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23 Episodes

Singing for the Seed Industry

08/02/2024 0 min 0 sec

It’s rare that the seed sector and the music industry overlap, but Anton van Doornmalen, Rijk Zwaan’s co-owner, chairman of its supervisory board and a singer-songwriter on the side, is changing that. For van Doornmalen, music is more than a way to unwind after a day in the office — it’s his way of sharing knowledge and passion for the vegetable seed industry.  Van Doornmalen’s album “Seed Songs” describes the positive atmosphere and feeling of togetherness that he says the seed industry delivers. Songs like “We are just seedsmen” explain what it’s like to work as a seedsman, as well as talking about the goals and challenges in the industry. The song was written by van Doornmalen and is his take on the famous Paul Simon song “The Boxer”.  “With my songs, I want to capture feelings,” says van Doornmalen. “A feeling can remain in the songs forever.”  During the 2024 World Seed Congress hosted by the International Seed Federation (ISF), van Doornmalen performed his song, aptly called “ISF”. Some might remember originally hearing the song at the 1996 World Seed Congress in Amsterdam.  “For me, it was very special to perform at the ISF in front of so many longtime companions, competitors and friends,” he says. Besides the new version of the song, Anton played “Passion in Seed”, originally composed for Hiroshi Sakata and the 100th anniversary of the Sakata Seed Corporation.  “This reflects the good atmosphere in the vegetable seed industry,” he says. One of Van Doornmalen’s newest songs is “We are One”, written to celebrate Rijk Zwaan’s 100th anniversary. The song connects all of Rijk Zwaan’s subsidiaries and is accompanied by the European Pop Orchestra, a symphony orchestra specializing in pop music.  Van Doornmalen has released nine multi-lingual albums that include over 50 songs sung in Dutch, English and German. All of van Doornmalen’s music can be streamed on Spotify or found on YouTube. The “ISF” music video created for the 2024 ISF conference can be found here, and the song can be downloaded for free here. Under this link you can find additional information about van Doornmalen’s music.  All of van Doornmalen’s concerts have a charitable purpose, supporting the foundation Sibusiso, which helps mentally and physically handicapped children in Tanzania. “With my performances, I can share these feelings to the audience — and I can do something good at the same time,” he says. The post Singing for the Seed Industry appeared first on Seed World.

Howard Love and Mustard 21 are Working to Keep Mustard a Competitive Crop

03/14/2024 0 min 0 sec

At the recent meetings of the Prairie Grain Development Committee, Seed World Canada sat down with Howard Love, lead scientist for Mustard 21 in Saskatoon, to talk about his extensive history in the ag industry, where mustard is as a crop and where it’s going in the future. The crop is hugely important to Canada, which is one of the world’s top exporters of mustard grain. Mustard 21’s primary goal is to ensure that mustard remains a competitive crop on the Prairies. “Currently, the economics of mustard cultivation are in our favour. The price of mustard per pound makes it significantly more profitable than canola, especially when comparing the return per bushel. This difference in pricing structure underscores the financial appeal of mustard farming,” Love says. Market dynamics, however, are not static. Many producers see mustard as a viable alternative in various regions, Love notes in a wide-ranging conversation. Yet, it’s crucial to remain vigilant about crop rotations to mitigate the risk of volunteer canola intrusion. Mustard 21 is actively addressing these concerns to safeguard the long-term sustainability of mustard farming. The post Howard Love and Mustard 21 are Working to Keep Mustard a Competitive Crop appeared first on Seed World.

Greg and Sarah Stamp Selected as Outstanding Young Farmers for Alberta/NWT Region

08/04/2023 0 min 0 sec

Greg and Sarah Stamp of Stamp Seeds have been chosen as the 2023 winners of the Alberta/NWT Outstanding Young Farmers Program. Among four nominees, the dynamic couple secured the coveted title, recognized for their exceptional contributions to the agricultural industry. The prestigious event took place in conjunction with AgSmart in Olds, Alta. this week. Stamp Seeds and Stamp Farms is a second-generation pedigreed seed farm and seed retailer based in Enchant. Working in tandem with Greg are his brothers, Nathan Stamp and Matthew Stamp, managing the operations of the farm. With a team of 19 full-time staff and an additional eight to nine seasonal or summer students, the Stamps cultivate 5,000 acres of irrigation and 2,000 acres of dryland, focusing on producing 95% of their crops for seed. Recognizing Excellence in Young Farmers Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers Program seeks to celebrate and recognize young farmers who exemplify excellence in their profession. Eligible nominees must be farm operators aged between 18 and 39, deriving a minimum of two-thirds of their income from farm operations. The program holds seven regional recognition events annually, and from each region, one farming couple is selected to represent at the national recognition event. The Judging Criteria At the national event, the seven honorees undergo assessment by a panel of judges, who evaluate their achievements based on specific criteria. The evaluation includes assessing the progress made throughout their farming careers, the extent of their implementation of soil, water, and energy conservation practices, their crop and livestock production history, financial and management practices, and their contributions to the well-being of the community, province, and nation. During AgSmart, Marc Zienkiewicz had the opportunity to catch up with Greg and Sarah Stamp to talk about the value of the program. Their story of perseverance, sustainability, and progress in the farming industry struck a chord with many attendees. The couple highlighted the importance of sustainability, progress, and overcoming challenges in their farming journey. They spoke passionately about their on-farm practices and the timeline of their achievements. Reflecting on their experiences, the Stamps acknowledged the value of participating in the Outstanding Young Farmers Program. The Stamps expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to share their story and the lessons they learned along the way. Engaging with other farmers and learning about the advancements and innovations in various sectors of agriculture left the couple inspired. As farmers, one of the challenges lies in communicating the advancements and innovations within the agricultural industry to those outside the farming community, Greg said. The Stamps recognized the importance of bridging this communication gap and raising awareness about the evolving face of agriculture. The post Greg and Sarah Stamp Selected as Outstanding Young Farmers for Alberta/NWT Region appeared first on Seed World.

