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INSIDE DISCOVER THE NEWEST PRODUCTS THAT WARD OFF CEREAL PESTS October 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM Continuity and Consistency Contribute to WSAs Success BREEDERS PROGRAM GOES AGAINST the GRAIN Achieving Low Maintenance Turf FEED THE BEES Genetic Diversity Plays Key Role in Wheat Breeding PIONEER. LEADER. CHAMPION. VISIONARY. TECHNOLOGY DRIVES EVERYTHING EVEN WHEN WE WERE MOVING INTO HYBRIDS AND SINGLE CROSSES AND ITS EVEN MORE SO TODAY. OWEN NEWLIN A A 187405 S. Plymouth Ind. Rd. Plymouth WA 99346 Contact Paul Hedgpeth cell 509-832-0287 office 509-783-4052 paulcolumbiariverseed.com www.columbiariverseed.com Scan here for tech sheets as they become available OCTOBER 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 1 CONTENTSOCTOBER2015 Strength in Relationships At the Western Seed Association meeting members find value in developing long-lasting relationships. Pest Listing to Ease Phytosanitary Issues An expert working group classifies hundreds of insects around the world. The Risks of Regulation A new report highlights the unintended consequences of policy which hinders European agriculture. Making an Impact Check out the newest additions to Seed Worlds Top 100 most transformational people in the industry. Cover Crop Trends No longer a fad cover crops gain ground. Achieving Low- Maintenance Turf Grasses compete on the gridiron. Researchers search for the ones that stand up to traffic and are low maintenance. Wheat Genome Sequencing Researchers make progress on sequencing the wheat genome but more funding is needed. Features 08 12 14 16 24 32 38 3824 46 2 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 CONTENTSOCTOBER2015 In Every Issue Feed the Bees Discover what you can do to help protect pollinators. Against the Grain Check out the story behind Francis Glenn and his niche breeding efforts. Treaty Helps to Feed the World The International Treaty for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture makes progress. Features continued 46 50 54 Strategy Discover the newest products that help to ward off cereal pests. Research Showcase Cross Pollination Regulatory Roundup World Status Industry News Since 1915 28 62 66 68 70 72 78 Columns 44 80 International Agricultural Development Let Dennis Thompson take you through his journeys in Africa as he explores the importance of collaborations. Giant Views Risa DeMasi American Seed Trade Association chair listens to feedback and prepares to set benchmarks for the associations communications initiatives. 50 WEBWHERE ONTHE For bonus content and more information on these issues check out SeedWorld.com. Here youll find videos extra photos and charts and notes from our journalists. Below are just a few highlights from this issue. SeedWorld.comwebinar Want to learn more about products that will help to protect cereal seed. Register for Seed Worlds Strategy webinar which will be held Nov. 5 at 2 p.m. Eastern. SeedWorld.comGiantViews Discover some of the latest advancements in plant breeding as Seed Worlds Shawn Brook sits down with movers and shakers at the National Association of Plant Breeders annual meeting held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Plant Breeding Coordinating Committee. WorldSeed.org To access the International Seed Federations database of pests by crop from the article on pg. 12 visit the above link and click on Trade-Related Topics and then Phytosanitary Matters. Then click on Pest Lists. Photography by Cody Kilgore Blackcap Photography Known to many in the industry as a visionary leader philanthropist champion and mentor Owen Newlin is the stuff legends are made of. His dedication and contributions to the industry are both tangible and intangible as his ability to campaign and fundraise has been tapped by many to support industry initiatives. At the age of 87 Newlin remains active and regularly attends industry meetings. On the Cover Our SoftSize method means more hard prots. In most seed bags an average of six seeds out of 100 will never germinate. Those damaged cracked and lost seeds will represent yield your customers will never see. Dollars theyll never count. With Popps SoftSize method there are fewer kernels cracked chipped or broken. In an 80000-kernel bag adding even three more viable seeds per hundred means 2400 more that will germinate. Cold test. Warm test. Field test. 2400 more seeds emerging. 2400 more ears yielding. SoftSize... its a yield advantage your customers will quickly notice and then demand. Contact us for details on how easy and afford- able germinating more sales can be. Popp Engineering Inc. PO Box 1871 Ames Iowa 50010 USA Email jpopppoppengineeringinc.com Tel 515-232-6118 Fax 515-232-8814 Creativity Professionalism Responsiveness Innovation 6 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 OCTOBER 2015 THE INKERS MAIN OFFICE 1395-A S. Columbia Road PMB 360 Grand Forks ND 58201-9907 SUBSCRIPTIONS Seed World is published six times a year. North American subscription rates are one year USD 70 two years USD 120. The international rate for one year is USD 200. To subscribe please email subscribeissuesink.com. WANT MORE SEED WORLD Follow us online at facebook.comSeedWorld twitter.comseedworldmag SeedWorld.com 100YearsOfGrowth.com Q. WHEN YOURE WORKING TO TACKLE A CHALLENGE WHAT ADVICE OR QUESTION DO YOU KEEP IN MIND 1. Dont strive for perfection nothings ever perfect. Instead strive to do something unique. 2. Break it down into micro-goals so its not so overwhelming. 3. Tackle the hardest part of the challenge first and know that patience will reward you. 4. Always remember the goal of the challenge. The challenge may take you in unexpected directions but in the end focus on what the goal is and aim for that. 5. Try to stop think of the big picture and the steps needed to be successful. Seeking input always helps add a different perspective to the challenge. Please recycle where facilities exist. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States. CIRCULATION Dean French dfrenchissuesink.com CONTRIBUTORS Risa DeMasi Kellye Eversole Sandi Karstens Dennis Thompson Brian Wallheimer Eric Watkins Chengyan Yue EDITORIAL BOARD R.B. Halaby AgriCapital Betty Jones-Bliss Purdue University John Schoenecker HM.CLAUSE Jim Schweigert Gro Alliance Karen Withers Pennington Seed PUBLISHER Shawn Brook sbrookissuesink.com EDITOR Julie Deering jdeeringissuesink.com STAFF EDITORS Mark Halsall Lindsay Hoffman Shannon Schindle Marc Zienkiewicz MARKETING Craig Armstrong carmstrongissuesink.com Katelyn Daman kdamanissuesink.com Hiten Shah hshahissuesink.com Grayson Smart gsmartissuesink.com CREATIVE Theresa Kurjewicz Lesley Nakonechny DIGITAL Nick Buhr Kyle Dratowany Jill Hollosi Caleb MacDonald Lynne Roy 8 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 I N 1899 A GROUP of seeds- men formed the Western Seed Association to help facilitate the seed business and discuss industry issues. Known by many as The Western the association still maintains its original mission to host an annual meeting based in Kansas City Mo. for industry members to meet and discuss seed issues and to facilitate trade. According to Joe Stephens WSA president in 1986 and a member since 1958 Kansas City was chosen for a few reasons. Missouri was chosen as the meeting place since the rail corridor at the time was a major hub for seed trade within the United States Stephens says. Since trains were the main mode of transporta- tion this was a good location for buyers and sellers to meet after harvest. In the early 1900s it was determined that the conference would be held each year in November when harvest would normally be complete and most sellers and buyers could gather to trade seed. The trading floor allowed industry members to meet and trade seed such as timothy clover and alfalfa and build trad- ing relationships Stephens says. Most times back in the day an agreement of trade was completed with a handshake. Some things dont change. Members of the 116-year-old Western Seed Association find value in continuity and consistency. Shannon Schindle Garth Kaste who currently serves as WSA president stresses that consistency in timing and location is what makes the Western a valuable tool for buyers and sellers timing is everything. The turf forage and native seed industry can all come together after the seed harvest with a good idea of new crop inventories Kaste says. This allows buyers and sellers to meet each others needs at the time of the meeting. Stephens who retired in 1996 remains a loyal supporter and volunteers each year at the conference. Its an informal meeting that offers members the oppor- tunity to see new products meet distribu- tors and build relationships he says. Growing With the Times Wendell Howard 2014 president of the WSA says the organization has remained strong throughout the past century due to industry interest. Its a very popular conference because membership is affordable and the meeting itself is simple for members to conduct business Howard says. It is simple to book appointments and meet with various distributors and customers. Howard shares that opportunities at the Western have grown due to its mem- bership base. Today there are not only members from the United States but there are also foreign entities about 20 percent he says. The Western today helps to facili- tate trade from around the globe. There is real value in attending the conference and I wouldnt miss it for the world. Don Wertman WSA president in 2001 explains that the name is a bit of a misnomer since the association has grown not only in size but also geo- graphically. The Western in the early days was a way for the upper mid-western seed industry to meet but today members come from locations on the west and east coasts Canada and from overseas Wertman says. Geographically mem- bership has become international. He adds that growth in the past 30 to 40 years has also evolved around further trade opportunities. While forage turf and native seed trade has always been the norm for the association we now have grown into conservation seed and cover crops Wertman says. Its these new business inroads that have also contributed to geographical growth for the WSA. Jesse Smart 1991 WSA president and his wife Susan currently manage the WSA convention. They say that its the Time Tested 1 001 831 324 0585 www.agbiotech.net B R E E D P R O T E C T R E A P 10 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 uniqueness of the association that helps maintain its strong membership. The Western serves the needs of a section of the seed industry that nothing else meets Jesse says. This one is unique and why the asso- ciation has more