NordGen Joins Global Talks on Crop Diversity in Lima
NordGen is in Lima for the Eleventh Session of the International Treaty’s Governing Body, joining global delegates to advance conservation and fair access to plant genetic resources. Peru’s rich crop diversity sets the stage for discussions on climate resilience, food security and equitable benefit-sharing. NordGen also co-hosted a Seed Vault event highlighting global cooperation, biodiversity stewardship and farmers’ rights.
Biotecnología desde los trópicos: Ecuador lucha contra el hongo que marchita los bananos
Científicos ecuatorianos emplean CRISPR-Cas9 para editar genéticamente el hongo Fusarium que causa la marchitez del banano. Al desactivar el gen SIX9, reducen la capacidad del patógeno para infectar plantas. Esta estrategia innovadora, rápida y escalable ofrece una alternativa a los métodos tradicionales y refuerza el liderazgo biotecnológico de Ecuador, protegiendo la producción mundial de banano y la seguridad alimentaria.
Biotechnology From The Tropics: Ecuador Fights Against Fungus That Withers Bananas
Ecuadorian scientists are using CRISPR-Cas9 to genetically edit the Fusarium fungus that causes devastating banana wilt. By disabling the virulence-related SIX9 gene, they reduce the pathogen’s ability to infect plants. This innovative strategy offers a fast, scalable alternative to traditional control methods and strengthens Ecuador’s leadership in agricultural biotechnology, helping protect global banana production and food security.
How Pumpkin Seed Quietly Shapes Your Entire Thanksgiving Dinner
Thanksgiving pumpkin pie starts long before the baking begins. Specialized pumpkin seed, seed oils and spices shape the flavors and textures that define the holiday.
Europe’s Farming Future: Syngenta’s Matthew Pickard on the Big Changes Ahead
Europe’s agriculture is rapidly transforming under climate pressure, shifting regulations, and fast-advancing technologies. In this fast 5-Questions-in-5-Minutes interview, Syngenta’s Matthew Pickard breaks down the rise of biologicals, the impact of precision tools, and the importance of cross-value-chain collaboration. A concise, forward-looking look at the innovations shaping the future of European farming and farmer competitiveness.
Mejorando el trigo con edición génica para hacerlo más saludable
En el 10º Congreso de la Asociación de Semillas de las Américas (SAA) en Foz de Iguazú, Daniel Norero, Director Comercial de Neocrop Technologies, presentó un avance regulatorio histórico: Chile y Argentina dieron respuesta favorable a un trigo editado con CRISPR, permitiendo su comercialización como cultivo convencional, un hecho inédito en el continente. Norero destacó que la edición génica acelera significativamente el mejoramiento del trigo y permite desarrollar productos con mayor fibra dietética, clave en países con bajo consumo de fibra y alto consumo de pan. Este logro refleja el inicio de una nueva generación de alimentos mejorados desde la genética y con creciente respaldo regulatorio.
Democracy Looks Pretty Ordinary — And That’s What Makes it Extraordinary
Seeing Parliament in action highlighted the ordinary power of democratic trust and the timely opportunity for seed growers to shape policy
NGTs at a Crossroads: The UK Steps Forward, Can the EU Keep Up?
Post-Brexit, the UK has embraced new genomic techniques (NGTs), breaking from the EU’s strict biotech rules. Seed World’s expert panel—Jan Gottlieb, Nigel Moore and Katie Davis—explores how this regulatory shift will impact Europe’s competitiveness, farmers, researchers and global trade. A must-watch discussion for anyone tracking gene editing, plant breeding and the future of agricultural innovation.
25 Associations Press EU for Rapid, Science-Based NGT Approval
A coalition of 25 EU food and feed organisations urges policymakers to swiftly finalise New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) rules without adding new burdens. With agriculture facing climate pressures and reduced crop protection tools, the groups warn extra restrictions risk undermining innovation and EU competitiveness. They call for a science-based framework enabling resilient, modern plant breeding.
Estudio: La edición genética produce plantas indigeribles para las plagas
Investigadores destacan cómo la edición genética puede aumentar los inhibidores naturales de α-amilasa en los cultivos para protegerlos de insectos que consumen almidón, como gorgojos y escarabajos. El análisis muestra que reforzar estas defensas nativas reduce daños sin afectar la digestibilidad humana o animal. Los cultivos editados podrían evitar regulaciones estrictas de OGM, ofreciendo una estrategia prometedora para el control sostenible de plagas.