SeQso Next Generation FlexSorter: Next Level High-performance seed-sorting – Seed World Webinar & Podcast

06/22/2023 35 min 36 sec

SeQso is working as a machine tool supplier for the seed industry supplying a wide range of sorting and sowing equipment.Get to know the new FlexSorter series of seed sorters. Configurable sorters with up to 3 different camera systems (Color, X-Ray, NIR) powered with AI based sorting algorithms.Later this year we will add Hyperspectral NIR.In this lecture, SeQso will explain:– The performance and key benefits of the most advanced seed sorter– Various camera technologies on quality improvement– How easy AI-based sorter can be tuned without expert knowledge– The application of thorough trials– Examples of seed sorting applications Speaker: Fred Hugen Fred Hugen studied Electronics at The University of Twente and obtained a Ph.D. in real-time image processing at the same university in 1995. He is one of the owners of SeQso, a company active in advanced seed analysis, sorting and sowing. His current activities are on the development of multi-modal imaging and artificial intelligence systems, for use in seed sorting and seed phenotyping. Brought to you by SeQso The post SeQso Next Generation FlexSorter: Next Level High-performance seed-sorting – Seed World Webinar & Podcast appeared first on Seed World.

Revolutionizing Agriculture: How Next-Gen AgTech is Advancing the Seed Industry – A Seed World Strategy Webinar & Podcast

05/26/2023 34 min 33 sec

In this webinar we discuss the latest advancements in ag tech and how they’re affecting the seed sector. As planting season begins and growers have more options than ever before, it’s essential to understand how to guide your customers toward the best solutions. Three panelists— Verdant Partner’s Blake Croegaert, Grower’s Edge’s Todd Robran and North Dakota State University Exension’s Rob Proulx — helped us understand the ins and outs of new technology. During this session, we’ll explore the following key learning points: Discover new ag tech for growers: From new treatments to autonomous vehicles, drones, and smart sprayers, we’ll cover the latest advancements in ag tech and how they’re transforming the industry. Learn what your customers should be using: With so many options available, it can be challenging to determine the best solution for each customer. We’ll discuss how to evaluate their needs and guide them toward the right technology. Keep up with innovation: With technology advancing rapidly, it’s crucial to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and innovations. We’ll explore strategies for staying informed and adapting to changes in the market. Watch more Strategy Webinars at: Does Your Management Style Suit Your Team? — A Seed World… Why Should Companies Invest in Social Media? – A Seed World… Does Intellectual Property Actually Hinder U.S. Competition? – A Seed World Strategy Webinar &… Lower Yields, Pest Infestations and More Hunger: Welcome to a Global Green Deal –… The post Revolutionizing Agriculture: How Next-Gen AgTech is Advancing the Seed Industry – A Seed World Strategy Webinar & Podcast appeared first on Seed World.

Does Your Management Style Suit Your Team? — A Seed World Strategy Webinar & Podcast

04/28/2023 40 min 54 sec

As we navigate through a constantly evolving world, it’s crucial for managers to adapt their leadership styles to suit their team’s needs. With Baby boomers transitioning out of the workforce and Gen Z taking their place, it’s essential to explore how to manage diverse teams effectively. The pandemic brought about significant changes in the way businesses operate, and managers need to be equipped with the right tools to lead their teams during these challenging times. As a team manager, it’s crucial to ask yourself, “Does my management style suit my team?” During our webinar, we will explore the following key learning points: Discover your management style: Every manager has a unique management style, and understanding yours is the first step in leading your team effectively. We will discuss various management styles and how you can identify and adapt to the one that suits your team best. The influence of culture on teams: Culture plays a significant role in shaping how teams function. We will delve into how culture influences teams and how managers can create a culture that fosters teamwork, innovation, and productivity. Leading during changing times: The business world is constantly evolving, and managers need to be prepared for change. We will discuss how managers can lead their teams during changing times and how to navigate the challenges that come with it. Speakers included are Jonathan Shaver, president and owner of Envision Partners LLC, Jake Ware, Business Manager for HM.Clause and chair of ASTA’s LEAD committee, and Rhonda Werner, director of people & culture of Ag1 Source. Register for our next webinar: Read and listen to more webinars at: Why Should Companies Invest in Social Media? – A Seed World Strategy Webinar How Do Midterm Elections Affect the Seed Industry? – A Seed World Strategy Webinar… Does Intellectual Property Actually Hinder U.S. Competition? – A Seed World Strategy Webinar &… The post Does Your Management Style Suit Your Team? — A Seed World Strategy Webinar & Podcast appeared first on Seed World.

