important. The plant varieties 
developed today will determine 
what agriculture looks like 10 or 
even 20 years from now.
To identify this year’s promising 
young breeders, we invited 
nominations from across 
the European seed sector. 
Universities, research institutes, 
seed companies, and sector 
organisations were asked to 
nominate young professionals 
who are already making 
meaningful contributions to plant 
breeding and crop innovation.
The response from the sector 
was extremely encouraging. 
We received nominations 
covering a remarkable diversity 
of crops and research areas: 
cereals, vegetables, forage 
crops, legumes, ornamentals, 
and more. Some nominees are 
working within large multinational 
seed companies, others within 
smaller breeding organisations, 
universities, or public research 
institutes.
Reading through the nominations, 
several themes appeared again 
and again. First, the fusion of 
classical breeding and modern 
data science. Many of these 
young breeders are equally 
comfortable walking field plots 
and analysing genomic datasets. 
They combine traditional plant 
observation with tools such as 
genomic selection, AI-assisted 
breeding models, bioinformatics, 
and advanced phenotyping 
platforms.
Second, a strong focus on 
sustainability and resilience. 
Many of the nominees are working 
on traits that directly address 
today’s agricultural challenges: 
disease resistance, drought 
tolerance, improved nitrogen 
efficiency, climate adaptation, and 
crops that require fewer chemical 
inputs.
And third, the collaborative nature 
of modern plant breeding. Today’s 
breeders rarely work in isolation. 
Developing a new variety requires 
teams of experts ranging from 
geneticists and data scientists 
to agronomists, seed production 
specialists and commercial teams. 
The young breeders featured in 
this edition clearly understand 
the importance of building those 
bridges.
Selecting the final 20 from such 
an impressive group of nominees 
was no easy task. As in previous 
years, the number of deserving 
candidates far exceeded the 
available places on the list. 
Our final selection therefore 
represents only a snapshot of the 
many talented young breeders 
currently active in Europe and 
beyond.
This year’s initiative also 
includes a valuable educational 
opportunity. Through a generous 
offer from UPOV, all finalists 
will receive free access to an 
online course on Plant Variety 
Protection (PVP). Understanding 
plant breeders’ rights and 
the international framework 
supporting innovation is an 
essential part of a modern 
breeder’s toolkit. We are grateful 
to UPOV for helping equip 
these young professionals with 
knowledge that will support their 
careers and strengthen the seed 
sector.
In the pages that follow, you 
will meet the 20 individuals who 
made this year’s list. Each of 
them brings their own story, crop 
expertise, and perspective on the 
future of plant breeding.
If the nominations taught us 
anything, it is this: the future of 
the European plant breeding and 
seed sector is in very capable 
hands. And somewhere, right now, 
one of these young breeders may 
already be selecting the plant that 
will become the variety feeding 
millions of people ten years from 
now. Enjoy the read!
Marcel Bruins
Editorial Director
Seed World Europe
MAY 2026  |  SEEDWORLD.COM/EUROPE  I  SEED WORLD EUROPE   I   7

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