than 400 members including more than 50 foreign companies. Smart has been attending the Western for 50 years. There are always new distribu- tors and suppliers to meet with each year Smart says. He notes that roughly 12 to 15 new members are added every year with attendance at roughly 600 to 700-plus people each year. Howard adds that whether you are a distributor or cus- tomer you can set your own agenda at the pace you want. I will book my appoint- ments and see foreign mem- bers one day and local the next he says. Its low key and I set the pace. It was a real privilege to be president of the WSA. Time-Tested Traditions The other unique aspect of the association is its long-standing traditions of which there are many. The WSA does not hold any political positions and does not lobby Wertman explains. While the WSA is a member of other seed associations such as the American Seed Trade Association the main vision remains as a source to facilitate trade and support the U.S. seed industry. The other long-standing tradition is maintaining and building seed business rela- tionships. Everyone will tell you that there are many long-term rela- tionships built at the Western each and every year Wertman says. Some business relation- ships are now in their third and fourth generation. Its a rarity in the business world to maintain business relationships for 50 60 and 70 years but not at the Western. The meetings now are not only to meet others in the seed business but also to discuss how members can continue to work together in the future Kaste adds. Today the Western also offers educational pres- entations and a chance to exchange information which have been added to the agenda in recent years. ASTAs Farm and Lawn Seed Divisions hold meetings during the Western and the Field Seed Institute of North America also meets during this time. According to Kaste the association will continue to see future growth by remaining consistent. While the Western has evolved through the years it is the organizations consistency that keeps members coming back each year he says. SW WESTERN SEED ASSOCIATION PAST PRESIDENTS 2014 Wendell Howard 2013 Mike Baker 2012 Kurt Austermann 2011 Terry Peters 2010 Bob ODonnell 2009 Steve Tubbs 2008 Gayle Stegmann 2007 Tom Lutgen 2006 Don Berry 2005 Ronnie Stapp 2004 David Knutson 2003 Ken Fearday 2002 Thomas Strachota 2000-01 Donald Wertman 1999 Doyle Jacklin 1998 Art Armbrust 1997 Tom Voges 1996 Dan Swindell 1995 Dean Urmston 1994 Mike Hughes 1993 Hugh MacWilliam 1992 Wm. J. Whitacre 1991 Jesse R. Smart 1990 Jim Gilbreath 1989 Kent Schulze 1988 James L. Carnes 1987 James Billings 1986 Joseph Stephens 1985 Royce Richardson 1984 George Jones 1983 Fred Clark 1982 Gail E. Sharp 1981 Arnold Terpstra 1980 Roy A. Edwards 1979 James Girardin 1978 Frank Bergamini 1977 Charles Moses 1976 Charles Scott 1975 Jerry Peterson 1974 Ross Syler 1973 Hal Walton 1972 Herman Schulte 1971 Alan Hick 1970 Cliff Hill 1969 John Sherrill 1968 Gould Metcalf 1967 William Teweles 1966 Ted Klugman 1965 Robt. L. Thedinger 1964 Earl W. Seldon 1963 E. F. Mangelsdorf 1962 Robert Pease 1961 J. W. McMannama 1960 Ward Alderman 1959 Robert Appleman 1958 Herman Jolosky 1957 Robert Sexauer 1956 Carl Roth 1955 Walter Wesson 1953-54 Harry Hirsch 1952 E. Mangelsdorf 1951 Robert Pommer 1950 Charles Sinn 1949 Raul Stewart 1947-48 John Nicholson 1946 Elmer Sexauer 1944-45 Stanley Folsom 1942-43 B. F. Sheehan 1940-41 List Peppard 1938-39 Earl M. Page 1936-37 J. W. Mathys 1934-35 Berkeley Michael 1930-33 Carl R. Chesmore 1926-29 Max Wilheimi 1920-25 F. W. Mangelsdorf 1915-19 H. A. Johns Garth Kaste of Kaste Seeds serves as 2015 Western Seed Association president. Note While the association dates back to 1899 the history of recorded presidents available only dates back to 1915. 12 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 THE INTERNATIONAL SEED industry has been making steady progress in reducing technical trade barri- ers in particular those related to phytosanitary issues. Even with the work being done to develop a seed- specific International Standard on Phytosanitary Measures ISPM countries can still impose restrictions using unnecessary phytosanitary requirements. But Ric Dunkle American Seed Trade Association senior director for seed health and trade says the international seed industry will supplement the seed-specific ISPM with a pest list. We are trying to describe the pest listing initiative as a project that fits into the standard and we hope that the initiative will become an informational appendix to the standard Dunkle says noting that the pest listing activity is also a stand alone process that will help countries con- duct pest risk assessments. The pest listing efforts are an initiative of the International Seed Federation in which groups of experts are going crop by crop and tabulating all of the pests that countries collectively regulate on each seed species. ASTA is actively involved on this initiative. Industry experts evaluate associated pests crop by crop to help improve seed trade. Julie Deering For example Dunkle says if you look up tomato seed theres going to be about 120 pests that countries collec- tively regulate. The experts go through the scientific lit- erature on each of those pests and do a mini risk assess- ment he says. They deter- mine whether or not seed is a pathway look at the distribu- tion of the pathogen in the world and provide informa- tion on seed testing methods and phytosanitary treatment options. All this is fundamental information. During this first screen one of the big things experts are trying to accomplish is to determine if seed is in fact a pathway. There are many many pathogens that coun- tries regulate when seed is not even a pathway Dunkle says. We are trying to go through the science and come up with very particular references that document which pathogens are technically justified and which ones arent. To date these pest risk assessments have been done for pepper seed cucumber lettuce melon spinach and onion. All six of these have been peer-reviewed. For pepper seed Dunkle says there were about 102 associated pathogens and about 80 percent of those WHEREON THE WEB To access the database of pests by crop visit the International Seed Federations website worldseed.org and go to Trade-Related Topics and then Phytosanitary Matters. Then click on Pest Lists. Efforts Ease Phytosanitary Issues To date pest risk assessments have been done for pepper seed cucumber lettuce melon spinach and onion. turned out not to be techni- cally justified. Dunkle says the process is very methodical and tedious. This work is being done under the auspices of the International Seed Federation and it continues with six more crops nearing completion. Then Dunkle says there will be another round Phase 2. There will be another 20 or so crops that the expert groups will assess. Word is getting out and these efforts are gaining momentum Dunkle says noting that hes been able to use this information to benefit ASTA members. For exam- ple if we have a member company that tries to get an import permit from a coun- try then we look at the pests they want to regulate on the import permit. Now we can go back to this database and present detailed scientific information to the U.S. Department of Agricultures Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service which then negotiates with those countries to get those pests off of their require- ments. So its moving in the right direction. SW Countries collectively regulate about 120 pests for tomato seed. There will be another 20 or so crops that the expert groups will assess. . . . EVEN in the TOUGHEST CONDITIONS. BREDfor SUCCESS As the leader in breeding high-yield salt tolerant alfalfa varieties for over 35-years SW Seed is a company on a mission. We cut our teeth on the toughest stressors much of our initial RD took place around the base of the former Tulare Lake in Central California where soil conditions are high in salinity and subject to blistering heat drought and pests leading to the creation of varieties with exceptional agronomic performance and able to withstand the rigors of these and other demanding conditions. Today worldwide breeding production and distribution teams allow us to provide farmers with the very best alfalfa seed varieties producing high quality alfalfa yields even in the most challenging environments. Maximize your yields and prots with these salt tolerant varieties SW8421S SW9720 or SW9215. Call 559.884.2535 for a dealer near you. www.swseedco.com unparalleled yield in sub prime soils high protein content forage production new variety breeding for salt tolerance Great products. New technologies. From the folks who focus on alfalfa. 14 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 THE TRADE BODY for Britains agricultural supply industry known as Ag Industries Confederation AIC assessed the risks and opportunities to farming in the United Kingdom. The study found that single-issue policy- making within the UK and Europe is reducing Britains ability to achieve its objective of producing more from less. Titled Food Supply in the Balance the reports shows an imbalance between opportunities and threats in British agri- culture that in economic terms could be as much as 5.9 billion. The AIC calls on policymakers to address this imbalance by working with industry to develop adequate modeling that ensures the cumulative effects of regulation are taken into account and are based on sound data. Conducted during the past two years the study investigated the organizations assertion that policy decisions were being made without an understanding of the cumulative effects. Independent busi- ness analysts from the Anderson Centre were commissioned to develop a way to investi- gate the cumulative effects of the opportunities and threats. According to AIC the research drew on experts from dozens of aca- demic commercial and trade organiza- tions to identify the major opportunities and threats to UK farm output over the next 15 years which ranged from animal disease and environmental controls to market volatility. The report identified 10 key threats including six that arise from increased regulation. Looking at the wheat sector analysts identified opportunities as new technol- ogy and advanced genetics and threats as reduced pesticide availability resistant weeds and limits to fertilizer efficiency. The study estimated that Britains wheat production might meet only half of its full potential between now and 2030 if cumulatively the UK agricultural industry bears all the consequences of the threats without benefiting from any of the oppor- tunities offered by new technology. Given that the threats far