b'WHAT ANA-MAIZING CROP!A DEEP DIVE INTO CORN BREEDING PART 3MARKET ALIGNMENT, BREEDING INNOVATION AND CORN OF 2045.BY: MARCEL BRUINS AND TREENA HEINI ts critical to keep a close watch on thethe Board; and Ruslan Martsyn,egies. For this, we collect every year the breeding of crops at the core of humanCommercial Director at Companyfarmers and market needs by crop segment survival. Corn is one of these crops andMais in Ukraine. and by country through our local salesits importance as a food and feed source is Laurent Bettinger, Corn Breedingand marketing teams across Europe, says only expected to increase.Leader at Lidea in France. Knczl. Disease resistance, heat stress In Parts 1 and 2 of this series, SeedJean-BrunoBeaufum,Headbehaviour, stability and local adaptation World Europe delved into types of corn usedofTemperateMaizeResearchare key features of the product profiles that in European corn breeding, yield gains,Limagrain Field Seeds. we are targeting. We have long-term targets resistance and pests, new threats and access Pter Knczl, Head of Europethat we do not change every year; however,to germplasm.Field Crops Seeds Development atwe are agile enough to redirect efforts to Now we present a look at corn of theSyngenta in Hungary. new segments when we see it will be needed future, as breeding efforts continue to sup- ElliotHeffner,EuropePlantby farmers.port increased yield of this crop as well asBreedingLeaderatCortevaSimilarly, Limagrains strategic mar-an increase in the diversity of its applica- Agriscience. keting, product development and sales teams tions. How do the leading European cornwork together to ensure the company meets breeding companies make sure they areMARKET ALIGNMENT market needs. On top of that, Limagrain connected with evolving market demandsAll breeding companies use carefullyalso works on different interprofessional relating to many different traits? And whatselected strategies to ensure they under- consortium projects, says Beaufum.will corn look like 20 years from now? stand the needs of farmers and their cus- Corteva strives for constant interaction As before, responses from maizetomers, and they adjust their breeding ofwith farmers through its commercial and breeders of seven leading European maizespecific crops accordingly. Corn is certainlyresearch team, says Heffner. He adds that a breeding companies are included: no exception. strong link between growers, breeders, and Karl-Heinz Camp, Head of theLidea has a dedicated marketing orthe greater seed sector is critical to ensure Cereals, Corn and Soya Divisionsbusiness line team that gathers and syn- breeding goals and selection decisions at Delley Semences et Plantes SAthesizes information on the needs of grow- are aligned with grower needs to achieve (DSP) in Switzerland. ers. This is given to the research team,successful market introduction and top Ludwig Feldmeier, Maize Breederwhich builds strategies to reach the definedon-farm performance. at Freiherr von Moreau Saatzuchttargets. Martsyn at Company Mais explains GmbH, in Germany. Syngenta has various internal processesthat in Ukraine, farmers are very demand-Ivan Halechko, Leading Breeder;ensuring that growers needs are captureding and competition between breeding and ViktorBorysov,Chairmanofand incorporated into corn breeding strat- seed production companies is very high. 18ISEED WORLD EUROPEISEEDWORLD.COM/EUROPE | NOVEMBER 2024'