Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68EUROPEAN-SEED.COM I EUROPEAN SEED I 33 EUROPEAN-SEED.COM I EUROPEAN SEED I 33 Locations share some characteristics that make them ideal for winter production. Koch says an ideal winter production site is difficult, if not impossible to find. “We look for a site that can offer the most advantages with the least amount of risk,” he says. “The site must be able to efficiently provide seed when it is needed in North America. Tropical locations tend to offer the highest level of flexibility of planting dates, often allowing year-round production. “Unfortunately, these sites tend to have year-round disease and pest pressure as well, creating the need for effective management strategies. Our genetics are well adapted to the growing conditions of North America, which can be different from sites in South America. Climate, soil conditions and pest pressure can all vary. Additionally, anytime seed is being grown in another country, local laws and regulations must be followed. This can include import/export requirements or differing biotechnology regulations.” Seed companies often have several and sometimes up to more than 100 breeding centers in many countries around the world, and that makes it necessary to consider a whole range of environmental and social factors. Most seedsmen would say that there are four primary characteristics that make a winter nursery location ideal: the climate, infrastructure, regulatory environment and a skilled workforce. CLIMATE Jose Luis Hernandez, who serves as research director for DuPont Pioneer, says the company has more than 100 breeding centers in 25 countries around the world. “There are a variety of environmental and social factors we consider,” he says. “Companies look for favourable environments for seed production, in particular climates with high temperatures, high levels of solar radiation and low humidity. This allows them to maximize seed production, as well as study the impact of heat stress and production under limited irrigation regimes, selecting for the best products to meet the global demand for seed,” says Hernandez. Companies look for locations that are not overly hot and where water can be managed, either with irrigation or in a location that does not have excessive rainfall during the critical portion of the year. Some locations have higher humidity, and this can increase the amount of certain fungal species not only on the leaves but also on the seed, and this makes a timely harvest essential. What’s best for one crop might not be best for another. Environmental conditions such as soil type, water, temperature, day length and solar radiation should match what’s best for production of the desired crop. Additionally, it’s important to recognize that some germplasm does not work in some winter nursery locations. “Early germplasm that you would find in North Europe does not do well in places such as Puerto Rico, while later germplasm that you would find in southern Europe does not do as well in other regions in South America.” A breeder has to do a good job of matching what germplasm goes to which winter nursery location. The later the material is planted in a winter nursery, the more the quality and quantity of seed generally goes down. So good planning and timely planting is absolutely crucial. INFRASTRUCTURE AND REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT Another characteristic that must be considered is a country’s infrastructure. Hernandez says DuPont Pioneer takes into consideration the ability to move seed into and out of a country. “Moving seed from one country to another can be challenging, so we look for countries with established and reliable agriculture infrastructure and shipping channels,” he says. Essentially, this comes down to speed — how quickly the crop can be produced, from planting to harvest, and shipped. C o u p l e d w i t h a c o u n t r y ’ s i n f r a s t r uct u re i s it s reg u l at or y environment. “It’s critical to work in countries with a favourable regulatory and business climate, including stable governments and regulations that promote research investment by protecting intellectual property,” Hernandez says. Michael Martin, Monsanto’s multi- season program lead agrees. “Stability in the political and economic conditions in the country being considered for winter production is important due to the various phytosanitary and regulatory policies associated with moving seed around the world,” he says. One should also note whether a location accepts GM technology for research and planting. “Places such as Hawaii have become more challenging due to local or additional regulations around GM traits and other farm management/ agronomic EUROPEAN-SEED.COM I EUROPEAN SEED I 33 THE ARID CLIMATE OF NORTHERN CHILE PROVIDES A UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT FOR AGRELIANT GENETICS’ CORN RESEARCH. PHOTOS: AGRELIANT GENETICS.