outweigh the opportunities in this study we believe that our estimates are very conservative says David Caffall AIC chief executive. These indicative numbers support the initial concern of the AIC board. They make it clear that there is a need for the whole industry to take the challenges discovered in this report seriously. From Theory to Practice Yorkshire farmer Paul Temple says the study underscores a fundamental problem facing producers following the European Commissions ban on three types of neonicotinoid insecticides in 2013. When the European Union banned farmers from using an important pesti- cide a year and a half ago it confirmed the law of unintended consequences he says. As a result Im applying more pes- ticides with less efficiency or precision. Thats bad for the environment increases cost and puts food supply at risk. This is what happens when regulators make decisions based on the emotional need to do something rather than on what science tells us. Temple who chaired two workshops that contributed to the AIC report says Farming has and will rise to the chal- lenge of producing safe and affordable food however that success has created inexpensive food whose production is neither understood nor properly valued. Modifying methods of production by banning products without the benefit of science and through thoughtless regula- tion upsets a delicate balance of supply on a large scale. Thats the power behind the new AIC report the economic modeling behind the figures have a robustness that hasnt been put into practice before and prop- erly show the serious consequence of policymakers getting it wrong. A reliable food supply and a healthy environment require the same things an economically sustainable farm business and the proper engagement of good science. ... Too many of our regulations are threats to both. SW A new report by the Ag Industries Confederation in the United Kingdom maintains flawed policymaking and increased restrictions on farmers are among the factors keeping British agriculture from meeting its full potential. Mark Halsall THE RISKS OF REGULATION 2015 Bayer CropScience LP 2 TW Alexander Drive Research Triangle Park NC 27709. Always read and follow label instructions. Bayer the Bayer Cross Liberty LibertyLink and the Water Droplet Design are registered trademarks of Bayer. For additional product information call toll-free 1-866-99-BAYER 1-866-992-2937 or visit our website at www.BayerCropScience.us. High-performingGenetics Excellent Weed Control Real Yield In the real world missed weeds compromise real yield. The LibertyLink system is simply a better solution that ensures you dont lose yield from missed weeds. Choose LibertyLink and Liberty to maximize real yields with high-performing genetics and better weed control. Play the game at RealYieldGame.com for a chance to instantly win a John Deere combine. FOUNDERSSERIES PART5OF6 No other words are needed to define Owen Newlins service to the seed industry and agriculture in general. Here Newlin and four others are recognized as part of Seed Worlds Founders Series in celebration of its 100-year anniversary. Julie Deering and Brian Wallheimer SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT of Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc. Champion for and Chair of the U.S. Grains Council. President of the American Seed Trade Association. President of the Board of Regents State of Iowa. Iowa State University Foundation Governor. Regardless of the title given to Owen Newlin theres one characteristic youre sure to associate with him committed. At the age of 87 this tall-statured man with a friendly smile can be found in meetings relating to the seed industry agricul- ture and fundraising efforts around the country. He stays up on the issues and works to keeps his mind sharp. Through the years Newlin has developed the reputation as a highly respected leader in the seed industry a philanthropic pioneer and a champion for research and higher education. The son of Jay Newlin one of the original founders of Pioneer he basically grew up on the Pioneer farm in Johnston Iowa. Not far from there he earned his bachelors and masters in agronomy from Iowa State University. Having peaked his interest in plant sciences Newlin decided to continue his education and pursue a doctoral degree in plant breeding and genetics from the University of Minnesota. During his days of undergraduate and graduate work Newlin looked up to George F. Sprague and Louis M. Thompson at Iowa State University and E.H. Rinke at the University of Minnesota. All were mentors and stimulators Newlin says. I learned a lot about genetics and corn breeding from them he adds. We didnt have biotech in those days. It was difficult to make progress but progress was made. During the latter part of that time we were increasing the average corn yield per acre by 1.5 to 2 percent per year. Committed. 16 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 OCTOBER 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 17 After completing his doctorate in 1955 Newlin made his start in the seed industry. As a production research assistant Pioneer Hi-Bred International had charged him with enhancing seed quality and yield. During the late 1950s Newlin first got involved with the American Seed Trade Association ASTA and he started to build his network of seed industry peers. Since then Newlin says the association and its membership have been through a great deal of change. Theres been a lot of consolidation but thats inevitable he explains. It happens in all industries. In fact Newlin says it has happened slower in the seed industry than in others. After several promotions Newlin became president of Pioneers central division in 1967. He was instrumental in the development of Pioneers unparalleled agronomy service and wanted to transfer the maximum genetic potential of hybrid corn to farmers. At Pioneer we believed research and technology were key so we put a lot of resources in those areas he shares. But you also had to have the other pieces agronomy service sales and marketing production as well as finance. In 1970 Pioneer asked Newlin to serve as its representative to the U.S. Grains Council USGC. Working very closely with the National Corn Growers Association Iowa Corn Growers Association and the USGC Newlin pushed for yield advances and opportunities to help farmers better understand the envi- ronment they were operating in. Through the years he led several groups of farmers on trade missions through the USGC whose mission is to develop new export markets for grain corn and grain sorghum. Its very important to get farmers to understand the impor- tance of international trade Newlin says explaining that after going on these missions farmers would come back as advo- cates for exporting grain corn and grain sorghum. Today Victor Miller a farmer involved with the USGC describes Newlin as a humble visionary. Owen is one of those rare people who can see what needs to be done Miller says. He can look at a situation and analyze it for what is there and see what needs to change. Not only was Newlins leadership sought by those involved with the USGC but he was instrumental in helping establish the checkoff programs in eight key corn-producing states and beyond. His work helped producers have a more consistent voice a need in the 70s and 80s. In 1986 he was elected senior vice president of Pioneer Hi-Bred International where he would remain until stepping down and retiring in 1993 and retiring from the board of direc- tors in 1998. Working in the seed industry has been very rewarding very challenging and extremely interesting Newlin says. Theres a great deal of opportunity here for those who are interested. The scientific knowledge required is very demanding but very rewarding. You see this in enrollment numbers across col- leges of agriculture throughout the United States. One of the important areas is microbiology and genetics. Looking back Newlin says Technology drives everything even when we were moving into hybrids and single crosses and its even more so today. The insertion of traits into germplasm through biotechnology has transformed the industry. When looking at the future of the seed industry Newlin believes one of the biggest challenges it must overcome is some peoples lack of acceptance of genetically-modified organisms. Eventually it will come Newlin says noting that there were also very negative attitudes when hybrid corn was introduced. We need more enhanced and improved communications about the safety and benefits of GMOs and on nutrition that might help. But he reminds us that the adoption of GMOs by farmers has moved much faster than that of hybrid corn when it was first launched. Theres no doubt in Newlins mind that the seed industry is dominated by technological advancements. In talking with early-career individuals today Newlin encour- ages them to get involved with the ASTA and its activities. He says one can learn a great deal about the importance of intel- lectual property protection and the improved movement of seed between countries. Today Newlin keeps up on the issues through his continued work at ASTA and the USGC. Active in these organizations for more than 45 years Newlin currently serves as ASTAs delegate to the USGC. Under Newlins leadership ASTA has brought more than 20 seed trade representatives from across the industry into the council. And he is responsible for bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars to support various seed industry events and initiatives. Owen is a tireless supporter of ASTAs activities and is always volunteering to assist the ASTA team when we need extra horse- power to garner support for our activities says Andy LaVigne ASTA president and CEO. He is never shy to ask on our behalf and very few people can tell him no. LaVigne says he first met Newlin at an ASTA board meeting in Amelia Island Fla. before he had officially started working for the association. Jim Tobin introduced us and while I didnt know Owen from Adam he shook my hand looked me in the eye and said anything I can do for you dont hesitate to call me. Jim later told me about Owens background and the exper- tise he brought to the seed industry. And to today Owen has always been there when Ive needed his help and guidance. Owen is a tireless supporter of ASTAs activities and is always volunteering to assist the ASTA team when we need extra horsepower. Andy LaVigne 18 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 Dont judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant. Robert Louis Stevenson Today Ejeta is a distin- guished professor of plant breeding genetics and international agriculture at Purdue