Seed World Europe’s ongoing field crop series—now featuring more than 30 spotlighted crops—shows how breeders are pushing the boundaries of innovation in the world’s most important crops. Each article explores the realities of modern breeding, from unlocking new genetic diversity and battling emergi
César González, Public Affairs Manager at Euroseeds, offers Seed World Europe readers a front-row view of EU decision-making from Brussels. With an insider’s perspective on the institutions and policy process, he tracks the political debates and regulatory developments that most impact Europe’s seed
Take a break from policy and industry analysis with Seed World Europe’s “Fun Facts” series—light, engaging stories about the crops we often take for granted. These articles uncover quirky histories, surprising traits, and hidden wonders behind familiar foods, helping readers see beyond what’s on the
Franco Brazzabeni delivers a global, market-savvy perspective on agriculture through his columns for Seed World Europe. An international agribusiness consultant with strong commercial and marketing expertise, he also serves as a Board Member of Italy’s seed association Assosementi and contributes to
ChatGPT said:Marcel Bruins is the Editorial Director of Seed World Europe, bringing decades of scientific, regulatory, and seed-sector leadership to every column. With expertise spanning plant breeding, plant pathology, and global seed policy—plus roles across breeding companies, international assoc
Seed World Europe has chronicled Ukraine’s plant breeding and seed sector since the start of Russia’s invasion, spotlighting resilience, disruption, and ongoing innovation under wartime conditions. Our coverage amplifies the voices of researchers, breeders, institutions, and businesses protecting ge
Seed World Europe’s Crop Spotlight series explores vegetable breeding across 30+ crops, revealing the science, innovation, and grit behind every variety. From carrot, spinach, lettuce, cucumber, and broccoli to what’s next, breeders tackle emerging diseases, scarce germplasm, and long R&D timelines
Seed World Europe is now accepting nominations for its April 2026 “20 Most Promising Young Plant Breeders in Europe” feature. Nominate early-career plant breeders making an impact across Europe, from universities, research institutes, seed companies, and sector organisations.The post Do You Know A P
The 2025 Fight Against Blight (FAB) findings reveal shifting UK late blight strains, including a rise in EU46 resistant to key fungicides. Dry early conditions limited outbreaks, but volunteer potatoes drove infections later. Experts stress rotating fungicides, managing infection sources, and select
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory researchers combined evolutionary mapping and AI to identify redundant genes that complicate crop improvement. By tracing the CLE gene family across 140 million years and thousands of plant species, they trained models to predict which genes share overlapping functions
Researchers have developed hQTL-ODS, a faster statistical method to uncover the genetic interactions behind heterosis—hybrid vigour that boosts crop yield. Instead of testing billions of gene combinations, the approach estimates each gene’s contribution through genome-wide interactions. In a wheat s
The Dutch agricultural sector remains economically strong, generating €77 billion in added value and boosting agricultural exports by 4.8%. But farm structure is shifting fast: since 2010, the number of holdings has fallen by nearly one third, with 700 farms and greenhouses closing in 2023–2024. Lar
A multinational team led by Carlsberg Research Laboratory, including scientists from The James Hutton Institute, has identified how the MKK3 gene complex controls seed dormancy and pre-harvest sprouting in cereals like barley, wheat and rice. Published in Science, the findings could guide breeding o
GB11 of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources (ITPGRFA) ended without an agreement in Lima (24–29 Nov 2025), exposing deep fractures in global seed cooperation. Talks collapsed over Multilateral System reforms—Annex I expansion, Digital Sequence Information, and benefit-sharing—amid ri
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory scientists are using CRISPR gene editing to speed up domestication of goldenberry, a nutrient-rich tomato relative long grown in South America. By targeting key genes, researchers produced plants about 35% shorter, improving harvest, maintenance, and potential for dense
Researchers at Wageningen University & Research are developing a unified, AI-powered interface that lets farmers manage agricultural robots using natural language, similar to ChatGPT. The system aims to replace fragmented apps, helping farmers plan tasks, manage regulations, and respond to field con
Phytoscosmo brings The James Hutton Institute, Grampian Growers and the University of Aberdeen together to transform potato shaws (stems and leaves) into high-value ingredients for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Scotland produces about 51,200 tonnes of shaws annually, usually left in fields. The pro
NOURISH Food Marketing’s 2026 trend report, The Return of Real, reveals a major shift in food culture toward authenticity, human connection, and transparency. Consumers are rejecting artificial perfection, ultra-processed foods, and impersonal AI-driven experiences, favoring real food, genuine stori
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
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 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
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
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
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