Study: Gene Editing Produces Plants That are Indigestible To Pests
Researchers highlight how gene editing can enhance natural α-amylase inhibitors in crops to protect against starch-feeding insects like weevils, beetles, and borers. The review shows that boosting these native defenses could reduce pest damage without harming human or livestock digestibility. Gene-edited crops may avoid strict GMO regulations, offering a promising strategy for sustainable pest control.
Thanksgiving Dinner Seed By Seed
Thanksgiving dinner starts long before the table is set. From wheat in stuffing to corn and soybeans that feed the turkey, nearly every dish traces back to a seed. Cranberries, pumpkins, pecans and even sweet potatoes connect holiday favorites to plant breeding, crop improvement and the farmers who grow them. This story breaks down Thanksgiving, seed by seed, and shows how modern agriculture shapes the feast.
Thanksgiving: A Celebration Rooted in Agriculture
Thanksgiving celebrates America’s agricultural roots, echoing the Pilgrims’ first harvest built on cooperation and survival. Today, farmers carry on that legacy through hard work, stewardship, and community. Our family’s farming tradition, beginning in 1904 and expanding into seed production in 1941, continues to honor these values. This season, we celebrate abundance, togetherness, and the enduring spirit of American agriculture.
Why Seed Growers Are Bringing Their Story to Parliament Hill This Week
Bringing the provincial seed grower discussion to Ottawa ensures federal ears hear provincial voices — and that those voices are aligned
How Plants Search For Nutrients
Researchers from TUM and IPK have identified genetic and root-growth traits that help Arabidopsis thaliana tolerate boron deficiency, a growing challenge under climate change. By analysing 185 datasets, they found seven boron-efficient ecotypes with enhanced lateral root growth and key genomic regions linked to nutrient uptake. These insights could guide breeding nutrient-resilient rapeseed with improved yields and climate tolerance.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: On-Farm Trials Are the Future in Improving Crop Yield, Seed Performance Decisions
Growers are increasingly expected to conduct their own preliminary testing of new varieties, a practice already common in hybrid corn
Ancient Wheat Compound Offers Natural Protection Against Aphids
Scientists at Rothamsted Research uncovered saponarin, a natural flavonoid in ancestral einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum) that powerfully deters the destructive English grain aphid. Published in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the study shows this innate resistance could reduce pesticide use, combat aphid-transmitted viruses like BYDV, and support sustainable wheat breeding for resilient, climate-smart agriculture.
2025 Young Seedsman, Big Impact
Jake Metzger of Oregon’s Landmark Seed earns the 2025 Western Seed Association Young Seedsman Award and shares how relationships fuel the next generation of seed professionals.
Innovation Over Uncertainty: How U.S. Seed Industry Policy Shapes the Future of Agriculture
U.S. seed industry policy is shifting fast. ASTA chair Dave Treinen says the future of innovation depends on education, advocacy, and staying close to customers.
¿Un protector solar para las plantas?
En el 10º Congreso de la Asociación de Semillas de las Américas (SAA) en Foz de Iguazú, Carlos Crocco, Director Tecnológico de Beam CropTech, presentó Photoprotect, una innovación que mejora la eficiencia fotosintética de las plantas. La tecnología activa de forma anticipada un gen presente en todos los cultivos, permitiendo que la planta aproveche mejor la luz solar, genere más energía diaria y aumente biomasa y productividad. Crocco explicó que la industria muestra gran interés, aunque integrar la tecnología en variedades comerciales requiere años de trabajo conjunto. Destacó además el rol de startups especializadas y la creciente apertura del sector a nuevas soluciones biotecnológicas.
CRISPR & Trust: NGT Trailblazer Tropic Weighs in
CRISPR is reshaping agriculture. Can regulation and public trust keep up?
In this episode, we talk with Richard Wells, Senior Patent Attorney at Tropic Biosciences, about how gene editing is transforming crops like banana — a sector hit hard by disease and climate change. Wells explains how Tropic uses CRISPR to create resilient, sustainable varieties and what it takes to bring them from lab to field under evolving global regulations.
If you’re interested in agtech, food security or CRISPR regulation, don’t miss this deep dive into where science meets policy.
CSGA Has Gone From Traditional to Trailblazing in Governance
A national honour recognizes the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association’s bold, multi-year mission to reinvent itself
Mental Health: The Invisible Weight
Women in agriculture are carrying an invisible weight — balancing farms, families, and communities while facing mounting pressures. Across North America, new programs are helping farmers talk openly about mental health and find support that fits their world.
Farmers are Rewriting Syngenta’s Approach to Innovation
Syngenta’s Mathieu Boulay reveals how true agricultural innovation happens through collaboration — from farmers in the field to scientists in the lab and product teams bringing solutions to market. In this exclusive Seed World interview, he shares how grower feedback shapes development, what derails innovation, and what farmers need for real on-farm impact. Watch this candid, behind-the-scenes conversation.