and serves as executive director of the Purdue Center for Global Food Security. J.C. Hackleman Once called soybeans greatest missionary J.C. Hackleman was responsible for explo- sive growth of soybean as a crop in Illinois as well as educating countless farmers on methods for increasing their yields. Born near Carthage Ind. in 1888 Hackleman received a bachelors degree from Purdue University and a masters from the University of Missouri where he would serve as instructor and assistant professor of crops Extension. Gebisa Ejeta worked to improve sorghum hybrids making them resistant to drought and the devastating Striga weed. His work has dramatically increased the production and availability of one of the worlds five principal grains. LaVigne is not the only one with stories such as this. Many in the industry have a friend in Owen Newlin. He remains committed to the cause and is a true cham- pion for the seed industry. Gebisa Ejeta Gebisa Ejeta born and raised in a one-room hut with a mud floor in Ethiopia had a mother who believed her sons future rested in a good education. Her insistence and Ejetas work changed the lives of sorghum farmers and millions of people in Africa. Ejeta worked his way through school and ascended through the ranks of Ethiopian universities. He went on to work with and be mentored by Purdue University sorghum researcher John Axtell and eventually earned his doc- torate in plant breeding and genetics from Purdue in 1974. While working at the International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics in Sudan Ejeta devel- oped drought-tolerant and high-yielding varieties of sorghum that saw yields more than double in that country. Later as a researcher at Purdue Ejeta developed another drought-tolerant sorghum variety that increased yields four to five times the national average in Niger. In the 1990s Ejeta con- quered the parasitic weed Striga that plagued African sorghum farmers. Identifying genes that conferred Striga resistance Ejeta and col- leagues developed varieties that kept the weed at bay and were adapted to different conditions that faced African farmers. Seed was distributed to farmers in a dozen African countries increasing yield as much as four times. Ejeta was also instrumental in developing structures that monitor seed certification marketing of hybrid seed and production standards as well as educating farmers about the use of fertilizers soil and water conservation and other modern agricultural technology. Ejeta is a 2009 World Food Prize laureate and received Ethiopias National Hero Award. He has served on boards and committees for the Rockefeller Foundation and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Prior to the work of J.C. Hackleman soybeans were not a distinguished crop in Illinois. Thanks to him Illinois became a top soybean-producing state. OCTOBER 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 19 CALL TODAY toll-free in the U.S. Or contact Part and Service Sales Manager Glenn Lewis directly at 608-576-6250 or glennlewishughesequipment.com. 866-535-9303 HUSKER ROLLS Precision Fit For Major Husker Brands HUGHES YOUR STRATEGIC PARTNER FOR Food Processing Equipment and Replacement Parts Hughes Husker Manufacturing and TechnologyInnovationSince1961 hughesequipment.com COUNT ON HUGHES EQUIPMENT for the perfect hand-off. Readily available husker rolls to keep your sweet and seed corn huskers running cost effectively and at peak performance. Spiral Rolls Maxi Rolls Low Profile Rolls High Profile Rolls Select rolls available with and without cutting blades Spiral Rolls Maxi Rolls Low Profile Rolls Select rolls available SEE MORE ONLINE AT hughesequipment.comhusker-rolls 20 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 He would move on to the University of Illinois as an assistant professor in charge of crops Extension in 1919 where he devoted himself to the cause of promoting soybeans. Hackleman and colleagues traveled the state which in 1914 only had 2000 planted acres of soybeans talking about the benefits of soybeans including educating farmers on the types of beans that would maximize yields in their climates and soils. By the 1920s Illinois was the top soybean-producing state in the country. Made a full professor in 1923 Hackleman was a founder of the American Soybean Association and organized the Illinois Crop Improvement Association pushing the importance of crop and seed improvement. He is considered a pioneer in seed certification. Hackleman was also involved in the organization of the International Crop Improvement Association which is now known as the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies. In 1947 Hackleman was named an honorary life member of the American Soybean Association and the award read in part Tonight the agricultural world recognizes in Mr. Hackleman an authority on the general subject of soybeans that can scarcely be surpassed in this good land of ours. Hackleman retired from the university in 1956 and went on to work for many years at the Illinois Crop Improvement Agriculture is our wisest pursuit because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth good morals and happiness. Thomas Jefferson Association. In 1966 the association created a soybean research fund named for him. Hackleman died in Urbana Ill. in 1970. O.J. Sommer Born in Pekin Ill. in 1886 O.J. Sommer built a seed company that lasted nearly a century and helped lead the Illinois Crop Improvement Association in its early days. Sommer finished grade school and went to high school for about six months. He took some business classes at Indianas O.J. Sommers legacy lives on as his family continues to operate Sommer Seed making major investments in infrastructure and equipment in Delavan Ill. CONGRATULATIONSMS-MBA GRADUATES SendingTaryn Nance MS-MBA program manager a quick e-mail at tnancepurdue.edu and she will happily forward it on.OR Help us congratulate these agribusiness professionals on achieving their MS-MBA by Leaving a comment on our Facebook page www.facebook.comMSMBAFoodandAgMgmt 1st Row Miguel Alvarez Megan Eichmiller Corina Ardelean Liz Caselli-Mechael Martha Krohe Aaron Sawatzky 2nd Row Doug Donovan Jack Hoelscher Cyro Pecora Jr. Tom Jinkinson Gretta Hanson 3rd Row Jackson Takach Eric Brown Chris Willett Michelle Klieger Martin Grzyb Kacy Perry 4th Row Aline DeLucia Denver Bane August Konie Todd Rodibaugh Shane Frahm 5th Row Adam Seabert Lyle McMillan J.W. Wood Tyler Clear MS-MBA in Food and Agribusiness Management A dual-degree online masters program for working professionals. www.agribusiness.purdue.edudegrees Center for Food and Agricultural Business EAEOU 22 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 Goshen College and went to work farming. One July in 1907 or 1908 a terrible storm swept through Central Illinois devastating the corn crop. With his brother Arthur O.J. Sommer picked up nearly a dozen of the best ears available from their fields and started again making their own selections and planting again the next year. The brothers were so successful that neighbors were interested in buying their seed and the Sommer Brothers Seed Company was born in 1909. The company prospered. In 1925 Sommer Yellow-Dent was recognized as a distinct variety. And in 1936 the com- pany became an associate grower of Funks-G-Hybrids which it would be until 1973 when it became part of Golden Harvest later pur- chased by Syngenta in 2004. O. J. Sommer was seen as an innovative seedsman who tested new selection and drying methods through his company. He was selected the first president of the newly formed Illinois Crop Improvement Association in 1922. He led the group that has played for nearly a century a significant role in preserving the purity of seed and certify- ing seed throughout the state. He served until 1925. Two other Sommers men would also serve in that role O.J.s son Theodore from 1977-1979 and O.J.s grand- son James from 2001-2003. O.J. Sommer died in 1961. M.S. Swaminathan In the 1960s India faced a future of possible famines as its population outstripped its ability to grow enough food. The country imported grain to make up for shortfalls. After studying agriculture in the Netherlands and earning set up test plots to bring farmers up to speed in modern agricul- tural techniques and to show that the new varieties would work in their fields. After four crop seasons wheat production grew from 12 mil- lion to 23 million tons ending the need for grain imports. Swaminathan would go on to serve as director general of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research principal secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture director general of the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines and chairman of the National Commission on Farmers for the Government of India. In addition to the 1987 World Food Prize he was awarded the UNEP Sasakawa Environment Prize the UNESCO Gandhi Gold Medal the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace Disarmament and Development and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Award. Swaminathan used his World Food Prize money to open the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation in Chennai India in 1988 to coordinate research between rural citi- zens and global leaders. He serves as the foundations emeritus chairman and chief mentor. SW a doctorate in plant genetics in the United Kingdom as well as time working in the United States M.S. Swaminathan wanted to go back to his country to address those seri- ous problems. He did just that working at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute and converting a gen- eration of farmers to new plant technology and high-yielding crop varieties. Having learned of Norman Borlaugs new dwarf Mexican wheat varieties he invited the famed scientist to India to help develop varieties that would work there. And Swaminathan Responsible for leading Indias Green Revolution M.S. Swaminathan spearheaded the introduction of high-yielding wheat and rice varieties to Indias farmers. The word impossible exists mainly in our minds. But given the requisite will and effort great tasks can be accomplished. Father of M.S. Swaminathan 24 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 I T WASNT SO long ago that cover crops were consid- ered a fad. Not ready to run ahead with a small crowd most farmers took a wait-and-see approach. They watched neighbors plant radishes grasses and oats after harvesting their cash crops with the hope of revitalizing soil stopping erosion and loosening compacted soil. Maybe it would work but better to let someone else dip into their thin margins to try it first. Clearly the fad has endured says