European Commission Adopts Fertiliser Action Plan to Support Farmers and Strengthen EU Supply Security

Seed World Staff on 05/22/2026

European Commission’s Fertiliser Action Plan aims to ease rising fertiliser costs, improve supply security, support farmers, and strengthen domestic production. The initiative promotes bio-based, low-carbon and circular fertilisers, while reducing import reliance. Measures include CAP flexibility, m

Concepts For Your Seeds

Seed World Staff on 05/21/2026

For over 40 years, SATEC® has provided high-quality seed treatment solutions—from pelleting to coating—serving agriculture, vegetables, ornamentals, and forestry with German-engineered equipment.The post Concepts For Your Seeds appeared first on Seed World.For more than 40 years, SATEC® has offered

Putting Concerns About Glyphosate into Perspective

Joe Schwarcz - Seed World Columnist on 05/21/2026

Joe Schwarcz examines the long-running glyphosate controversy, arguing that trace dietary residues in food pose no meaningful health risk to consumers. Reviewing decades of studies, he distinguishes hazard from real-world risk and notes that evidence linking glyphosate to cancer is weak, especially

ISF Awards Lifetime Honorary Membership to ANPROS Director Mario Schindler

Seed World Staff on 05/20/2026

ISF awarded ANPROS Executive Director Mario Schindler Lifetime Honorary Membership for his outstanding contributions to the global seed industry. The rare honor, granted to only 20 people since 1996, recognizes Schindler’s leadership in innovation, regulation, plant breeding, intellectual property a

Scientists Decode Crop Stress Signals Linked to Climate Resilience

Seed World Staff on 05/20/2026

New research from ISTA shows that plants use two parallel cAMP signaling pathways to manage normal cell functions and stress responses. The discovery could help scientists better understand plant resilience and support future crop development for changing climates.The post Scientists Decode Crop Str

Strategy Creates Momentum. Planning Creates Motion.

Shawn Brook - Seed World Group President on 05/20/2026

Strong strategy separates motion from momentum. In the seed industry, organizations often confuse planning with strategy, creating activity without alignment. This article explains why clear purpose, positioning and value differentiation must come before execution, helping seed companies align teams

ISF Launches New Global Guidelines on Social Rights and Ethical Seed Production

Seed World Staff on 05/20/2026

The International Seed Federation (ISF) has launched new voluntary guidelines to help seed companies, growers, and suppliers strengthen social rights and ethical practices in seed production. Released at the ISF World Seed Congress 2026, the guidance covers labor rights, health and safety, responsib

Canada Makes Its Case to Global Seed Investors

Aimee Nielson - Seed World U.S. Editor on 05/19/2026

At World Seed Congress, industry and government leaders explain why seed innovation in Canada is making the country a faster, more competitive destination.For years, Canada has offered international seed companies something highly valuable: stability.Strong research institutions, a trusted regulator

Unauthorized Plant Variety Propagation Faces Legal Crackdown After Spanish Court Rulings

Seed World Staff on 05/19/2026

Spanish court rulings warn horticulture companies that unauthorized propagation and sale of protected plant varieties can lead to criminal liability. Cases involving tomato grafting in Almería and onion seed extraction in Valencia reinforce breeder rights, highlighting the legal, economic and phytos

CIMMYT and John Innes Centre Partnership Advances Wheat Research and Disease Surveillance

Seed World Staff on 05/18/2026

JIC and CIMMYT are advancing wheat research through molecular breeding, disease surveillance and rapid diagnostics, linking discovery science with farmer-focused delivery to develop more resilient, nutritious wheat varieties.The post CIMMYT and John Innes Centre Partnership Advances Wheat Research a

Win €10,000 in Free Advertising at World Seed Congress

Madeleine Baerg - Seed World Executive VP - Operations on 05/15/2026

Share a quick insight for a chance to win €10,000 in free advertising at World Seed Congress.The post Win €10,000 in Free Advertising at World Seed Congress appeared first on Seed World.Seed World is on the ground this week at ISF World Seed Congress in Lisbon, Portugal, joining seed sector leaders

Lorena Basso Steps Up in the Global Seed Sector

Aimee Nielson - Seed World U.S. Editor on 05/15/2026

Lorena Basso prepares to lead ISF with a focus on innovation, regulatory clarity and stronger collaboration across the global seed sector.The post Lorena Basso Steps Up in the Global Seed Sector appeared first on Seed World.Agriculture’s biggest challenges don’t start in the field. They start with s

Tunisia Sequences Ancient Durum Wheat Varieties to Boost Climate Resilience

Seed World Staff on 05/15/2026

Tunisian researchers sequenced the complete genomes of Mahmoudi and Chili durum wheat landraces, uncovering valuable traits for drought tolerance, disease resistance and climate resilience. The genomic data, available through OpenDurumGPT on Zenodo, supports global wheat breeding efforts while prese

Biotech Just Hit Fast Forward. Is Europe’s Seed Sector Ready?

