
Scientists at The James Hutton Institute and partner universities have discovered how the destructive crop pathogen Phytophthora infestans disables plant immune systems. Published in Nature Communications, the study reveals that AA7 oxidase enzymes help the microbe silence plant alarm signals. Disab
Breakthrough Study Reconstructs the Evolution and Diversity of Eggplant
Seed World Staff on 11/28/2025
An international research team has produced the first complete eggplant pan-genome and pan-phenome, published in Nature Communications. By analysing 3,400 varieties and 368 key accessions, scientists traced eggplant’s origins to India and Southeast Asia and identified thousands of gene–trait associa
We Assumed Water Was Endless. Scientists Say That Era is Over
Dawn Ius - Seed World Associate Editor on 11/27/2025
Canada is in a race against time to safeguard one of our most precious resources: water.As droughts continue to exacerbate the challenges faced by Canadian agriculture and access to clean water, a professor of geography at the University of Saskatchewan says the country is in a water crisis — and th
NordGen Joins Global Talks on Crop Diversity in Lima
Seed World Staff on 11/27/2025
NordGen is in Lima for the Eleventh Session of the International Treaty’s Governing Body, joining global delegates to advance conservation and fair access to plant genetic resources. Peru’s rich crop diversity sets the stage for discussions on climate resilience, food security and equitable benefit-
Europe’s Farming Future: Syngenta’s Matthew Pickard on the Big Changes Ahead
Seed World Staff on 11/27/2025
Europe’s agriculture is rapidly transforming under climate pressure, shifting regulations, and fast-advancing technologies. In this fast 5-Questions-in-5-Minutes interview, Syngenta’s Matthew Pickard breaks down the rise of biologicals, the impact of precision tools, and the importance of cross-valu
NGTs at a Crossroads: The UK Steps Forward, Can the EU Keep Up?
Seed World Staff on 11/25/2025
Post-Brexit, the UK has embraced new genomic techniques (NGTs), breaking from the EU’s strict biotech rules. Seed World’s expert panel—Jan Gottlieb, Nigel Moore and Katie Davis—explores how this regulatory shift will impact Europe’s competitiveness, farmers, researchers and global trade. A must-watc
25 Associations Press EU for Rapid, Science-Based NGT Approval
Seed World Staff on 11/25/2025
A coalition of 25 EU food and feed organisations urges policymakers to swiftly finalise New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) rules without adding new burdens. With agriculture facing climate pressures and reduced crop protection tools, the groups warn extra restrictions risk undermining innovation and EU c
How Plants Search For Nutrients
Seed World Staff on 11/24/2025
Researchers from TUM and IPK have identified genetic and root-growth traits that help Arabidopsis thaliana tolerate boron deficiency, a growing challenge under climate change. By analysing 185 datasets, they found seven boron-efficient ecotypes with enhanced lateral root growth and key genomic regio