Why Should Companies Invest in Social Media? – A Seed World Strategy Webinar

12/14/2022 37 min 2 sec

Social media has rapidly developed within the last 20 years. According to the Pew Research Center, around seven in 10 Americans use social media to connect with one another, engage with news content, share information and entertain themselves — which is a stark difference even from 10 years ago in 2012, when only about 53% of U.S. adults used social media. Nowadays, businesses can’t ignore the value that social media can bring to their marketing and education approach. But, are you using it the right way? What you will learn: -Why should you invest in social media-Where seed and agribusinesses are finding the most value-The do’s and don’ts of social media PresentersCharles Tweed, Owner of TweediaSarah Cornelisse, Senior Extension Associate at Penn State University The post Why Should Companies Invest in Social Media? – A Seed World Strategy Webinar appeared first on Seed World.

The UN says World Population Growth is Slowing. Darrell Bricker says it’s no Surprise

11/16/2022 13 min 20 sec

Editor’s Note: The bulk of this story was originally published in 2020. The United Nations declared Nov. 15, 2022, the Day of 8 Billion. The UN now projects the world population to hit 8 billion, but it is acknowledging that the overall growth rate of the global population is slowing, not accelerating. We all know the world population is set to hit 9 billion by 2050. Or is it? Darrell Bricker says it’s not going to happen, and we should prepare to have fewer mouths to feed — not more. The United Nations declared yesterday, Nov. 15, 2022, the Day of Eight Billion. According to the UN, the world’s population is now projected to reach 8 billion people, a milestone in human development. This unprecedented growth is due to the gradual increase in human lifespan owing to improvements in public health, nutrition, personal hygiene and medicine. It is also the result of high and persistent levels of fertility in some countries. But the UN adds that while it took the global population 12 years to grow from 7 to 8 billion, it will take approximately 15 years—until 2037— for it to reach 9 billion, a sign that the overall growth rate of the global population is slowing. For years, it’s been common knowledge that the world population is rapidly expanding, set to hit the 9 billion mark by 2050 and keep growing from there. This belief says that it’s inevitable that we will face major challenges as we run out of arable land and face food and water shortages as humans vie for the natural resources we all depend on to survive. The problem is, according to Bricker, that the above scenario just isn’t going to pan out. “Everyone’s always talking about the population problem and how it’s out of control, that’s we’re having too many babies. That human encroachment will totally destroy our natural habitat. It’s not true,” says the CEO of public affairs for global market research firm Ipsos and co-author of Empty Planet: The Shock of Global Population Decline. Furthermore, Bricker says common economic wisdom is influenced by this common belief, ultimately to the detriment of the business community. “Everyone knows the power of youth is what fuels the marketplace. The fact is, it isn’t that way at all.” For Bricker, the commonly held belief that the world population is out of control is a form of “vertical knowledge”, or has he likes to call it, something we all know that isn’t actually true. Whether it’s documentaries focused on the problem of overpopulation, politicians giving stump speeches about it, or even the United Nations predicting a dramatic rise in the number of people on Earth (the UN predicts almost 11 billion people by 2100), Bricker says it’s ingrained in our society to believe humanity is growing out of control. Yes, you read that right: Bricker says even the commonly cited United Nations numbers overshoot the mark, and greatly overestimate how many people will be on the planet in the coming years. In fact, he says it’s unlikely the world population will even hit 9 billion at all. Instead, he says, it will top out at around 8.5 billion in 2030 before it begins to decline. And the decline will not stop. Darrell Bricker is CEO public affairs for Ipsos. Germination: In agriculture it’s commonly believed that we are headed for a world of 9 billion by 2050, and it will keep growing after that. Even the United Nations tells us this. Why are you so confident in your numbers? Darrell Bricker (DB): We’re getting better at measuring what people do, how they go through the process of living their lives. The decisions that have been made that are going to shape the future have already been made by your grandparents, your parents, and now you. The consequences of those decisions are apparent. Demographics are like glaciers — you can see them coming from a long way off. What we are going to be seeing and experiencing will define the global agricultural marketplace, and all other marketplaces too. Germination: So even the UN is wrong? DB: The UN actually has three different population projections. The one you always read about is the middle one that predicts a continuing rise in global population, over 9 billion by 2050 and as many as 10.9 billion by 2100. The numbers I talk about are closer to what the UN’s lowest estimate is. We will peak at 8.5 billion people and finish the 21st century with the same number of people we have today. We will not have a world of 10.9 billion to feed. We won’t even have 9 billion to feed. Germination: Why is that? DB: Three main reasons: urbanization, fertility and aging. UN stats tell us that in 1960, a third of us lived in a major city. Today it is 56%. That’s going to continue to rise as people move from the countryside to the city. We see this every day as rural communities across the country die off. Most people are moving to the city, and it’s happening all over the world. This has massive implications from everything from how long we will live to the size of families. Basically, people are living longer and having fewer children when they live in the city. In Canada we now have more people over 65 than under the age of 50. Germination: That brings us to fertility. Why do people have fewer children in cities? DB: As urbanization continues, in most parts of the world, the birth rate is falling to replacement rate or lower. That means most places in the world — namely everywhere except sub-Saharan Africa and India — will see their populations peak and then begin to decline. Just take a look at your own family. How many kids did your grandparents have? How many did your parents have? How many do you have or plan to have? And how many kids do you think your kids will have? In most places in the world, you’ll get a similar answer. On the farm, having lots of kids means more hands to milk the cows and harvest the crops. In cities, children — although we love them dearly — are a liability. Having kids is expensive, as virtually every parent in Canada will tell you. Germination: How does aging influence this predicted population decline? DB: We have doubled human life expectancy in the past century. We’re getting bad at making new people and getting really good at keeping existing people alive. In 1920, the average Canadian lived to be in their 50s. Today, it’s 81. By 2036, life expectancy will be 87. Kids born today can expect to live to be 100 if medical science keeps progressing, and it assuredly will. Germination: Why is this important for industry to consider? DB: When I think of agriculture, I don’t think of young people, I think of older people. That’s the market you should be going after. Millennials and members of Gen Z, in general, have no money. They’re having a hard time starting their lives. Half of all Canadians age 18-35 live with their parents, some because they have to take care of their parents because they’re living so long. Houses are hard to find not because there are too many people out there, but because the older people who live in those homes aren’t moving out. They’re aging in place. Grandma and grandpa are very happy to stay in their home well into their golden years. This has many implications for the entrepreneurs out there. Bricker notes that COVID-19 has emphasized the importance of food delivery services. Germination: Like what? DB: During COVID-19 people have been talking a lot about food delivery and how important a service it is to have when people can’t leave their home to go to a store or restaurant. That’s what older people deal with every day even when there is no pandemic. When you have mobility issues, you can’t just go out to dine whenever you feel like it. Here’s a thought — deliver food specifically with older people in mind. And what restaurant makes anything for older people in particular? Eighty per cent of Canada’s wealth is with people over the age of 50. They have all the money and there are more of them every day, yet no one caters to them. Germination: That’s a great idea actually, a restaurant designed for older people. DB: Yet no one seems to have thought of it. Turn down the music so I can have a conversation, and I don’t need a bunch of TV screens and lights flashing at me — although I would like enough light to read what I’m ordering. How about a place at the front of the restaurant where I can leave my mobility device? If people know they can get inside your establishment, they just might come. Mainstream consumer culture doesn’t really give a hoot about older Canadians. They’re all around us and yet we mostly ignore them. Germination: What’s your advice to agriculture and the seed industry specifically? DB: Think about older people. Hire them. They want to keep working. They’re healthy enough and they have the knowledge, we just have to adjust our workplaces for them. Is your workplace based on an open concept? That’s fine for millennials and members of Gen Z, but I for one like to have some quiet, some privacy, so I can concentrate. Designing things for young people who we aren’t creating in the first place doesn’t make sense. As for the crops you breed, breed with older people in mind. They generally don’t have the fancy, exotic tastes you see in the average millennial foodie. What are we breeding and growing with older people in mind? Not much. And finally, with more and more people moving to the city, who’s going to grow that food? Listen to our follow-up podcast interview with Darrell Bricker for his insights on how the COVID-19 pandemic might affect a world of shrinking population numbers (hint: get ready for robot farmers). The post The UN says World Population Growth is Slowing. Darrell Bricker says it’s no Surprise appeared first on Seed World.