Steve Groff founding part- ner of Cover Crop Solutions in Lititz Penn. He was one of the early adopters. After planting daikon radishes Groff found the soil immediately different. I noticed the following year the soil was more mellow where the radishes had gone to winter kill Groff says. The yields were also significantly higher where the radishes had been planted. What Groff couldnt find was a steady supply of radish seeds so he planted again the following season and harvested the seed. He thought hed have enough for about four years but neighbors started calling and he soon sold all he had. Clearly were past the fad stage. Were in the trend phase says Groff who saw the business potential that led to founding Cover Crop Solutions. According to the 2015 Cover Crop Survey conducted by the Conservation Technology Information Center CTIC the total acreage of cover crops planted by 1200 responding farmers increased 20 percent from 2013 to 2014. The survey also found that the average farmer who took part in the survey increased the acreage he or she planted from 225 acres in 2013 to 259 in 2014. Those same farmers say they plan to plant on average 300 acres each this year. Results Drive Decisions During the past five years Rob Myers a University of Missouri agronomist and regional Extension director for the North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education SARE program says total cover crop acreage among surveyed farmers has more than doubled and he doesnt expect it to slow anytime soon. Results are driving the acreage increase. The guys using cover crops notice that difference after a few years and talking to their neighbors definitely has a ripple effect Myers says. Cover crop users both anecdotally and through surveys report yield increases in crops following cover crops. The most recent CTICSARE survey reports a 2.1 percent increase in corn 3.7 bushels per acre compared to fields that did not have cover crops and soybean yields increased 4.2 percent 2.2 bushels per acre. Previous CTICSARE surveys also showed a yield increase particularly in the drought year of 2012. NO LONGER A FAD COVER CROP GAINING HOLD The acreage planted steadily increases year over year. Brian Wallheimer Cereal rye was one of the most common cover crops planted in 2014. PHOTO CTIC. since 1900 Quality. 866.899.2518 - www.indianacrop.org For over 100 years we have built a strong foundation by providing a sound scientific approach to testing. We are proud to be an ISO 90012008 certified organization. From innovative genetics to the latest in molecular technology we have an uncompromising commitment to method validation and statistical integrity. We are proud to offer Seed Certification Field Inspection Services Identity Preservation IP Laboratory Testing Conventional Seed Tests Genetics and Trait Testing Bioassay Herbicide Testing More Thorough. More Data. More Value. 26 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 Jim Isermann who farms 900 acres of corn soybeans and wheat in Streator Ill. believes yield is up in his cover-cropped fields but he hasnt done direct comparisons. Isermann says he can spot differences in the fields. Plant health is evident says Isermann who also serves as cover crop specialist for the Illinois Council on Best Management Practices. The crop seems healthier it stays green a little longer and it extends the life cycle of the plant. Isermann started planting cover crops in 2008 as forage for his 80 beef cattle. Since then hes saved on feed costs and he believes certain crops keep weed pressure down. Were seeing that cereal rye helps to control weeds he says. Weve definitely been able to cut back on herbicides. Many Uses Ask a cover crop specialist or seed salesperson why you should plant cover crops and he or she will likely turn the question around and ask What is it youd like to improve about your soil Its not about getting just anything in the ground after har- vest its about managing your own needs Groff says. Choosing your cover crop program is like choosing a spouse you have to choose one thats right for you he says. According to the CTICSARE survey 84 percent of respond- ents planted cereal grains and grasses in 2014 with cereal rye annual ryegrass and oats leading the way. Many of those grow- ers may have been looking to capture nitrogen that might have otherwise run off their fields. Those crops can also be useful in controlling erosion or weeds. Others about 61 percent planted brassica with radish rape- seed and turnips leading the way. Radishes in particular which can drill down as far as 14 inches into the ground can loosen compacted soil. Legumes the next most common cover crop were planted by 57 percent of farmers. Crimson clover is known to fix nitro- gen and it supports aphid predators helping control insect pressure. Farmers have a lot of options. They simply need to apply the right crop to their situation. Jerry Hall co-founder of Grassland Oregon says the overall message he sends to farmers is that soil needs to be treated like any other tool on the farm. Cover crops are like greasing the bearings and changing the oil in your tractor Hall says. You can get by for a little while not doing that but not for long. Some view it as an added expense when in reality they should look at it as maintenance for their land. Seed companies that specialize in cover crops have an opportunity to build business with customers who need help determining how to best use cover crops and who specifically look to them for expertise. According to the CTICSARE survey 36 percent of respond- ents say they prefer purchasing seed from a company that specializes in cover crops and 31 percent say that ag retailers are their choice. Clearly theyre looking for expertise in the field and for a friendly local face they feel they can trust. According to the survey That hints at exciting business opportunities for cover crop seed specialists and challenges for ag retailers and conventional seed channels in serving the growing cover crop market. OCTOBER 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 27 For a catalog call 303.431.7333 salesapplewoodseed.com applewoodseed.com Seeds of Wildflowers Garden Flowers Since 1965 Regional Special Use Custom Mixtures Hundreds of Species in Stock Myers adds that companies that help with fertilizer and other services throughout the year could do well by extending similar services into the cover crop season. Its a good fit for retailers to start providing that service Myers says. Still Challenges While growth of cover crop acreage surges users are still largely a minority. Unanswered questions remain about return on investment and how to properly manage different crops from year to year. Even guys who use cover crops successfully are still learning what they can and cant do Isermann says. Choosing your cover crop program is like choosing a spouse you have to choose one thats right for you. Steve Groff He hopes the results of a long-term research project con- ducted by the Soil Health Partnership will help to answer those questions. The organization uses dozens of demonstra- tion farms across the Midwest to show side-by-side results of crops planted with and without cover crops. The Soil Health Partnership intends to publish its findings and develop best practices. The University of Missouris Myers says more research will certainly help the cause. There is a need for more research he says adding that we know enough to make solid predictions about the benefits cover crops bring to a field. As benefits become more widely known and more widely proven its going to help us increase the adoption of cover crops. Patience is also key to cover crop success. Groff says if weather and other conditions are optimal in a growing season he might not see much benefit from his cover crops. But over the long term there is value. Groff points specifically to organic matter in his soil which was down to 2 percent 20 years ago. Today he says its above 5 percent. I cant promise you will get a yield increase every single year that you plant a cover crop Groff explains. But there are other issues that come into play. If anything can help with soil health its cover crops. Tight margins can also be an issue. If it takes several years to see a return on the investment that might be a difficult trig- ger to pull. Guys were more interested in trying this when corn was 6 per bushel Isermann adds. Still cover crops have come a long way since farmers like Groff were toying with daikon radishes in the 1990s. Species are being developed for specific regions and growers are starting to use mixes of multiple species to maximize benefits. Hall says those who still havent seen the need to incorpo- rate cover crops into their farming operation might be swayed as the technology and proof get better. Weve barely scratched the surface Hall says. SW ernstseed.com salesernstseed.com 800-873-3321 Native seeds for Pollinator Habitat Restoration Reclamation Sustainable Landscapes Conservation Biomass STRATEGY A featured segment designed to share business- critical information to seed-selling professionals. Visit SeedWorld.com to download this department and other tools to help you sell seed to farmers. Discover the Products that Protect Cereal Seed While wheat and other cereals might not drive farm profits like corn and soybeans there are products that can help to drive up yields which is especially important in todays farm economy when every bushel counts. A MAJOR SOURCE of income for U.S. farmers wheat ranks third among field crops in both planted acreage and gross farm receipts accord- ing to the U.S. Department of Agricultures Economic Research Service. This year farmers have planted more than 54 million acres of wheat be it hard red winter hard red spring soft red winter white or durum. Its not only an important crop in the United States but a staple around the world. No other crop has as much land dedicated to it. Wheat yields have continuously increased in the past decades and in some production areas one acre of land supplies enough flour to make 3744 loaves of bread. Even so the rate of yield increase isnt enough to keep up with demand. As a result wheat is frequently in short supply on the global market. One of the biggest chal- lenges wheat farmers are faced with is how to best cope with the ever-increasing array of diseases fungi and insects and each year brings about new challenges or different challenges. Stephen Wegulo a University of Nebraska plant pathologist says wheat seed treatments are especially important in 2015. This year he said it was especially important to use fungicide-treated seed because there was a wide- spread epidemic of Fusarium head