Marcel Bruins - Seed World Europe Editorial Director on 05/15/2026

AI, CRISPR, genomic prediction and speed breeding are transforming plant breeding at unprecedented speed. Wageningen University’s Richard Harrison says Europe’s seed sector faces a defining moment as New Genomic Techniques reshape regulation, investment and innovation access. Faster breeding tools,

Where Gene Editing in Agriculture Meets Consumer Value

Aimee Nielson - Seed World U.S. Editor on 05/14/2026

Pairwise CEO Tom Adams says gene editing’s next opportunity may come from crops where the benefits are easy for consumers and growers to see.The post Where Gene Editing in Agriculture Meets Consumer Value appeared first on Seed World.As investment has long centered on corn and soy, one company is wo

Why Portugal Matters to the Global Seed Sector

Aimee Nielson - Seed World U.S. Editor on 05/14/2026

From global seed trade to next-generation leadership, the 2026 ISF World Seed Congress arrives in a city built for international connection. Lisbon sits on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, a gateway city that has connected continents for centuries. It’s a fitting stage for the 2026 ISF World Seed Con

Breakthrough Crop Research Creates Fusarium-Resistant Wheat Hybrids

Seed World Staff on 05/13/2026

Researchers identified a novel Fusarium Head Blight resistance locus in Elymus repens, a wild wheat relative, and successfully transferred it into cultivated wheat. The new locus, Fhb.Er-1StL, reduced diseased spikelets by up to 69% in greenhouse trials and 60% in field trials, offering a valuable n

Scientists Build First Watermelon Super-Pangenome to Advance Crop Breeding

Seed World Staff on 05/13/2026

Scientists have developed a comprehensive watermelon super-pangenome integrating 138 wild and cultivated genomes, revealing genetic variants linked to sweetness, flesh colour, and disease resistance. Published in Nature Genetics, the research provides a powerful new resource for genomics-assisted br

Communications Manager Opportunity Opens at Euroseeds in Brussels

Seed World Staff on 05/12/2026

Euroseeds is recruiting a Manager Communications to join its Brussels-based team and support strategic communication, digital engagement and EU advocacy for the European seed sector. The role includes media relations, stakeholder outreach and event coordination. Candidates with experience in communi

Rothamsted Research Spin-Out SugaROx Secures £2.5M Investment from Mosaic

Seed World Staff on 05/12/2026

Rothamsted Research and University of Oxford spin-out SugaROx has secured £2.5 million from The Mosaic Company to advance precision crop biostimulants. The Series A investment will support field trials, regulatory work, commercial scale-up, and development of SugaROx’s T6P-based platform, designed t

Scientists Use Genome Editing to Develop Healthier Lettuce Crops

Seed World Staff on 05/11/2026

Researchers used genome editing to alter flavonoid production in red-leaf lettuce, removing red pigmentation while increasing beneficial compounds such as quercetin. The modified lettuce maintained normal growth, highlighting a potential crop breeding strategy for developing functional lettuce varie

Loss of Pollinators Threatens Crop Yields and Human Nutrition Worldwide

Seed World Staff on 05/11/2026

New University of Bristol research published in Nature finds that pollinator decline threatens crop production, human nutrition and farm incomes. Studying smallholder farms in Nepal, researchers found pollinators support 44% of farming income and more than 20% of key vitamin intake, highlighting the

NordPheno Boosts Nordic Crop Breeding

Seed World Staff on 05/08/2026

Representatives from eight leading Nordic research institutions gathered at the University of Helsinki in late March to officially launch NordPheno, the Nordic Research Infrastructure Hub for Digital Plant Phenotyping.The five-year NordForsk-funded network (2026–2030) brings together partners from F

Agri-Food Leaders Call for Stronger EU Innovation Funding

Seed World Staff on 05/07/2026

Five European Technology Platforms and nine agri-food organisations are urging EU policymakers to recognise agriculture, aquaculture and food systems as strategic priorities in the European Competitiveness Fund and Horizon Europe. The groups call for dedicated agri-food research funding, stronger st