Designer Crops on Demand: Risk-managed trait development – A Seed World Innovation Webinar & Podcast

11/09/2022 48 min 57 sec

About The Webinar In this webinar, Platform Genetics will present end-to-end solutions for mutation-based trait development.​​​​​​​In this webinar, you’ll learn: Deep Variant Scanning provides a platform for non-GMO trait development in any crop Genomics, biochemistry and consumer insights can be combined to accelerate product development Innovative approaches to population development can shorten trait development timelines Platform Genetics combines end-to-end trait development capabilities with client-friendly business practices to deliver outstanding value If you’d like to reach out to Platform Genetics to learn more about the presentation, please reach out to info@platformgenetics.ca to schedule an introductory chat, and follow them on Twitter and LinkedIn @PlatformGen. Stay up to date with trait development and genomics. Subscribe to Platform Genetics newsletter today! Speaker: Michael Pautler, Head of Genomics ServicesMichael Pautler, PhD, is head of Genomics Services for Platform Genetics where he is responsible for scientific operations as well as global business development. Mike takes pride in serving as a trusted discussion partner, working closely with clients on project design and execution. He provides technical expertise in plant molecular genetics, genomics and developmental biology with more than a decade of experience working closely with the seed industry on trait development projects. Brought to you by Platform GeneticsPlatform Genetics is a capable, comprehensive and client-friendly trait development and genomics service company meeting the needs of seed companies and plant breeders around the world. Platform Genetics provides leading genomics, biochemistry and bioinformatics technologies and adopts client innovation goals as their own. The post Designer Crops on Demand: Risk-managed trait development – A Seed World Innovation Webinar & Podcast appeared first on Seed World.