blight. The scab fungus infects and stays in the grain resulting in shriveled chalky white or pinkish kernels known as Fusarium-damaged kernels scabby kernels or tomb- stones Wegulo explains. Kernels infected in later stages of development contain the fungus but look normal. If Fusarium-infected grain is not treated with a fungicide and is used as seed for the next crop stand establishment can be significantly reduced. Other diseases that wheat falls susceptible to include common bunt loose smut flag smut black point and ergot. Wegulo says these diseases can cause varying levels of 28 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 The bright yellow of wheat leaves infected with barley yellow dwarf virus contrasts sharply with the deep green of normal healthy wheat. PHOTOUSDA-ARS. yield loss and occasionally total loss. These diseases not only result in lower yields but they lower grain quality and value. Another disease is Rhizoctonia root rot which is caused by Rhizoctonia solani or R. oryzae. It attacks the seed and young seed- lings which results in uneven emergence and plant popula- tion. Ultimately it can reduce yields. Its primarily a problem in the Pacific Northwest and in the southern Australia wheat belt according to James Cook of Plant Health International. Innovation and Investment Companies continue to invest resources in improving wheat not just on the chemical and crop protection side. A number of companies are working on hybrid wheat and biotech wheat with the expectation of increased demand and knowledge that yields have been increasing less than 1 percent annually. Companies and organiza- tions announcing investments or collaborations in recent years have included Arcadia BASF Bayer CropScience Dow AgroSciences Limagrain KWS Lochow Monsanto Syngenta and Vilmorin. Another area of expanding research is in seed treatments which can help to protect the seed and seedling and help get the crop off to a good start. Fungicide seed treat- ments help to reduce losses caused by seed transmitted and soilborne fungal diseases of wheat. Some seed treat- ment products contain a fungicide and an insecticide and offer additional protec- tion against fall season insects such as aphids. Research has shown that the use of certified seed combined with fungicide seed treatments is highly effec- tive in preventing the spread of disease says Jeff Vogel manager for the Kansas Department of Agricultures Plant Protection and Weed Control program. One of many potential solu- tions in this area is Syngentas Vibrance seed treatment fungicide which is formu- lated to boost a crops ability to root by delivering disease protection. The active ingredi- ent is sedaxane systemic in the plant and mobile in the soil and provides a resist- ance management tool as it adds another seed treatment mode of action from the SDHI Succinate Dehydrogenase Inhibitor class of fungicides. Weve been testing Vibrance since 2008 and have replicated trials on wheat barley and legumes says Dave Barta of Crop Production OCTOBER 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 29 Services in Spokane Wash. Vibrance performed well and provided solid yield responses most of the time which I think is really important. Weve tested it on winter wheat in about 25 locations and we noticed an average increase of about three bushels per acre above CruiserMaxx Cereals alone but in addition to the product. Additionally Syngenta offers CruiserMaxx Vibrance Cereals a seed treatment that combines four chemistries to again increase root growth and safeguard seeds seedlings and roots from a broad range of seedborne and soilborne diseases as well as insects. It features sedaxane in addition to mefenoxam difenoconaole and thiameth- oxam which the company reports provides best-in-class Rhizoctonia activity. In spring wheat trials in Minnesota and North Dakota CruiserMaxx Vibrance Cereals provided more than a 10-bushel-per-acre yield increase in fusarium protec- tion versus untreated seed. Another breakthrough technology for wheat growers is Xemium a product devel- oped by BASF. Its effective against Rhizoctonia and other pathogens and belongs to the class of carboxamides. Xemium works by inhibiting respiration in the mitochondria of the fungi. BASF discovered carboxa- mides in 1974 and has contin- ued researching the chemistry long after its discovery. The active ingredient in Xemium is a SDHI. Xemium has been available as a foliar application for wheat since 2012 but the newest innova- tion is Xemium as a seed treat- ment. It not only protects the treated seed but it continues to protect young plants as they emerge and grow. As a seed treatment the formulation is different. Its new water-based seed coating allows for easy handling and flexible mixing. The active ingredient has a unique mobil- ity leading to better distribu- tion in the root. From the roots Xemium travels with the water flow to the above ground plant into the leaf tips. BASF has verified that Xemium can also increase the root mass and the improved health of the roots will positively influence the physiology of continued root growth. This allows the plants to become stronger and less sensitive to stressors such as heat cold or disease. Xemium also protects against bunt leaf stripe loose smut pink snow mould seed- ling blight and sharp eyespot. Additionally its shown to be effective in the early reduc- tion of Septoria leaf blotch powdery mildew yellow rust net blotch and scald. In the area of overall plant health one of the newest announcements was made by Verdesian Life Sciences which launched Take Off ST this year. Its a technology weve had for a couple years but weve adapted that to a seed treatment and gotten the rates down low explains Jim Pullens Verdesian Life Sciences marketing man- ager for seed treatments and inoculants. Pullens shares that this was the first year when growers used it in the field on their winter wheat last year. Weve gotten calls in from growers whove said the fields theyve had it on are their best fields he says. We think this is a way that growers can really boost their yields with a material thats easy to use and relatively low cost especially for a low- profit crop like winter wheat. Verdesian reports that Take Off ST provides quicker germination emergence and growth helping the plant to achieve greater photosyn- thetic capacity and better preservation of soil moisture. It also improves nutrient uptake facilitates carbon fixa- tion and increases nitrogen utilization. Take Off was discovered by Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico 30 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 and developed by Verdesian. There are now six formulations with Take Off ST the seed treatment formulation being one of them. Take Off works inside the plant to accelerate nutrient acquisition and assimilation while improving nitrogen efficiency says Ryan Bond Verdesian vice president of marketing and technical development. At this years Farm Progress Show in Decatur Ill. Verdesian launched a new product called Tuxedo Cereals thats focused on micronutrients. It uses the patented palmer technology that was used with Avail and Nutrisphere in the past to pro- tect micronutrients from bind- ing in the soil Pullens explains. Micronutrients are very important for us to get yields he says noting that they can be a limiting factor for grow- ers looking to achieve high yields. But they are high cost and they require the grower to broadcast a lot of material. In cereals zinc is a big factor nearly 50 percent of the cultivated soils for wheat production globally are low in plant available zinc. Pullens says with Tuxedo they can apply as much zinc in a seed treatment to get the results they would get from about 50 pounds of broadcast fertilizer distributed evenly. We think its a more efficient way to get those nutrients to that crop to get the yield response growers want to receive he says. Tuxedo has been tested in more than 50 wheat trials across U.S. wheat growing regions. Data from these trials shows a 41 return on invest- ment. Investments Now for a Better Future According to BASF research and development efforts are essential for the development of new seed and chemical innovations to feed clothe and provide fuel for a grow- ing world population which is why BASF invests more than 2 million daily into agricultural research and development. BASF is continually seek- ing new ways to help farmers become more efficient and get the most out of every acre says Paul Rea BASF senior vice president for North America. Were driven to deliver innovation to help farmers deal with the chal- lenges they face today and prepare them for those that still lie ahead. Syngentas Palle Pedersen head of product marketing for its Seedcare business says these coatings really help to defend the seed so it can ger- minate and reach its genetic potential. Its the farmers insurance that the seed he has purchased hes also going to get good yield from he adds. Syngenta continues its investment in this market estimated to be valued at 600 million annually in North America with the expansion of its Stanton Minn. Seedcare Institute. A 20 million invest- ment the expanded facility will have an additional 38000 square feet of high-tech laboratories for research and development plus a state-of- the-art training facility. The overall goal of seed treatments is to integrate the insecticides fungicides nematicides biologicals and micronutrients so that all can be put on the seed. Each year the seed treatment indus- try makes progress as more discoveries are made and new products are released. SW Its the farmers insurance that the seed he has purchased hes also going to get good yield from. Palle Pedersen PROUDLY SPONSORED BY THURSDAY NOV. 5 2015 2 P.M. EASTERN Learn More and Register Today seedworld.comwebinar Discover the Newest Products That Ward Off Cereal Pests T HERE IS PLENTY to consider when it comes to natural grass turf for sports stadiums. As you tune into your favorite college football or NFL team this weekend take a look at the stadium. Does it have shade or no shade Is it in a warm climate or a cool climate Is there a retractable roof Whether its Kentucky blue grass or a turf-type tall fescue all these factors and more must be taken into consideration when it comes to nurturing natu- ral grass turf in sports stadiums. Turfgrass managers are demanding new cultivars because they need sur- faces that are durable and can recover well. They need surfaces that are low maintenance requiring fewer inputs and less water. They need varieties that can handle stress be it athletes weather or pests and diseases. Bred to Handle Stress Evaluating how the turf wears