Celebrando una Leyenda: Dieter K. Mulitze
Mulitze fue el fundador de Agronomix Software, un obtentor visionario, mentor y un ser humano extraordinario.
Growing Knowledge — Advancing Seed Science Through Fall Training
As Director of Graduate Education for Iowa State University’s Seed Technology and Business (STB) program, I’m proud to support our mission of providing world-class education to seed industry professionals worldwide. This fall, we’re offering two in-person learning opportunities that blend expertise, innovation, and hands-on training, continuing a tradition of excellence that has earned our program international recognition.
Less Input – More Genetics!
Crop yields and turf performance have reached unprecedented levels over the past 20 years thanks to efficient plant breeding. Even so, questions remain about the future need for forage and turf breeding.
Cultivos de Cacao Priorizan la Adaptación Climática Mediante la Edición Genética
Mars se asocia con Pairwise para desarrollar cacao más resistente a enfermedades y clima extremo usando edición genética CRISPR.
Cocoa Crops Targeted for Climate Adaptation Through Gene Editing
Mars partners with Pairwise to develop cacao more resistant to diseases and extreme climate using CRISPR gene editing.
Potatoes Bred at The James Hutton Institute Will Help to Battle Major Pest in Kenya
Scientists at the National Potato Innovation Centre (NPIC) have introduced two new potato varieties in Kenya, now listed on the National Variety List. This effort was a collaboration with the University of St Andrews, IITA, CIP, icipe, KEPHIS, and Seeds2B to strengthen potato production and support local farmers.
Power Up Your Canola Crops: Serendipita and the Future of Seed Treatment
In the world of biological seed treatment, innovation is key to staying competitive. With AGTIV IGNITE® and its groundbreaking ingredient Serendipita indica – PTB299, Premier Tech delivers a natural, science-backed solution that enhances yields, improves crop resilience, and simplifies farming practices. Seed treaters now have a powerful tool to offer growers—one that combines ease of use with proven results.
Gene Sequencing Uncovers Differences in Wild and Domesticated Crops
With climate change and more frequent extreme weather, global yields of crops like maize, rice, and soybeans could drop 12–20% by the end of the century. Researchers are exploring ways to boost yields and develop more resilient varieties. A recent study in Life shows that analyzing the genetics of wild crop relatives can reveal domestication changes and guide strategies to enhance crop diversity.
What The Selfish Gene Can Teach the Seed Sector
Over the holidays, I finished re-reading Richard Dawkins’ The Selfish Gene, a book that reshaped our understanding of evolution. Nearly 50 years after its 1976 publication, its insights remain relevant—not just for biology, but also for behaviour, cooperation, and inheritance. Dawkins’ concept of “selfish” genes as replicators, rather than literal selfishness, offers a lens that reveals surprising connections to agriculture, plant breeding, and policy.
What Will Your Fries Look Like in 2050? Scientists Have the Answer
Researchers are reimagining everyday staples to withstand extreme weather while keeping flavour and quality intact.
Scientists Debut a New Foundational Atlas of the Plant Life Cycle
Arabidopsis thaliana, a small flowering weed, has been central to plant biology for 50 years, helping scientists understand growth, hormones, and root development. Researchers at the Salk Institute have now created the first complete genetic atlas of Arabidopsis, mapping gene expression in 400,000 cells across all life stages. This publicly available resource offers new insights into plant development, cell types, and responses to stress and the environment.
Remembering Joseph (Joe) Cortes
Iowa State University’s Seed Science Center is mourning the loss of Joseph (Joe) Cortes, retired Global Seed Program leader, who passed away Friday, August 22, after a long illness. His […]
México Busca 25 Millones de Toneladas de Maíz Blanco
El secretario de Agricultura, Julio Berdegué Sacristán, señaló que el gobierno trabaja con pequeños y medianos productores para alcanzar 25 millones de toneladas de maíz blanco al final del sexenio de la presidenta Sheinbaum. La iniciativa, parte del Plan México, busca garantizar la soberanía alimentaria y el desarrollo a largo plazo.
Mexico Aims for 25 Million Tons of White Corn
Mexico’s Secretary of Agriculture, Julio Berdegué Sacristán, said the government is working with small and medium producers to reach 25 million tons of white maize by the end of President Sheinbaum’s term. The initiative, part of the Mexico Plan, aims to ensure food sovereignty and promote long-term development.
Converting Straw to Biochar Could Add 190 Million Tons to Global Grain Production
Every growing season, crop residues like straw, husks, and stalks are often burned, plowed in, fed to livestock, or composted, releasing greenhouse gases such as CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O. A recent study by the Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, highlights biochar — a charcoal-like material made from crop residues through low-oxygen pyrolysis — as a more sustainable way to manage these byproducts and reduce emissions.
Regenerative Agriculture Gains Scientific Backing for Soil and Climate Benefits
A new review in CABI Agriculture and Bioscience explores the rise of regenerative agriculture (RA) and proposes a definition centered on ecological cycles and farm outcomes. Dr. Nicholas Bardsley of the University of Reading emphasizes that, amid soil degradation, climate change, and ecological decline, a deeper understanding of what it means to farm regeneratively is essential.
How the Best Seed Plants Really Get Built
Niche crops like faba beans, flax, and fall rye are putting Alect Seeds in Three Hills, Alta., in the national spotlight. Co-owner Sarah Weigum, named Alberta’s Outstanding Young Farmer for 2025, blends her diverse experience in communications and agriculture to grow the family farm, connect with customers, and lead industry discussions
You Can’t Harvest Something You Didn’t Plant
Succession planning can’t wait until the moment of transition. Just like farming, leaders must plant seeds early, nurture future talent, and prepare both themselves and their teams to ensure the harvest isn’t lost.