How Do Midterm Elections Affect the Seed Industry? – A Seed World Strategy Webinar & Podcast

10/27/2022 31 min 12 sec

November Midterm elections are rapidly approaching. While this could mean change for the U.S. in terms of policy and regulations, it also could have ramifications for the U.S. seed industry. This year’s election is especially important as we approach some key aspects of regulation — particularly the 2023 Farm Bill. With changes potentially in both the House and Senate, associations and companies alike might need to prepare different lobbying plans for the future. What do you, as a seed company need to be aware of? That’s what we’re hoping to tackle in our next Seed World Strategy Webinar on October 27. What to Expect:-What November Midterms are, and why they matter. -What potential ramifications could the seed industry see with political changes?-What’s on the horizon according to our crystal balls. Presenters:Janae BradyVice president of government affairs for the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) Bart FischerCo-Director of the Agricultural & Food Policy Center at Texas A&M University Laura Wood PetersonOwner of Laura Wood Peterson Consulting Mary Kay ThatcherSr. Manager, Federal Government & Industry Relations at Syngenta The post How Do Midterm Elections Affect the Seed Industry? – A Seed World Strategy Webinar & Podcast appeared first on Seed World.

For Luis Salazar, a Love of Plant Breeding Began at Hobby Lobby

10/06/2022 11 min 33 sec

Luis Salazar’s career in plant breeding began at a craft store. “Back in the day, when I was about 11, my family and I were at a Hobby Lobby. I found a growing kit for carnivorous plants. The North American species of carnivorous plants, most of them require something called stratification for the seeds, where they have to go through a cold period to simulate the wintertime. So when I brought this kit home, it told me to put the seeds in the fridge for eight weeks. So I put it in the soil and this little plastic dome, and I kept it in the fridge. My mom hated it, but she let me do it,” he says. “I waited those eight weeks and nothing germinated. I was devastated. I was so mad. On my 12th birthday, I convinced my mom to order carnivorous plants from a California nursery. I was just totally enamoured with plants. When I heard about plant genetics and GMO and plant breeding, I was around 13 or 14 and it just made total sense to me. Now here I am, soon to finish my Ph.D in plant breeding.” Salazar is a fifth-year PhD candidate in the Horticulture & Agronomy Graduate Group studying plant breeding and genetics at the University of California, Davis. His research focuses on the physiology and genetics of salinity tolerance in wild lettuce species. As lettuce is a salt-sensitive crop, the objective of his research is to identify QTL related to salinity tolerance in wild lettuce species to breed salt-tolerant lettuce. He sat down with Marc Zienkiewicz last month in Ames, Iowa, at the National Association of Plant Breeders annual meeting to talk about his research. The post For Luis Salazar, a Love of Plant Breeding Began at Hobby Lobby appeared first on Seed World.

Mary-Francis LaPorte is all About the Data

10/05/2022 9 min 50 sec

For Mary-Francis LaPorte, the world of computers is like a playground. LaPorte is a third-year Ph.D Candidate at the University of California Davis. She works in Dr. Christine Diepenbrock’s lab, studying genomic prediction of carotenoid traits in tropical and subtropical maize grain. Prior to graduate school, she studied plant biology at the University of Oklahoma. Throughout her studies, she has been interested in computational science – specifically how high-performance computing can be used to answer questions relating to plants and plant breeding.  She down with Marc Zienkiewicz last month in Ames, Iowa, to chat about why she’s so fascinated by all things data and how her work can make a difference. “High performance computing allows you to answer so many bigger and new types of questions that we weren’t able to answer before. When you look at the history of computer science and modeling, it’s really hand in hand with the history of modeling in agriculture, because agriculture is one of the first things that people wanted to model both economically and biologically. Or in the case of the climate, people were modeling climate for applications in agriculture,” she says. “Personal computers have allowed us to have all these gains of advancement and knowledge. When we think about high performance computing, we’re going beyond the capabilities of our personal computers to even larger computational systems. Through that, we’ll be able to answer just bigger and better questions that we could never even have imagined before.” The post Mary-Francis LaPorte is all About the Data appeared first on Seed World.

How the Night Sky Helped Emmanuel Gonzalez Love Plant Breeding

10/04/2022 13 min 34 sec

When Emmanuel Gonzalez was a kid growing up in El Centro, CA, he developed an interest in both astronomy. Who knew looking up at the stars would lead to a fascination with plants. He decided to pursue his interest in plants by earning a BS in Biology with an emphasis in plant biology from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA. He is now a PhD student in Dr. Duke Pauli’s lab at the University of Arizona School of Plant Sciences. Emmanuel’s research involves leveraging sensor technology, high performance computing, and machine learning to extract phenotypic trait information from the world’s largest robotic field scanner at the University of Arizona’s Maricopa Agricultural Center.  He sat down with Marc Zienkiewicz in Ames, Iowa, last month to talk about how that early fascination with the night sky led to his love of plants and why his work is important for plant breeding, especially lettuce and sorghum. “I grew up looking up at the stars and thinking, ‘Wow, there’s a lot out there.’ So at a young age, my mom bought me an inexpensive telescope, and although you couldn’t see much, you could see just how amazing it was out in the universe. And the initial curiosity drove me to look at plants mainly because of my family,” he says. “My family is made up of primarily migrant field workers. So my grandfather worked in lettuce fields in the Imperial Valley. And I was just interested in the stories that he would come home to tell us. So I thought, ‘Well, plants have also undergone a lot of changes over the years through domestication.’ So to me, there was a connection there, in the complexity of the universe and the complexity of the plants that we see today.” The post How the Night Sky Helped Emmanuel Gonzalez Love Plant Breeding appeared first on Seed World.