is key to finding a suitable mix for your sur- face. We want a cultivar with adequate wear but also good seed yield says Leah Brilman director of research and technical services for Seed Research of Oregon a business unit of DLF Pickseed. The durability of Bermudagrass has made it a favorite of NFL teams which is put to the test weekly during the season. In a recent poll by Sports Illustrated seven of the top 10 fields in the NFL were in southern climates and all but two had some variety of Bermudagrass. Brilman says turfgrass managers are not only looking at the lower main- tenance Kentucky bluegrass but also ryegrass and turf-type fescues for sports fields. Especially when you get down to younger kids sports fields we are seeing much more use of turf-type tall fescues she says adding that Kentucky bluegrass holds up well has excellent sod strength and produces an adequate amount of seed. Brilman explains that her team in partnership with the Alliance for Low- Input Sustainable Turf A-LIST has done a lot of work with tall fescues and selections under stress. Many of todays stadiums are less than ideal for sun exposure. To manage these factors stadiums in the southern United States have tried hearty warm weather strains like Paspalum and Zoysia. Low inputs little maintenance and the ability to withstand wear and tear thats what turfgrass managers want today. Sandi Karstens High Maintenance Job Results in Low Maintenance Turf 32 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 OCTOBER 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 33 Understanding Trichoderma takes a little digging . . . Rooted in superior genetics ABM has selected and developed strains that are unparalleled in the industry. It is critical to understand that our superior Trichoderma strains colonize roots. The good strains GROW and MULTIPLY greatly resulting in a bigger root mass and higher yields. Take a fresh new look at Trichoderma from our end of things and contact an ABM representative today. Get ready to grow more. Biological Enhancements for Agricultural Crops TechnologyiGETInduced Gene Expression Triggers An American Company Producing Global Results for Agriculture. TM SELECTION S TM SMART 34 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 Edzard van Santen an Auburn University pro- fessor in the College of Agriculture says theyre breeding bentgrass for the southern transition zone. And to the east turfgrass scientists at the University of Georgia are working on Zoysias for sports fields and Paspalum for watering issues. Turfgrass managers have to battle many stress- ors such as cold and heat. Working to make turf withstand cold drought and heat tolerance is key whether that is spring dead spot in Bermudagrass or brown patch in turf-style fall fescues. When it comes to the weather Brilman says things have gotten more and more unpredictable. Van Santen adds that its not so much climactic instability that turfgrass managers need to be wary of but what New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman calls global climactic weirdness. The effects of the weirdness depend on loca- tion and factors such as precipitation he explains. Throw in oscillation patterns such as El Nino Southern Oscillation and you have a real mess. During the past 20 years van Santen says a few patterns have emerged. When I started at Auburn you hardly ever saw Argentine bahiagrass a forage species in northern Alabama whereas today it is frequently observed he says. Thus warm season grasses are used much farther north than 20 years ago. We have warm season sports turf as far north as West Lafayette Ind. Changing weather patterns have also expanded the growing season in many regions which changes pest pressures. As an example van Santen says fall armyworms appear earlier nowadays and sometimes a month earlier than in the past. This affects other turf management options such as the application of pre-emergence herbicides he says noting that disease and pest resistance are paramount. According to van Santen and his colleagues Dave Han Extension turf specialist and associate professor and Elisabeth Guertal turfgrass and nutrient management professor its difficult and getting harder to manage the growing tide of emerging pests and diseases. Resistance and new pesticides are contributing factors and while industry is creating new com- pounds and formulations to combat these prob- lems the process is long and arduous. Brilman agrees We are always looking at dis- ease resistance. Management Matters But as pest pressures increase so does the need to use fewer inputs such as insecticides and herbicides. We want turf that can survive with less water herbicides and fungicides in general a turf that can survive with fewer inputs Brilman says. This breeder block allows DLF Pickseed researchers to evaluate the yield potential of tall fescue. PHOTODLFPICKSEED.PHOTOSEEDRESEARCHOFOREGON. Leah Brilman serves as director of research and technical services for Seed Research of Oregon where she works to produce grasses that can survive with less water and are highly disease resistant. OCTOBER 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 35 36 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 Bill Kreuser assistant professor and Extension turfgrass specialist at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln says some school grounds across the country have banned pesticides a trend that is likely to continue. Kreuser shares that in the 1990s and early 2000s new grass releases required high mainte- nance conditions. With good maintenance grasses performed really well. However he says most were not maintained at the level they needed to be. When turfgrass isnt maintained Kreuser says it gets compacted and can be pretty hard espe- cially if it is not irrigated and fertilized properly. This is especially important when athletes hit the field and deal with injuries such as concussions he explains. Now the big thing is grasses that are able to use less water nutrients pesticides etc. all while producing a dark green color. Regardless of region Brilman says low mainte- nance turf is key and that low-maintenance theory also applies to irrigating sports fields. As the water supply becomes scarcer the ability of turf to recover from stress under a water-limiting regimen will become more important she says. Weve been doing a lot of work in that area. For instance in California we are looking at our turf and maintaining cool season turf with less water and assessing which ones do best under those condi- tions. We are also looking for ones that you can let go dormant and bring back up ... and ones you can water at 60 percent of the evapotranspiration rate. While the need to use less water is always important Kreuser says the bigger issue is the timing of application whether thats watering the field or applying a product We shouldnt just be putting things down based on calendar intervals he says. We should be using data to make better choices about timing. Kreuser says some new areas researchers are looking into include supplemental grow lights that are rolled onto the field. The broader theme is plant health he adds. We are really trying to maximize all of the things that we can control to make plants as healthy as possible with minimal stress he says. Its a tall order but turfgrass researchers across the country are working hard to match the right turf to the right stadium and the right products to the right situations. The campaign to improve turf- grass cultivars is endless and knows no geographi- cal boundaries. DLF Pickseed through its brands DLF Pickseed USA Pickseed Canada and Seed Research of Oregon has trials not only in Oregon but has a farm in Kentucky Denmark France and the Czech Republic to name a few. If they dont have a site where they are growing their own turf they work with the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program or a local university or sod grower to put on trials in that particular region. Brilman says they also look at alternatives such as tetraploid perennial ryegrasses a turf-type inter- mediate rye that germinates later in the season. We never develop for one characteristic always a broad range and at end of day it still needs to produce seed Brilman says. SW We are really trying to maximize all of the things that we can control to make plants as healthy as possible with minimal stress. Bill Kreuser PHOTODLFPICKSEED. 7 of the top 10 sports fields in the NFL are in southern climates. 1983 is when Seed Research of Oregon was founded. 12 of the worlds cool season grasses are produced in Oregons Willamette Valley. Researchers use this Cadi wear machine to help test the durability and recoverability of turf grasses. Grain Sorghum BMR Sorghum Sudangrass Forage Sorghum www.GaylandWardSeed.com 800-299-9273 Hereford Texas carsongaylandwardseed.com REGISTER TODAY AMERICAN SEED TRADE ASSOCIATION FOR AMERICAS LARGEST SEED INDUSTRY CONFERENCE Join Us In Chicago amseed.org 40 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 chromosomes with highly similar gene contents and a large propor- tion of repetitive DNA wheat was considered impossible to sequence. Thus despite its socioeconomic importance and the recognition of the power that a genome sequence brings to breeding programs bread wheat remains one of the last major crops without a high-quality refer- ence genome sequence. The IWGSC was created in 2005 to change this paradigm. The international public-private collaborative consortium was established by a group of wheat growers scientists and breed- ers. Its goal is to deliver a publicly available high quality genome sequence of bread wheat that can serve as a foundation for wheat improvement and help to ensure profitability throughout the wheat value chain. The IWGSC is led by a board of directors that develops the overall strategy and a leadership team in charge of daily manage- ment. The coordinating commit- tee is comprised of sponsors and leaders of IWGSC projects. The committee is responsible for estab- lishing the overall scientific strategy and the strategic roadmap. IWGSC membership is open to any individual who is interested in supporting the goals and activities of the consortium. A Milestone-based Strategy To circumvent genome complex- ity the IWGSC adopted a chro- mosome-based approach made possible through technological advancements in flow-sorting of chromosomes. The IWGSC follows a milestone-based adaptable strategy for all of the 21 bread wheat chromosomes. The three key milestones on the roadmap are to Produce draft sequences that provide a gene catalogue and localize as many genes along the chromosomes as possible. Generate physical maps that serve