b'Boosting seed qualityand germinationGermination and early seedling growthGermination at high temperaturesrepresentative of the growers real-life are critical but vulnerable stages in aRijk Zwaans current projects are focused onconditions. To understand those conditions, plants life. To ensure the best start, plantimproving germination rates and seedlingwe connect with our colleagues from other nurseries carefully manage these earlyquality under tougher circumstances.Rijk Zwaan departments who visit growers stages. How ever, not all crops are raisedVarious strategies are being employedand validate the eff ects of our treatments in controlled nurseries, and sometimesto achieve this, according to Agnieszka:in practice. This close collaboration enables they must endure periods of heat, cold orWe are using traditional methods,us to create fi tting assays and fi nd the drought. With climate change increasingsuch as seed priming, alongside newerimprovements we are looking for, she the frequency of extreme weather, it isapproaches that explore benefi cial seedcontinues. important to prepare seeds for thesetraits in challenging conditions, such as the challenging conditions. ability to germinate at high temperatures.The future of seed technologyAdditionally, recognising our responsibilityAdvances in seed technology can help to In Rijk Zwaans Seed Technology department,to care for the world around us, wereaddress various societal issues, now and were improving seed germination and seed - investigating environmentally friendlyin the future. The world is facing major ling growth under a wide range of conditions,substances that promote faster andchallenges, including the eff ects of climate including extreme temperatures and variable,more resilient germination. By combiningchange, overuse of pesticides, and threats suboptimal watering, says Agnieszka Doroszuk these approaches, we aim to enhanceto food security. Advances in seedvan der Wurff , Research Manager, Seedseed performance and resilience so thattechno logy off er solutions to these Technology. This enables seeds and seedlingscrops can thrive despite challengingchallenges andespecially when coupled to reach a more robust developmental stageenvironmental conditions.with genetic solutionshelp the seed faster, which gives them an advantage at thesector to make the transition to a highly start and allows growers to achieve higherSolutions for growerssustainable industry, states Agnieszka.total crop yields. Were also preparingThe ultimate aim is to ensure that seed seeds for modern growing solutions liketreatments produce clear, visible improve-hydroponic cultivation, which addressesments in seed performance. The key climate and water challenges, she adds. success factor is having reliable assays Preparing seeds for modern growing solutionsRZN-seedworld-wt5-240916.indd 6 16/09/2024 13:46'