Mitchell Kent Makes a Sorghum Discovery

09/30/2022 5 min 54 sec

Did you know waxy sorghum can weather in the field faster than its non-waxy counterpart? Turns out that might not be true after all. Mitchell Kent grew up in central Illinois where he received a bachelor’s degree in crop science from the University of Illinois. Mitchell then moved to Texas where he received a master’s degree in plant breeding working in the sorghum breeding and genetics lab and his research focused on specialty sorghums. Currently, Mitchell is working on his PhD in the same lab at Texas A&M University and is focusing on genomic prediction to screen for sorghum seed parents.  He sat down with Marc Zienkiewicz last month in Ames, Iowa, to talk about his work and an important new discovery he recently made. “Waxy sorghum hasn’t been widely cultivated, because there’s some concerns, primarily on some yield drag that comes with the trait, but there’s also been a notion that waxy sorghums suffer from increased weathering, or increased disease,” he says. Waxy genotypes theoretically are easier to digest, they’re easier to turn to ethanol and some other starch properties. However, if they rot in the field, it doesn’t really help you, he notes. “It’s been a belief for a long time that they weathered more easily in the field. So essentially, I screened a group of hybrids, waxy, non waxy, and some locations that had pretty severe weathering, and found there was really no difference in the amount that the waxy or non waxy sorghum weathered.” The post Mitchell Kent Makes a Sorghum Discovery appeared first on Seed World.

The Bad Side of Growing up on a Farm Made Sam McDonald Want to be in Plant Science

09/29/2022 7 min 44 sec

Growing up on a farm isn’t all its cracked up to be. That’s exactly why Sam McDonald decided to get into plant breeding. Sam McDonald is a Ph.D candidate at the University of Georgia. He works in the soybean breeding and Genetics Lab led by Dr. Zenglu Li. He received his B.S. from the University of Missouri in plant sciences with an emphasis in Breeding, Biology, and Biotechnology in 2017 and completed two internships with Pioneer (now Corteva) during this time. Sam’s doctoral research focuses on the identification of resistance genes to the fungal disease frogeye leaf spot using QTL mapping and GWAS approaches in addition to genome sequencing and gene expression. He sat down with Marc Zienkiewicz in Ames, Iowa, last month to talk about his work and how some of the less desirable parts of growing up on a farm made him want to be in plant science. “A lot of times people are surprised to hear there are soybeans grown in Georgia.There’s not a lot, just a little over 100,000 acres. But soybeans have been grown in Georgia longer than any other state in America, actually soybeans were brought in through Savannah. But because Georgia has a really hot and humid climate, there’s a lot of issues with growing soybeans in Georgia, one of those being diseases,” he says. “Frogeye leaf spot has been in the US for about 100 years, when it was first discovered here. But for a long time, soybeans couldn’t be grown very well in the South because of diseases like this. So in the 80s, there was a lot of research done for finding resistance to this disease, but there hasn’t been much character characterization of it on a molecular level. We know that certain genotypes or certain lines of soybeans have this resistance. We don’t know how it works very well. My research is focused on characterizing this resistance that we have, so that we can continue to use it better in the future.” The post The Bad Side of Growing up on a Farm Made Sam McDonald Want to be in Plant Science appeared first on Seed World.

Gurleen Kaur on Why the George Washington Carver Scholars Program is so Important

09/28/2022 7 min 20 sec

Gurleen Kaur is a PhD candidate at the University of Florida majoring in Horticultural Sciences and is slated to graduate in December 2022. She wants to work in the private industry in plant breeding after graduation. She works on tomato flavor improvement with Dr. Harry Klee using omics techniques, bioinformatics, and gene editing.  She sat down with Marc Zienkiewicz at the National Association of Plant Breeders annual meeting in Ames, Iowa, last month to talk about her work and the importance of something called the George Washington Carver Scholarship program, of which she is chair. “Over the years in most of the crops, most plant breeding efforts focused on quantity, or what we call yield. I like tomato flavor improvement as it showcases how important the quality is for the end users, consumers. In our case, the highlight of my work has been identifying tomato lines that are as good as commercial standards for yield and also tastes good to consumers,” she says. She also has teaching experience as a teaching assistant. She has served in many student organizations, organizing symposiums, field trips, workshops, online journal clubs, and professional development events. “I believe it’s crucial to get involved in the research community to exchange ideas, thoughts and experiences. It gives you an out of the box experience, and you’ll learn the differences between the theoretical and real life. The top lesson from all my experiences is to learn critical thinking and find solutions.” The post Gurleen Kaur on Why the George Washington Carver Scholars Program is so Important appeared first on Seed World.

