On-Farm Experimentation Turns Fields Into Labs
Seed World Staff on 06/17/2026

On-Farm Experimentation Turns Fields Into Labs

On-farm experimentation is expanding agronomic research beyond controlled plots and into working fields. Takashi Tanaka’s review explores how advanced analytics, machine learning and farmer-generated data can improve decisions while avoiding misleading conclusions.The post On-Farm Experimentation Tu

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Wheat Roots Could Help Crops Use Nitrogen More Efficiently
Seed World Staff on 06/16/2026

Wheat Roots Could Help Crops Use Nitrogen More Efficiently

BNI wheat research at AU Flakkebjerg is revealing how root compounds may help cereal crops use nitrogen more efficiently. The work could support future wheat varieties that maintain yield with less fertiliser and lower nitrogen losses.The post Wheat Roots Could Help Crops Use Nitrogen More Efficient

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Drought May Reduce Crops’ Iron Uptake
Seed World Staff on 06/16/2026

Drought May Reduce Crops’ Iron Uptake

University of Calgary research suggests drought stress may reduce iron uptake in crops such as canola, rice and tomatoes. The findings point to a possible link between dry conditions, plant-microbe interactions and crop nutritional quality.The post Drought May Reduce Crops’ Iron Uptake appeared firs

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Andalusia Offers Organic Farming Lessons for Europe
Seed World Staff on 06/15/2026

Andalusia Offers Organic Farming Lessons for Europe

A University of Córdoba study finds organic farming decisions in Andalusia are shaped by profitability, environmental values and social responsibility. The findings may help guide European policies aimed at expanding organic agriculture by 2030.The post Andalusia Offers Organic Farming Lessons for E

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Crop Microbiome Study Shows Plants Select Microbes
Seed World Staff on 06/10/2026

Crop Microbiome Study Shows Plants Select Microbes

A new crop microbiome study shows that crop species, rather than soil type, primarily determines the beneficial functions provided by root-associated microbes. Researchers say the findings could support microbial inoculants and microbiome-assisted breeding for sustainable agriculture.The post Crop M

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Organic Farming Could Help Crops Resist Drought
Seed World Staff on 06/09/2026

Organic Farming Could Help Crops Resist Drought

Organic farming may help crops resist drought by enriching beneficial soil bacteria linked to plant resilience.The post Organic Farming Could Help Crops Resist Drought appeared first on Seed World.Long-term organic management may enrich beneficial soil bacteria that help plants cope with drought str

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New Seed Development Map Could Improve Crop Yield
Seed World Staff on 06/04/2026

New Seed Development Map Could Improve Crop Yield

A new seed development map from Whitehead Institute could help researchers study crop yield, nutrient storage and resilience.The post New Seed Development Map Could Improve Crop Yield appeared first on Seed World.A new gene expression atlas could help researchers better understand how seeds develop,

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New Pipeline Targets Fungicide Discovery in Wheat
Seed World Staff on 06/04/2026

New Pipeline Targets Fungicide Discovery in Wheat

A Rothamsted Research pipeline aims to speed fungicide discovery for Septoria tritici blotch by screening microbial compounds.The post New Pipeline Targets Fungicide Discovery in Wheat appeared first on Seed World.Researchers aim to speed up the search for new antifungal compounds as wheat pathogens

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How Soil Fungi Could Help Crops Need Less Fertilizer
Seed World Staff on 06/03/2026

How Soil Fungi Could Help Crops Need Less Fertilizer

Soil fungi could help crops improve nutrient uptake and reduce fertilizer needs by maintaining beneficial root partnerships.The post How Soil Fungi Could Help Crops Need Less Fertilizer appeared first on Seed World.Researchers at Whitehead Institute have created a detailed map of seed development th

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GridScore NEXT Speeds Up Plant Breeding Research
Seed World Staff on 06/02/2026

GridScore NEXT Speeds Up Plant Breeding Research

GridScore NEXT helps crop researchers collect cleaner field data, reduce phenotyping errors and accelerate plant breeding.The post GridScore NEXT Speeds Up Plant Breeding Research appeared first on Seed World.An international team of researchers, led by The James Hutton Institute, has unveiled a pow