Barley Producers Back Next-Gen Breeding With $1.15M Investment
The Canadian Barley Research Coalition (CBRC) announced an investment of $1,148,900 over three years in a Core Barley Breeding Agreement with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). This producer-funded investment will […]
Researchers Map the Complete Oat Genome to Boost Future Breeding
An international team led by Germany’s Leibniz Institute has mapped the complete oat pangenome, compiling genetic data from 30 varieties to unlock traits for nutrition, sustainability, and climate resilience. Featuring ETH Zurich’s study of the historic Swiss ‘Hative des Alpes’ oat, the research offers new opportunities to breed disease-resistant, nutrient-rich, and eco-friendly oat varieties for modern agriculture.
Delivering on Nature’s Design: Why True Collaboration — Between People and Microbes — Will Redefine Agricultural Biologicals
Integrated microbial and chemical solutions are redefining the future of agricultural biologicals. By harnessing natural microbial cooperation and pairing it with proven chemistries, Jord BioScience delivers field-proven performance through synergistic microbial combinations. Industry progress thrives on collaboration — across microbes, technologies, and people — shaping a more resilient, productive, and sustainable future for agriculture.
No Fluff, No Spin: Hot Takes with WSA President Mike Cowan
Mike Cowan, Missouri Southern Seed president, just became president of the Western Seed Association board. Cowan, based in Rolla, Missouri, is taking on some hot topics in independent seed. Watch […]
National Seed Health System Marks 25 Years Safeguarding Global Agriculture
As we approach the 25th anniversary of the National Seed Health System – NSHS in 2026, I am reminded daily that healthy seeds are the foundation of healthy plants, resilient […]
‘Act Now’: Agri-Food Industry Warns EU Red Tape Is Stifling Innovation
Twenty-four agri-food organisations urge the European Commission to simplify EU risk assessment processes ahead of NGT trilogue negotiations. They warn that regulatory delays, complexity, and administrative burdens are damaging Europe’s competitiveness and slowing innovation. Their joint letter calls for streamlined EFSA procedures, science-based assessments, and reforms to support a resilient, future-ready EU agri-food sector.
La calidad de las semillas se fortalece gracias a la alianza ISTA-IICA
La Asociación Internacional de Análisis de Semillas (ISTA) y el Instituto Interamericano de Cooperación para la Agricultura (IICA) firmaron un acuerdo para fortalecer los laboratorios de calidad y los sistemas de certificación de semillas en las Américas. La alianza impulsa la capacitación técnica, la estandarización y la innovación para mejorar la competitividad regional y garantizar análisis científicos reconocidos a nivel mundial.
Seed Quality Gets a Boost Through ISTA–IICA Partnership
The International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) signed an agreement to strengthen seed quality testing and certification systems across the Americas. The partnership promotes technical training, standardization, and innovation to improve regional competitiveness and ensure science-based, internationally recognized seed analysis for sustainable agricultural development.
Crop Rotation Increases Yields and Revenue by 20%, Major Global Study Finds
A global study by INRAE and China Agricultural University analyzed over 3,600 field trials and found that crop rotation boosts yields and farm revenue by 20% compared to monocultures. Rotations with legumes improve nutrition and stability, increasing protein, energy, and micronutrients. The findings highlight crop rotation’s critical role in sustainable, resilient, and profitable global agriculture.
¿Porqué es importante certificar el origen de las semillas? El caso Uruguay
En el 10º Congreso de la SAA en Foz de Iguazú, Carlos da Rosa (INASE Uruguay) destacó el papel clave del instituto en la certificación y control de semillas, fundamental para la calidad y transparencia en un país con fuerte perfil exportador. Uruguay avanza como hub de multiplicación de semillas para mercados internacionales, apoyado por marcos normativos modernos que impulsan negocios, sostenibilidad y seguridad alimentaria.
Ukraine Opens New Duplicate Centre to Safeguard Plant Genetic Resources
The FAO and EU, together with global partners, have opened Ukraine’s new Duplicate Centre for Plant Genetic Resources, securing 51,000 seed samples relocated after the Kharkiv gene bank attack. The state-of-the-art facility strengthens long-term preservation, research, and international cooperation, supporting Ukraine’s 2024–2028 national strategy and safeguarding vital crop diversity essential for global food security and climate resilience.
New Executive Director for Seed Innovation Protection Alliance
The Seed Innovation Protection Alliance announced that Chris Reat became executive director Nov. 15 following the planned transition of retiring executive director Eloy R Corona.