Alberta’s Young Farmer of the Year is Betting on Niche Crops and Collaboration
Crops like faba beans and flax are giving Sarah Weigum a national spotlight
Hutton Scientist Wins Prestigious Prize For Her Work on Barley Roots
Dr. Gwendolyn Kirschner of The James Hutton Institute has received a prestigious SULSA postdoctoral award for her research on root angle control in barley. Her work on plant gravity signaling could help crops access water and nutrients more efficiently. The award supports emerging life science leaders with funding, a Scottish university tour, and career development opportunities.
Science, Speculation and the Growing Debate about Seed Oils
Seed oils have long been valued for their polyunsaturated fats, but recent debates about omega-6 content are prompting consumers to reconsider their use. Experts weigh in on whether the concerns are scientifically valid or overblown.
With Parliament Coming Back, we Have a Chance to Show our Value in Nation Building
Modern advocacy isn’t about protest — it’s about partnership, strategy, and showing what works.
Chile se Consolida Como un Centro Clave para el Desarrollo de Semillas Transgénicas y Editadas Genéticamente
En las últimas dos décadas, Chile ha exportado más de US$2.300 millones en semillas biotecnológicas. El país es un centro de investigación, desarrollo y ensayos de multiplicación de numerosas variedades de maíz, soja y canola genéticamente modificadas (GM) que se cultivan en todo el mundo, y ahora también trabaja con nuevos cultivos editados genéticamente. Este rol se ha desarrollado mediante una combinación de investigación científica, regulación, industria y participación de los agricultores.
Chile Emerges as a Key Hub for GMO and Gene-Edited Seed Development
Over the past two decades, Chile has exported more than US$2.3 billion in biotech seeds. The country is a hub for research, development, and multiplication trials of many genetically modified (GM) maize, soybean, and canola varieties grown worldwide, and is now also working with newly gene-edited crops. This role has been built through a combination of scientific research, regulation, industry, and farmer involvement.
Svalbard Global Seed Vault Showcases Long-Term Experiments During Danish Visit
On August 17–18, Danish Minister Jacob Jensen visited Svalbard to learn about the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. He reviewed the upcoming October seed deposit prepared by NordGen, which includes 381 samples from Nordic countries, 19 of Danish origin, such as wild carrot, lingonberry, turnips, root parsley, and perennial ryegrass. The Seed Vault now holds over 4,600 Danish samples across 241 plant species.
The Oil War in Your Kitchen
Seed oils rose to prominence in the 1960s when health experts recommended them over animal fats, making them a staple in American kitchens. Today, they remain essential for cost-effective cooking, even as alternatives like olive oil, avocado oil, and beef tallow gain attention.
China’s Canola Tariff is a Gut Punch — and Ottawa is Looking for Plan B
The canola industry just took a heavy hit. The feds are trying to figure out how to hit back
Estrategias Integrales para Impulsar el Rendimiento del Girasol
El INTA ha trabajado durante décadas en el cultivo de girasol, abarcando manejo, desarrollo de híbridos adaptados, resistencia a plagas y enfermedades, y mejora de la calidad. Destacan que el manejo sanitario depende también de híbridos, densidad de siembra y fertilización, que afectan el dosel y la cobertura del suelo.
Comprehensive Strategies to Boost Sunflower Yields
INTA has advanced sunflower cultivation by developing hybrids, improving crop management, and enhancing disease resistance and quality, emphasizing that health management depends on factors like hybrid choice, planting density, and fertilization.
How a Storm Proved Short-Stature Corn Could Be Farming’s Game Changer
For Michael Hall, short-stature corn isn’t just another breeding project — it’s a once-in-a-career breakthrough.
Inside the Race to Climate-Proof Wheat and Oats
This isn’t a slow academic exercise. It’s a full-scale innovation push.
The Gene Was There All Along. This AI Just Knew Where to Look
AI-powered gene discovery is revolutionizing agriculture by revealing hidden insights within plant genomes that traditional breeding can’t access. Across global breadbaskets—from Canadian wheat fields to American soybean farms—this transformation is happening at the molecular level, where artificial intelligence decodes and interprets plant DNA. The future of crops is being shaped not just in the field, but in how we read and harness their genetic blueprints.
New Study Reveals Hidden DNA Elements That Could Help Corn Withstand Drought
A Nature Genetics studymaps cis elements in 25 maize hybrids, revealing genetic regions tied to drought tolerance and providing new tools for breeding climate-resilient corn.
CONICET y AAPRESID se Asocian para Impulsar la Tecnología Agrícola
En el Congreso 2025 de AAPRESID, CONICET y la asociación firmaron un acuerdo de cooperación para impulsar proyectos innovadores mediante el programa Sistema Chacras, promoviendo la intensificación sustentable de cultivos y apoyando las necesidades de los productores agrícolas.
CONICET, AAPRESID Partner to Advance Ag Tech
At AAPRESID 2025, CONICET and AAPRESID signed a cooperation agreement to advance sustainable crop intensification through the Chacras System program.
This Underground Secret is Shaping Crops in a Warming World
Researchers and farmers are working together to better understand how the soil microbiome—the living, microbial component of soil — changes under different management practices. The effort could provide insight into […]