Seed World Europe’s misinformation series tackles the persistent myths that distort public understanding of plant breeding, crop protection, and modern seed systems. Covering topics from hybrids, GMOs, and pollinators to plant breeders’ rights, biologicals, organic agriculture, and misinformation it
Seed World Europe’s crop spotlight series spans 30+ species and shines a light on the vital world of forage and turf breeding. These crops support livestock systems, soil health, carbon storage, and the green spaces around us. Our features explore breeder challenges—boosting resilience, persistence,
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
Scientists at Rothamsted Research uncovered saponarin, a natural flavonoid in ancestral einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum) that powerfully deters the destructive English grain aphid. Published in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the study shows this innate resistance could reduce pestici
An international team led by Germany’s Leibniz Institute has mapped the complete oat pangenome, compiling genetic data from 30 varieties to unlock traits for nutrition, sustainability, and climate resilience. Featuring ETH Zurich’s study of the historic Swiss ‘Hative des Alpes’ oat, the research off
A global study by INRAE and China Agricultural University analyzed over 3,600 field trials and found that crop rotation boosts yields and farm revenue by 20% compared to monocultures. Rotations with legumes improve nutrition and stability, increasing protein, energy, and micronutrients. The findings
