Latest Articles

The Environmental Working Group Is Scaring Us Again – Or Is It?
03/28/2024
So, here we go. Something else to worry about. At least according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit organization that states as its goal the “providing of easy access to information you need to make smart, healthy choices.” Those choices usually favour “organic” products which i
Euroseeds Welcomes Commission’s Green Biotech Ambition, Proposes Actions for Agri-Food Sector Resilience
03/28/2024
Euroseeds acknowledges the European Commission’s comprehensive biotechnology strategy, recently unveiled to enhance food security and sustainability within the EU. The initiative, introduced just last week, outlines targeted actions aimed at reducing the EU’s external dependencies and improving envi
First Phoma Leaf Spot Resistance To Azole Fungicide Found in Western Europe
03/28/2024
The fungal species that cause Phoma leaf spot and stem canker in oilseed rape are showing decreased sensitivity to some chemical controls, sparking concerns for growers in Western Europe, according to a new study and in a news release by Rothamsted Research.The diseases damage brassicas and are caus
Investing in CRISPR for Crops of the Future: What We Heard at World Agri-Tech
03/28/2024
Has CRISPR fully delivered on its potential? What should we expect ahead? Syngenta's Gusui Wu tackled these questions at World Agri-Tech in San Francisco.The post Investing in CRISPR for Crops of the Future: What We Heard at World Agri-Tech appeared first on Seed World.Over the past 10 years, there
Seeding the Future: Arevo’s Investment in Sustainable Farming and Global Expansion
03/26/2024
Marcel Bruins, Editorial Director of Seed World Europe, sits down with Niklas Åström, CEO of Swedish company Arevo. Åström shares what his company is doing, and how that is helping the Farm to Fork strategy. He lifts the veil on the latest investment news of his company and how it is planning to use
Striving for the Best Seeds: SNP Genotyping with Microfluidics
03/22/2024
Last month, we ran a short article introducing our microfluidic genomics technology and outlining how our system makes quality control, pathogen detection and genomic inquiry faster, more efficient, and infinitely more flexible. The article did what we’d hoped: it caught plant breeders’ attention an
Study Reveals Power of Maize’s Microbial Allies
03/21/2024
Genetic makeup of maize offers new pathways to enhance stress resilience and crop breedingPlants rely on bacteria and fungi in the root zone for nutrient absorption and protection against harmful organisms, much like the human gut microbiome. A study led by the University of Bonn and involving the I
Euroseeds Raises Serious Concerns Over COMAGRI Vote on New Rules for Plant Reproductive Material
03/20/2024
The outcome of the European Parliament’s COMAGRI vote on the Commission’s proposal for new rules for Plant Reproductive Material (PRM) raises serious concerns with Europe’s plant breeders, seed producers and farmers, according to a press release from Euroseeds. The releases states: “While initial am
U.S. Gardeners Rush To Snap Up Purple Tomatoes Pioneered In Norfolk
03/20/2024
A genetically modified purple tomato first produced by Norfolk scientists nearly two decades ago has been enthusiastically adopted by home gardeners after it was made available for purchase in the United States, according to a press release. The high-anthocyanin purple tomato seeds experienced robus
Surviving at the Edge of Europe
03/19/2024
The latest developments in the Portuguese seed sector.In the Portuguese seed business, there is a huge diversity of crops, with the main crops being forages and temporary grasses, grain cereals and vegetables. The country has 4M ha of utilized agricultural area, representing 43 per cent of its terri
Applied Microbiology International Experts Issue Warning over UK’s Sustainable Farming Initiative
03/19/2024
Applied Microbiology International has urged the UK government to take microbiological considerations into account when creating initiatives like the Sustainable Farming Incentive – warning that the potential benefits arising from such schemes will be limited otherwise.The call came after experts in
Biostimulants and Seeds, a Winning Pair
03/15/2024
Biostimulants and seeds: we will hear about them, and a lot, in the near future. Currently, biostimulants are increasingly mentioned in technical magazines and in communications issued by various stakeholders in the agricultural sector.Biostimulants are natural products that contain substances and/o
Euroseeds Expresses Concerns Over COMENVI Report
03/14/2024
Euroseeds voices concerns over seed regulation text adopted by the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (COMENVI), that “contradicts the goal of healthy seeds entering the EU market and urges policymakers to work on a balanced regulatory framework that ensures high-quality seed fo
Is an Open Strategic Autonomy the Right Way to go for Europe?
