b'I N D U S T R Y N E W S Delivering the news you need to know. Submissions welcomeemail us at news@seedworldgroup.com. management program, Sun Queen began in 2011 and was tested at MSU and Pure-Seed Testing, Inc. in North Carolina. After excelling in USDA National Turf Evaluation Program trials at 18 U.S. locations, it is now commercially available. Sun Queen is co-owned by MAFES and PST and marketed by Pure Seed and Atlas Turf International, with Plant Variety Protection from the USDA.Texas A&M AgriLife Researchs Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center is launching a four-year initiative to strengthen the U.S. tomato industry against climate challenges, supported by an $8.4 million USDA-NIFA grant. The project aims to develop resilient, high-qual-Argentinas Bioceres Crop Solutions has receivedity tomato varieties and will involve collaboration with approval from the U.S. Department of Agricultureinstitutions such as the University of Florida, Michigan State University, and Cornell University, focusing on (USDA) for its genetically modified HB4 wheatgenomics, physiology, nutrition, and extension ser-technology for commercial use. The USDAvices. determined that HB4 wheat poses no greater plantThe U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has pest risk than conventional wheat, allowing itspartnered with agencies from Canada, Finland, Japan, production in the U.S., which is the fourth largestSouth Korea, and the UK to fund new international centers of excellence through its Global Centers wheat producer globally. This approval follows FDAcompetition. These centers aim to enhance bioec-endorsement for food and feed use, making the U.S.onomy research by tackling global challenges like crop resilience and sustainable fuel development. One the latest country to approve HB4 wheat, joiningnotable center is the Alliance for Socially Acceptable Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. & Actionable Plants (ASAP), led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, with support from inter-national partners such as the Research Council of Illinois Foundation Seeds, Inc. (IFSI) has acquiredFinland, Japan Science and Technology Agency, and sweet corn genetics from Del Monte Foods, enhanc- UK Research and Innovation.ing its position in the global processing industry. This acquisition builds on Del Montes legacy in sweet cornThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has production and aims to improve processing efficiencyawarded a $1 million, four-year grant to a Penn and plant habit. IFSI plans to leverage these geneticsState-led team of plant scientists and an econo-to introduce varieties that meet the evolving demandsmist to explore anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD), a of the global market. microbial-driven process aimed at weed manage-ment to support the transition from conventional Researchers at the University of Georgia (UGA) haveto organic farming systems. The projects primary identified an innovative solution to a major challengegoal is to improve the profitability and sustainability faced by plant geneticists: balancing disease resist- of organic vegetable and specialty crop production ance and plant growth. This breakthrough has thewhile facilitating the transition to organic farming. This potential to protect plants from disease while pro- will be achieved by optimizing and integrating ASD as moting higher biomass yields, supporting sustainablea biological weed-management strategy in specialty food supplies, biofuel production, lumber, and more,crop systems, with a focus on promoting soil health.according to a study detailed.Sun Queen, a new Bermuda grass variety, is gainingIllumina and LGC Biosearch Technologies have formed global attention for its performance on lawns, golfa strategic partnership to accelerate the use of courses, and sports fields. Developed by Melodeegenomics in agriculture. The collaboration combines Fraser, the first female graduate of MSUs turfgrassBiosearch Technologies Amp-Seq genotyping-by-98/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2024'