Cassie Newman on Why There’s More to Peanuts Than You Think

09/27/2022 9 min 16 sec

Plant breeding student Cassie Newman specializes in peanut breeding. She’s a third year PhD student at North Carolina State University, where she directly integrated new genomic and phenomic technologies into a peanut breeding program which previously used only phenotypic recurrent selection for cultivar development.  Her project culminates in a genome wide association study where resistance to a devastating foliar disease, leaf spot, will be analyzed using the genomic and phenomic tools she developed.  She sat down with Marc Zienkiewicz at the recent meeting of the National Association of Plant Breeders in Ames, Iowa, to talk about her work in the fascinating world of peanuts and what drives her to be a prolific student. “I would describe myself as a renaissance woman. I really love picking up new hobbies, new activities outside of my career. One of the ones that I’ve been focused on recently is quilting, so making large quilts and, and giving them to family members and friends,” she says. “I think my mind gravitates to more detail-oriented projects, whether that be academically or in my free time. So that’s definitely true for quilting. I like that. It’s a very visual hobby, as well as it’s practical and can be actually used by people. So that’s definitely something that draws me to it.” The post Cassie Newman on Why There’s More to Peanuts Than You Think appeared first on Seed World.

Edgar Sierra Orozco Might Have Hit a Tomato Resistance Target Bullseye

08/12/2022 7 min 41 sec

Target spot, or early blight, is one of the most common diseases attacking leaves and stems of tomato. Edgar Sierra Orozco is a National Association of Plant Breeders (NAPB) Borlaug Scholar and PhD Candidate in the Horticultural Sciences department of the University of Florida. He works at the tomato breeding lab at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center under the guidance of Dr. Samuel Hutton. His project includes screening and mapping of resistance to target spot of tomato from several wild tomato species to ultimately provide the first ever target spot resistant tomato varieties. He sits down with Marc Zienkiewicz to talk about his work. Interview conducted this week at the NAPB annual meeting in Ames, Iowa. The post Edgar Sierra Orozco Might Have Hit a Tomato Resistance Target Bullseye appeared first on Seed World.

Why Andy Horgan Wears his Failed Startup Like a Badge of Honor

08/09/2022 14 min 10 sec

Andrew Horgan, National Association of Plant Breeders 2022 Borlaug Scholar and Texas A&M grad student, sits down to chat about working with fruit and how an experience with a failed coffee startup taught him some valuable lessons in business. Interview conducted today at the NAPB annual meeting in Ames, Iowa. Read More from NAPB: Didn’t Grow Up on a Farm? For Caitlyn Bruntz it was no… How a Texas College Football Rivalry Made Sarah Jones Want to… Why the Illinois Crop Improvement Association’s Counter-Season Services are a Powerful Tool The post Why Andy Horgan Wears his Failed Startup Like a Badge of Honor appeared first on Seed World.

How a Texas College Football Rivalry Made Sarah Jones Want to be a Plant Breeder

08/08/2022 9 min 4 sec

Sarah Jones is a PhD student in Plant Breeding in the Soynomics group at Iowa State University and a 2022 National Association of Plant Breeders Borlaug Scholar. Studying with Dr. Danny Singh, she researches phenotyping strategies to improve drought tolerance in soybean. Her love for plant breeding came from some unlikely places. “I have an identical twin sister. She’s a veterinarian. So we like to joke that she’s the animal doctor and I’m the soon-to-be plant doctor,” Jones says. Oh, and her love of plant breeding can be traced back to a carrot and a Texas college football rivalry. “In a grocery store I discovered the maroon carrot that a plant breeder at Texas A&M had developed. I grew up in a Texas Aggie football family. We were very strongly in favor of the Aggies and we love maroon and we thought it was hilarious that a Texas breeder got rid of the orange like the Longhorn orange color in a carrot. We thought it was pretty great,” she laughs. For those who don’t know, the Texas Aggies and Longhorns are two of the main football teams in Texas. The Aggies colors are maroon, the Longhorns orange. “And so it just came back to that maroon carrot and the football rivalry. The Aggies got the best of the Longhorns by developing the maroon carrot. I didn’t know that there was so much diversity in plants because I was so used to seeing orange carrots and then the fact that a maroon carrot showed up and it was something I had never seen. That’s where it all started.” The post How a Texas College Football Rivalry Made Sarah Jones Want to be a Plant Breeder appeared first on Seed World.

