b'Seed treatment products are being developed that will optimize the performance of actives, additives, and biologicals on seeds. Photo: Incotecinitial vigour, speed of establishment andfirst commercial launch for corn and sun- tive cropping systems to mitigate climate leaf cover, and a host of other physiologicalflower in 2020. Currently, we have a broadchange and enhance the efficiency and sus-characteristics suited to regenerative cul- offering of microplastic-free solutions,tainability of agriculture. The project com-tivation techniques are carefully observedhe says. His company is commercializingpared conventional cropping systems with and selected. This can result in varietiesnew-generation microplastic-free film coatsmore efficient ones in three locations in that adapt well to a multi-crop association,both in Europe as well as in Brazil. BesidesItaly, incorporating practices such as cover which can be used for our sowing underthat, we are developing seed treatmentcrops, legumes in rotation, optimization of cover and companion plant solutions, forproducts that will optimize the perfor- inputs, and feasibility studies on Payment example, Montet says. mance of actives, additives, and biologicalsEcosystem Services (PES). The project out-Another example is the developmenton seeds. comes demonstrate the viability of regen-of cover crops that attract beneficial organ- Our company has developed catcherative agriculture. In the PLOUTOS isms, increasing their populations by acrops for decades and even intensified itsproject, regenerative practices combined factor of four, five, or even seven, and ofactivities in the past years, says Molthan.with decision support systems (DSS) ena-cover crops with a high potential for addi- Under the Fit4NEXT label, the companybled the certification of 6485 VER carbon tional carbon storage, increasing sequestra- offers its own catch crop mixtures world- credits from vineyards with a more sustain-tion by a factor of two or three. wide that can be optimally integrated intoable approach. Since 2020, 15 landowners We have made some incredible stridesexisting crop rotations. The newly launched,have implemented regenerative practices recently in alliances that further demon- digital Fit4NEXT Field-Check tool nowlike inter-row grassing with cover crops.strate our regenerative agriculture com- also makes the performance and potentialvan der Voort shares that in the past mitment to farmers and the planet, saysof catch crops visible and measurable. It30 years they have steadily increased their Allerding. For example, we entered into aprovides farmers with concrete figures fororganic production area which is, by them, partnership with the Potato Sustainabilitythe parameters nitrogen and carbon as wellregarded as a higher level of regenerative Alliance to enhance on-farm sustainabilityas for humus formation and CO 2fixationagriculture. This is leading the way to more reporting for potato growers. And togetherfor the first time, Molthan adds. sustainability and regenerative agriculture. with CNH Industrial, we are connectingHorta, a business unit in BASF,We are in the process of formulating sus-digital applications to better serve farmers.that has digital tools that trace and showtainable seed production and breeding prac-And there are many other examples. regenerative sustainability impacts, hastices (of which regenerative is an important Hoeltgebaum indicates that his com- participated in two projects funded bypart also). pany already has several products in itsthe European Commission: AGRESTIC portfolio which are free of microplastics.and PLOUTOS, says Manstretta. TheSWE: WILL CROPS GROWN ACCORD-Were pioneers in promoting it, with theAGRESTIC project promotes innova- ING TO REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE 16ISEED WORLD EUROPEISEEDWORLD.COM/EUROPE'