b'PLANT BREEDING SOFTWAREAccelerating Breeding in LATAM Benefits Us AllENID PEREZ-LARA Industry Engagement Leader, Agronomix Software, Inc.enid.perez-lara@agronomix.comagronomix.comTECHNOLOGY IS ADVANCINGfaster than we could imag- seed breeding technology. ine just a few years ago. I used to rely on search engines to findDuring the many meetings Ive had over the past year, Ive information. Nowadays, I open ChatGPT and learn what I needdiscovered that 95 per cent of LATAM plant breeders are using to know in seconds.Microsoft Excel to track their data. Agriculture is also advancing quickly and, more and more, theWhen I was a PhD student at the University of Alberta, I world is relying on Latin American (LATAM) farmers to providemostly relied on Excel for field data collection and transferred my important food crops like bananas, cocoa, coffee and sugar cane.data between different software programs for analysis. When This global interconnectedness has many benefits, but it alsoI began working in private industry, I was told I needed to learn means that pathogens are spreading more rapidly while climatespecialized plant breeding software. For a whole year, I resisted, change is bringing its own challenges.but one day I decided to try it. It worked like magic. I strongly believe its critical for LATAM plant breeders toWhy had I been so reluctant to try plant breeding software? accelerate the development of their regionally unique crops.I think its because our brains are trained to resist new things. They cant afford to wait for researchers in well-funded institu- Once I saw for myself there was a more efficient way to collect, tions elsewhere to decide, Ill improve bananas. There isnt timeorganize and analyze my data, I stopped using Excel for that for that. Specialty and orphan crops from our region are alreadypurpose. Plant breeding software is specifically designed to oper-being researched in other parts of the world, creating oppor- ate within a centralized database, ensuring consistency, continu-tunities there. Meanwhile, in LATAM, where these crops are anity and efficiency over years and across regions. It also protects integral part of our agriculture, culture, and diet, progress is oftenintellectual property by recording changes in the database and stalled due to funding gaps and limited access to technology.who made them.We have the right people to do the work; we just need the rightIm passionate about bringing advanced plant breeding resources to drive innovation. technology to LATAM despite the challenges associated with One way to speed up development is to adopt advancedlanguage barriers, crop differences and economics. SEED EDUCATIONBuilding the Future: Seed Professionals and Educators NeededLORI YOUNGBERG STB Program Specialist IIIlyoung@iastate.eduseedgrad.iastate.eduWALK INTO ANYag-focused classroom, seed testing lab,become thought leaders in the field. or production field, and youre likely to hear the same thing:That matters, because without strong leadership in seed sci-Were losing people faster than we can replace them. Acrossence, we risk losing institutional knowledge and stalling innova-the seed industry, a generation of professionals are nearingtion. We need professors who can teach the next wave of seed retirementand there arent enough trained experts ready toanalysts, pathologists, breeders, and business managers. We step into their roles.need researchers who can ask and answer the big questions Its not just a workforce issue. Its a knowledge gap. Seed sci- around seed health, technology and policy. And we need prac-ence is a highly specialized field that plays a critical role in globaltitioners who understand both the science and the systems that food security, sustainable agriculture, and economic develop- carry it to the field. ment. And yet, its often overlooked in broader conversationsIn a recent survey, nearly three-quarters of STB alumni about agricultural education and research. reported a promotion or pay increase after graduation, and 96 The gap is also apparent in academia. As experienced seedpercent said the program helped them professionally. Beyond scientists and professors retire, theres a growing urgency to traincareer advancement, many spoke about the deep level of knowl-the next generation of practitioners, educators and researchersedge gained in all aspects of the seed industry, the importance who will prepare future professionals. of peer learning and networking and how pivotal this knowledge One way Iowa State Universitys Seed Science Center ishas been in their day-to-day professional lives. responding to this challenge is through its Graduate ProgramThe industry cant afford to wait. Whether its through gradu-in Seed Technology and Business (STB). The STB program isate certificates, a masters degree, or future faculty development, designed with working professionals in mind, offering onlinewe need to invest now in building that pipeline. Because at the flexibility and a mix of science and management courses. Theend of the day, seed science isnt just about plantsits about courses increasingly serve as a training ground for people topeople. And we need more of them.48/ SEEDWORLD.COMINTERNATIONAL EDITION 2025'