Join us for an exclusive preview of the Euroseeds Congress 2025, the premier event for the European and global seed sector, taking place this year in Edinburgh. In this engaging interview, Garlich von Essen, Secretary General & CEO of Euroseeds, sits down with Shawn Brook, President of Seed World Gr
Gregor Mendel’s iconic pea plant experiments laid the groundwork for modern genetics. Now, 160 years later, an international team of researchers has combined genomics, bioinformatics, and genetics to map the diversity of a globally significant pea collection. Their work sheds new light on the trait
Although spring has just begun, the Netherlands is already grappling with drought-related challenges, affecting both nature and agriculture. Emma Knol, a Climate Resilient Agriculture researcher at Wageningen University & Research (WUR), is developing a tool that highlights the impact of climate cha
Calgary’s Osborne Interim Management has announced the appointment of Garth Hodges as a senior advisor, bolstering its strategic capabilities with one of agriculture’s most seasoned global leaders.The company offers business management services to help organizations through transitions. Notably, Man
Funded by Sofiprotéol, the TEMPO project (short for Sunflower’s adaptation to new environments with low TEMPerature and Oxygen level) brings together five partners, including three breeding companies — SOLTIS, RAGT, and MAS SEEDS. The project’s goal is to support the expansion of sunflower cultivati
Why It Matters: The vegetable seed sector plays a crucial role in global food security and horticultural innovation, providing high-quality seeds that drive productivity, and nutritional diversity. Vegetable breeding focuses on a vast array of species, each requiring specialized breeding techniques
The James Hutton Institute has received £100,000 from the Novo Nordisk Foundation for a three-year project, led by the Innovation Centre for Organic Agriculture in Denmark, in collaboration with Nordic Genebank (NordGen) and Aarhus University.The project aims to identify oat varieties that are nutri
How seed companies partner to provide access to innovation and plant breeding materials.WHY IT MATTERS: After two years of existence of the ACLP, more than 95% of the patented traits in agricultural crops in Europe are accessible under fair and reasonable conditions. With a free breeding right and c
The CASDAR LinicoLin research project (2022–2024), coordinated by Terres Inovia in collaboration with GEVES, seed companies, and Arvalis, has developed an initial protocol for assessing varietal resistance to Septoria linicola in both fibre and oilseed flax. This fungal pathogen can lead to signific
There are a variety of definitions of science: as a methodology, a tool, a process of discovery… Since the time of Copernicus, scientists have always challenged their own theories and paradigms, while provoking religious and political dogmas.Today we are living in provocative times, but the pressure
Recently, I was shocked to learn that the school of my children had invited Vandana Shiva as a guest speaker. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Shiva, she is an Indian scholar, environmental activist, food sovereignty advocate, and anti-globalization author. She is known for her work on issue
The Swiss government has initiated consultations on a draft law regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and new breeding technologies aimed at reducing pesticide use in agriculture and enhancing plant resistance to drought.The new regulation focuses on plants developed using new breeding tec
Dear readers of Seed World Europe,At Seed World Europe, our mission is to shine a spotlight on the people, ideas, and policies that help shape the plant breeding and seed sector across Europe. In a fast-evolving political and regulatory landscape, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the influence
The G7 and OECD embark on a project to boost seed quality. Why It MattersAfrica faces some of the most pressing food security challenges in the world. While the continent holds vast agricultural potential, millions still suffer from hunger due to underdeveloped agricultural systems, reliance on impo
In-field cameras have revealed surprising predators of two major oilseed rape pests, potentially improving pest control strategies. The two-year camera study, conducted across two UK sites, showed that the larval stages of predatory Carabid beetles play a key role in controlling the pollen beetle (B
Subtle differences in the molecular structure of a beetle sex pheromone may offer a new tool for protecting stored legume crops from the destructive dried bean beetle (Acanthoscelides obtectus), according to a new study.This beetle poses a significant threat to Phaseolus beans — a group that include
The Nordic agricultural sector faces challenges like short growing seasons, unpredictable weather, and emerging pests and diseases. Developing new plant varieties to tackle these issues requires time and resources, which is why public and private sectors in the Nordic Region collaborate through the
Industrial hemp cultivation is gradually being revived in Ukraine, with its products now used in a variety of sectors, including food, cosmetics, fuel, gunpowder, and medical cannabis. Last year, a long-awaited law came into effect, legalizing the use of plant cannabinoids from hemp for medical purp
How genetics are best preserved in an era of concentration.Preservation of genetic diversity has long been on the agenda of the European seed sector, as it has been for the sector on a global scale, and both larger and smaller players continue to make it a priority.As seed sector consolidation conti
Scientists have made a key breakthrough in understanding how epigenetic variation can be used to improve crop breeding.Like genetic variation, epigenetic variation can be inherited and influence traits across generations — but without altering the underlying DNA sequence. Instead, it involves modifi
The Crop Trust has launched the Power of Diversity Funding Facility (PDFF) to support the long-term conservation and availability of crop diversity. This multi-donor initiative will focus on promoting opportunity crops across Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean — crops wit
Last month, the Scottish Parliament’s Cross-Party Groups for Scotch Whisky and Science and Technology visited The James Hutton Institute to explore the needs, opportunities, and challenges facing Scotland’s whisky industry, and the scientific research aimed at addressing them.Scottish whisky, worth
The seed sector is highly regulated in most countries with variety registration, seed quality controls and phytosanitary rules. It has been increasingly affected by policies that are not directly focused on it. The need for the restauration of nature and the conservation of biodiversity produced the
A new report from the British Ecological Society combines the insights of over 40 academics, practitioners, and farmers across the UK to evaluate the evidence that regenerative agriculture practices can deliver positive outcomes, such as enhancing soil health, boosting biodiversity, and reducing env
