44 I SEED WORLD EUROPE I SEEDWORLD.COM/EUROPE | MAY 2026 INDUSTRY NEWS TAILORED TO SEED PROFESSIONALS, INDUSTRY NEWS DELIVERS THE PEOPLE, RESEARCH, BUSINESS AND PRODUCT NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW. SUBMISSIONS ARE WELCOME. EMAIL US AT NEWS@SEEDWORLDGROUP.COM. Breeders Trust is monitoring online seed markets, where Facebook groups and web shops increasingly offer uncertified or improperly marketed seed potatoes, sometimes violating plant breeders’ rights. Cases show that even offering such products can be illegal. Limited awareness among growers contributes to infringements, raising legal and phytosanitary risks. The organisation stresses enforcement and education to protect innovation and maintain a fair, transparent potato sector. Rothamsted Research’s gene-edited barley is the first crop to receive a Precision Bred Organism marketing confirmation under the UK’s new framework. Developed with CRISPR, it has higher lipid content, creating more energy-dense forage for livestock and potentially reducing methane emissions. The approval enables fur ther testing and commercial progress, highlighting how precision breeding could support more productive and sustainable agriculture. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize together with NordGen, FAO, Crop Trust, and CGIAR. The nomination recognizes their work in seed conserva tion and genetic resources. It links these efforts to food security and preparedness in the context of climate change, natural disasters, and conflict. A Demos report, backed by McCain Foods, says scaling sustaina ble farming could help the UK avoid a £150 billion economic hit by 2050. It finds the shift could raise farm profits, reduce import dependence, and add natural capital value. The report urges govern ment action on farmer collaboration, nature standards, and skills, with public support for greater investment also rising. Researchers from Skoltech, CIMMYT, and international partners have developed about 60 new durum wheat lines that combine improved freezing tolerance with the gluten quality needed for pre mium pasta. Using genetic analysis and genomic selection, the team identified key traits for cold survival and grain quality, offering a breeding strategy to support more resilient durum wheat production under increasingly unpredictable weather.
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