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ISTA 2026: Seed Testing’s Biggest Annual Event is Heading to Calgary
Madeleine Baerg - Seed World Executive VP - Operations on 05/29/2026

ISTA 2026: Seed Testing’s Biggest Annual Event is Heading to Calgary

From June 22–25, ISTA 2026 will bring together seed testing professionals, technical experts, regulators, and industry leaders from around the world to discuss the issues shaping global seed movement, market access, harmonization, and emerging technologies in seed testing. In the interview above, In

M Madeleine Baerg - Seed World Executive VP - Operations
3D-Printed Technology Sheds Light on Fungal Highways in Wheat Crops
Seed World Staff on 05/29/2026

3D-Printed Technology Sheds Light on Fungal Highways in Wheat Crops

Researchers developed low-cost 3D-printed devices to study bacterial movement along fungal “highways” in soil and plants. Created by Rothamsted Research and collaborators, the scalable platform reveals how fungal networks transport bacteria under varying conditions, improving understanding of microb

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Why Plant Breeding Persistence Matters in Seeds
Marcel Bruins - Seed World Europe Editorial Director on 05/27/2026

Why Plant Breeding Persistence Matters in Seeds

Plant breeding requires patience, discipline and long-term learning to develop better varieties and stronger seed sector leadership.The post Why Plant Breeding Persistence Matters in Seeds appeared first on Seed World.From developing new varieties to building stronger companies, real progress often

M Marcel Bruins - Seed World Europe Editorial Director
AI Model Predicts Tomato Virus Severity With 100% Accuracy
Seed World Staff on 05/27/2026

AI Model Predicts Tomato Virus Severity With 100% Accuracy

DeepTYLCV, developed at Sungkyunkwan University, uses artificial intelligence and viral genome sequence data to predict tomato yellow leaf curl virus virulence. Published in Plant Communications, the model identifies mild and severe TYLCV strains before field symptoms appear, supporting early diseas

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New Discovery Reveals How Crops Detect Stress and Disease
Seed World Staff on 05/26/2026

New Discovery Reveals How Crops Detect Stress and Disease

Researchers in Japan have discovered a copper-dependent hydrogen peroxide sensing system in plants, reshaping understanding of crop stress signaling and immunity. Published in Nature Communications, the study shows CARD1/HPCA1 detects H₂O₂ through metal-based redox chemistry, offering new insights f

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Rothamsted Launches UK’s First Field Trial Under New PBO Rules
Seed World Staff on 05/24/2026

Rothamsted Launches UK’s First Field Trial Under New PBO Rules

Rothamsted Research has planted the UK’s first crop under a Precision Bred Organism Release Notice, marking a milestone for gene-edited field trials. The CRISPR-Cas9 Camelina sativa trial will test increased seed size, yield and oil content, supporting future oilseed crop innovation, sustainable agr

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Scientists Decode Crop Stress Signals Linked to Climate Resilience
Seed World Staff on 05/20/2026

Scientists Decode Crop Stress Signals Linked to Climate Resilience

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

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Tunisia Sequences Ancient Durum Wheat Varieties to Boost Climate Resilience
Seed World Staff on 05/15/2026

Tunisia Sequences Ancient Durum Wheat Varieties to Boost Climate Resilience

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

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Breakthrough Crop Research Creates Fusarium-Resistant Wheat Hybrids
Seed World Staff on 05/13/2026

Breakthrough Crop Research Creates Fusarium-Resistant Wheat Hybrids

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

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Scientists Build First Watermelon Super-Pangenome to Advance Crop Breeding
Seed World Staff on 05/13/2026

Scientists Build First Watermelon Super-Pangenome to Advance Crop Breeding

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

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Rothamsted Research Spin-Out SugaROx Secures £2.5M Investment from Mosaic
Seed World Staff on 05/12/2026

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

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

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Scientists Use Genome Editing to Develop Healthier Lettuce Crops
Seed World Staff on 05/11/2026

Scientists Use Genome Editing to Develop Healthier Lettuce Crops

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

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Loss of Pollinators Threatens Crop Yields and Human Nutrition Worldwide
Seed World Staff on 05/11/2026

Loss of Pollinators Threatens Crop Yields and Human Nutrition Worldwide

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

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