03/14/2024
With the European Parliament elections ad portas, the European Commission is trying to end, as peacefully as possible, the current mandate and does not want to propose new legislative initiatives included in the Farm to Fork strategy, like the flagship Framework law for Sustainable Food Systems.In t
Researchers Identify Flowering Genes and Mechanism in Sorghum
03/14/2024
The genetic discovery leads the charge for more efficienct production of biofuel and food crops.Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory and the Oklahoma State University have identified key genes that control flowering in sorghum. Sorghum, an important bioene
Crop Modelling a Component in INRAE and Science New Zealand Collaboration
03/11/2024
Plant & Food Research scientists are initiating seven new projects designed to improve international collaboration with scientific institutions in France.Through the INRAE France-NZ Joint Linkage Agreement, signed in 2023 by Science New Zealand on behalf of Aotearoa New Zealand, scientists are encou
20 Most Influential Women in the EU Seed Sector in 2023
03/08/2024
Dear readers of Seed World Europe,At Seed World Europe we are very passionate about placing the EU plant breeding and seed sector in the spotlight. An ever-growing part of the success of our sector comes from the efforts and contributions of women throughout our value chain. In this edition of our a
Warning: Exciting News Ahead!
03/07/2024
Welcome to our new and improved website!As you know, over the last few months, we’ve brought all our publications under the Seed World banner, and the exciting news is that we now have also brought the various regional websites all into ONE platform. I am proud to announce the new website of seedwor
Poland the Largest Producer of Pumpkins in the EU
03/07/2024
The increase in the cultivation area of pumpkins in Poland from 1.1 thousand hectares to 8.9 thousand hectares between 2014 and 2022, as reported by Eurostat data, represents a substantial growth in pumpkin farming. The domestic harvest of pumpkins soared from 48,000 tonnes in 2014 to approximately
An Evolutionary Mystery 125 Million Years in the Making
03/07/2024
Plant genomics has made significant strides since Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) assisted in sequencing the initial plant genome. News from CSHL states that despite advancements, achieving the ideal crop remains somewhat unpredictable. Simply inducing the same DNA mutation in distinct plants d
2023: An Activist Annus Horribilis
03/07/2024
2023 was a horrible year for the European environmental activist community. On pesticides, their StopGlyphosate campaign failed to resonate with regulators as the European Commission reauthorised the herbicide for another 10 years. The Sustainable Use Regulation (SUR) was rejected in the European Pa
Lower Export Volume and Higher Prices Lead to Limited Agricultural Export Growth
03/05/2024
In 2023, Dutch exports of agricultural goods, including both primary unprocessed goods and secondary processed goods, reached an estimated 123.8 billion euros, reflecting a modest growth rate of 1.6% compared to 2022, according to a press release from Wageningen University and Research. Dutch agricu
Disease Survey: Meeting the Challenges in Sports Field Management
03/04/2024
In the realm of sports field management, safeguarding turfgrass against diseases has emerged as a paramount concern, driven by shifting climate patterns and evolving pesticide regulations. The need to make informed decisions regarding disease resistance, rather than relying on chance, has never been
Lidea, the Ideal Partner for Efficient Nitrogen Management in Rapeseed Farming
03/01/2024
In modern agriculture, the pursuit of effective and sustainable solutions is more crucial than ever. Among the myriad challenges facing farmers, efficient nitrogen management in rapeseed cultivation is key. It is within this demanding context that Lidea has innovated to come up with a nitrogen effic