Lower Yields, Pest Infestations and More Hunger: Welcome to a Global Green Deal – A Seed World Strategy Webinar & Podcast

06/21/2022 38 min 2 sec

Imagine a world is 185 million more hungry people. According to USDA Economic Research Services data, if the Green Deal with Farm to Fork strategies are adopted globally that will be the new reality. Food prices will increase, overall production will decrease and quality of life even outside of food impoverished countries will suffer. The EU Commission says European Green Deal is a piece of climate-legislation made to transform the EU into a modern, resource efficient and competitive economy. However, the proposal is threatening productivity within the agriculture industry. In the next Seed World Strategy Webinar, we are taking a critical look at what a global green deal would look like, and postulating whether climate-smart policies can withstand the test of time.  What was the motivation behind the Green Deal? Panelists will teach us why the EU decided to move into a climate-driven policy, and what some of the behind the scenes and history looked like in creating and passing the deal. How would a global Green Deal affect the economy? Panelists will help us learn how the Green Deal is currently affecting the agriculture and seed sector in Europe but will also help us learn the ins and outs of what it would mean if other countries, such as the U.S., passed a similar policy as well. Can climate policies stand the test of time? Predicating the future is challenging, but with changing climates and a global desire to reduce agriculture’s impact on the environment and contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, is it possible for climate-smart policies to last the stand of time? Our Speakers:Petra LauxHead of business sustainability for Syngenta Crop Protection Kent NnadozieSecretary of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) The post Lower Yields, Pest Infestations and More Hunger: Welcome to a Global Green Deal – A Seed World Strategy Webinar & Podcast appeared first on Seed World.

Can You Defend Your Sustainability Practices? Are they Enough? – A Seed World Strategy Webinar

05/26/2022 44 min 31 sec

You can move your business to have a more sustainable future. It’s a big task, and it all starts with a conversation about sustainability. Sustainability is more than a buzz word these days. It’s everywhere in the political world: everyone wants to examine where climate change stems from and how to fix it.  Without a doubt, agriculturalists need to be involved in these conversations. USDA ERS reports U.S. agriculture emitted an estimated 698 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2018, with 12.3% of carbon dioxide, 36.2 percent as methane and 51.4 % as nitrous oxide.  It’s important for businesses to discuss and take steps to improve. But, in the world of seed production, what should you be doing or coaching customers to do? That’s the big question hanging in the air. In our webinar, we’ll address: -What sustainability steps to take at your company. While many companies have already started the steps to discuss sustainability, there’s always more advice you can get. Experts will help teach how to know what’s best for your operation and how to navigate sustainable practices.  -What to coach your customers. Do you talk to your customers about sustainability? Or do you even know if that should be something to talk about, whether it’s in terms of product application or their overall level as a steward of the land? Experts will help us learn how to have those conversations transparently. -How to implement and start getting sustainable. And finally: the hardest part… Follow through! Ensuring you follow through on your sustainability plan is a challenge, but not impossible. We’ll learn how to make implementation manageable for the future. Our Speakers: Kristen Richards, director of R&D, Formulation and Production, for FBSciencesKristen Richards began her professional career as a chemist working with polymers at BASF before transitioning into agriculture. For the past decade at FBSciences, she has transformed FBSciences’ product division, including building and managing a new lab, successfully bringing over 50 new products to market, establishing operating procedures for production to streamline and expand production capabilities, and developing innovative methods and techniques for consistency and quality control with naturally derived technologies. She currently leads the FBSciences Product Development Team as Director R&D, Formulation and Production. Richards has published in journals, presented posters at chemistry, biostimulant, and sustainable agriculture conferences, and received a Women Chemist Committee Merck Research Award in 2010. Bryan Perry — U.S. Head of Seeds & Traits for BASFCurrently US Head of Seeds & Traits for BASF. Has been with BASF for over 24-years in a variety of roles ranging from Sales, to Product Management, Market Management, Global Strategic Marketing, Integration workstream lead, and Regional Sales Director prior to staring current role on January 1st, 2022. Fifth generation to be actively involved with the family farm in NW Missouri. Attended the University of Missouri-Columbia for undergrad, with a focus on Agricultural Economics. Completed MBA in 2018 at UNC Chapel Hill – Kenan Flagler Business School. Lives in the Raleigh/Durham, NC area with his spouse and 3-kids. The post Can You Defend Your Sustainability Practices? Are they Enough? – A Seed World Strategy Webinar appeared first on Seed World.

How Can Big Data Teach Plants To Talk? – A Seed World Strategy Webinar

04/08/2022 46 min 40 sec

Are you helping your customers reach every potential when it comes to understanding data? Data doesn’t need to be unmanageable. Sure, there’s data coming in from every facet of agriculture — breeding data, agronomic data… even economic data! But that doesn’t mean customers should be overwhelmed by it. That’s where seed businesses come in. Businesses across the sector are looking at how to make data more accessible and transparent. But what are their recommendations to help customers out? We’ll hear from experts to teach us how to make data work for the customer, and in the end, teach our crops to talk to us.LEARNING POINTS: What can you learn from data?We’ll hear what different types of data you can pull all the way from the R&D side of plant breeding to the boots on the ground side in the field.How can you manage your data?What tools are out in the world to make data access easier? Experts will describe tools available to customers to better help their operation.How can you make your data actionable?When it comes down to it, data is useless if you don’t learn anything from it. Experts will help teach us how to make data actionable for customers to help in future field and R&D planning. Will there be more data in the future?No one can predict the future, but we’ll ask experts to ponder what the future of data looks like. Maybe one day, crops will really “talk” to us!  The post How Can Big Data Teach Plants To Talk? – A Seed World Strategy Webinar appeared first on Seed World.