as substrates for sequencing. Complete map-based reference sequences that accurately order more than 90 percent of the genomic information and link the sequence to genetic and phenotypic maps. While the draft sequence provides useful information to breeders for marker-assisted selection the physical map-based strategy remains the only approach that can efficiently deliver with todays sequencing technol- ogy a high-quality ordered sequence comparable to the gold standard reference sequence of rice. The IWGSC regularly adapts its strategy to integrate the newest sequencing technologies while maintaining the objec- tive of a high-quality reference sequence. A physical map-based sequence is the best resource for understanding genome function as it provides access to the complete gene catalogue permits the identification and functional analysis of regulatory features and chromosomal organization and provides accurate maps of genetic markers and intra-and inter-species variation that can be associated with specific traits such as quality yield drought tolerance or durable disease resistance. Significant Achievements The first milestone was reached in July 2014 with the publication in the journal Science of draft sequences for each of the 21 wheat chromosomes and a putative order for about half of the genes on each chromosome. While not yet representing a complete sequence the capacity for the first time to identify the localization of a gene on a wheat chromosome in silico is already helping us to speed up our breeding efforts and map- based cloning projects for trait improvement says Catherine Feuillet head of trait research at Bayer CropScience and IWGSC board member. The completion of the second milestone is well underway as physi- cal maps for 16 chromosomes have been developed and five draft maps should be finished before the end of 2016. PHOTOFLORMOND-DESPREZ. 60 is the expected increase in demand for wheat by 2050. 21 is the number of countries the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium works in. 16 physical maps of chromosomes have been completed to date and five more are in progress. Researchers continue their pursuit of improving wheat a staple crop around the world. Universal Coating Systems is dedicated to your seed coating needs. OVER 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE with equipment design manufacturing and installation on every continent on the globe. From the smallest laboratory system to complete large-scale seed coating plants. For all your seed needs weve got you covered. Dave Waldo c 503-507-3499 . p 503-838-6568 e daveuniversalcoating.net www.ucoatsystems.com POLYMERS COLORANTS Seed coating polymers that provide a smooth even coverage Many color offerings. Give your coated seed a natural appearance with UNICOAT NUDE Custom blending 42 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 Progress toward the final milestone is gathering momen- tum. The first reference sequence of a wheat chromosome 3B was completed in France and published in 2014 in the same special issue of Science as the draft sequences. Reference sequencing of 11 other chromosomes is underway in 11 countries and will be completed during the next 18 months. The IWGSC currently seeks funding for the remaining nine chromosomes and proposals for four are pending before national funding agencies. Successful and Sustainable Public-Private Partnership International research laborato- ries and seed companies have been instrumental in achieving IWGSC milestones. The wheat genome sequencing project is an example of a successful and sustainable public-private part- nership with clear and consistent objectives designed to produce resources for breeders and ulti- mately growers. 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Main Control Panel The chromosome-based approach allowed the IWGSC to support building skills and resources in many countries by engaging research teams in the development of physical maps and sequences. Even though this international participatory effort adds to coordination challenges it facilitates cost sharing and rapid application of the data into the numerous wheat breeding pro- grams around the world. The IWGSC currently has pro- jects in 21 countries and 1100 mem- bers representing 361 research institutions or private companies in 55 countries. An additional 350 individuals from 56 institutes and five additional countries are regis- tered to use the publicly available data that has been generated by IWGSC projects. Contributions and Benefits For Seeds Companies and Growers Seed companies and grower organizations have been involved in the consortium since its estab- PHOTOFLORMOND-DESPREZ. Wheat breeding still requires the hands of skilled breeder. OCTOBER 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 43 Designed to set the standard for plant growth the Percival LED Series offers research chambers that allow for specific control over the one research variable that has eluded precision light MULTI-SPECTRUM LAMP BANK The LED Series provides the correct spectral quality at the correct irradiance with exceptional environmental control every time Helping You Create Better Science www.percival-scientific.com Featuring LED Multi-Spectrum Lamp Bank LEDSeries THE lishment. An essential aspect of their contribution is to provide input on strategic orientations. For exam- ple their input was critical at the beginning as it was necessary to decide which wheat variety should be sequenced. Bread wheat was selected as that is the variety grown by 95 percent of the farmers. Simultaneously seed companies wanted access to the sequence of bread wheat rather than that of wild diploid wheat because they wanted tools that could have a direct immediate impact on their wheat breeding programs. Another contribution is financial. By paying an annual sponsorship fee to the IWGSC seed companies and grower organizations enable the professional management of the consortium the organization of workshops and the development of communication materials to provide platforms for developing and advancing projects. Finally seed companies can support pro- jects directly if they wish to accelerate the global achievement of the objectives. For example in 2011 Graminor and Biogemma provided the first funding support for the draft sequencing of the 21 chromo- somes while Bayer CropScience provided 1 million euros in 2014 to achieve the physical maps. In return for their support seed companies and grower organizations are part of the coordinating committee and have pre-publication access to all data which can greatly accelerate the implemen- tation of the sequence-based resources into their own breeding programs. Varietal improvements based on data from IWGSC projects are emerging already. For example CDC Fortitude a new durum wheat cultivar was developed by a team at the University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre in Canada in part using DNA markers that were identified from early access to the reference sequence of chromosome 3B. Moreover about a dozen genes related to controlling traits involved in the resistance to pathogens drought tolerance and yield are being isolated currently using the refer- ence sequence information of chromosome 3B. Ultimately growers will benefit from the work of the consortium by having access to new varieties faster and having access to those that are developed with tech- nologies not yet accessible in wheat. Having an enabling tool such as a reference sequence will increase future investments in wheat breeding for the benefit of growers because companies will have a better mechanism for value capture. Its been a challenge to secure funding for sequencing the wheat genome. In contrast to other sequencing projects the IWGSC has not been allocated a lump sum for the whole sequencing project but has had to work with project leaders all over the world to secure funding from national agencies and private companies. During the past 10 years the IWGSC has raised approximately 50 million euros for physical mapping and sequencing pro- jects. About 11.5 million euros in funding is still needed to produce assemble and make available all remaining sequence data. Provided that funding is secured soon the IWGSC antici- pates that a high-quality genome sequence for bread wheat could be publicly available by 2018. SW 44 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 INTERNATIONALAGRICULTURALDEVELOPMENT THE RAPID ADVANCEMENT AND adoption of new technologies fueled by a highly educated popu- lace and the availability of capital in more developed agricultural economies might be likened to a raging wild fire. While in lesser developed agricultural econo- mies with poor infrastructure limited access to capital and less education one must first generate a spark. Then gently fan it into a flame before creating a fire. Fostering the fire that is the crux of capacity building. Ahmadou Issaka and Charles Tom Hash Jr. are doing just that in West Africa. Hash is the principal scien- tist and pearl millet breeder for the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics ICRISAT and Issaka is the national pearl millet breeder for Nigers national agronomic research institute INRAN. Both men respect the expertise and integrity of the other and each is committed and compassionate about developing improved varieties of pearl millet to reduce food insecurity. Its these commonalities that provide the basis for a productive professional collaboration. The collaboration between Hash and Issaka takes many forms. Most notable from ICRISATs point of view is that it contracts INRAN to conduct high quality yield performance trials. From a recent visit to INRANs research station in Kollo Niger I can attest to the quality of off-season field trials and projects across several crop kinds conducted by Issaka and his team. Issaka credits Hash for providing capacity building assistance and guidance in addition to improved pearl millet germplasm. Issaka says he and his staff benefit from the ongoing interaction with Hash plus the formal and informal training opportunities offered by ICRISAT. The breeders also work jointly on some projects to develop new materials provide each other alternate testing locations and often help with data analysis. Hash who hails from Montana earned a doctorate in plant breeding from Cornell University before pursuing an international development career which now spans nearly 30 years. Based near Niamey Niger for the past four years Hash serves west and central Africa working with ICRISATs dryland cereals program. Issaka a native of Niger earned his bachelors in Niger and masters in Belgium. After 10 years of pro- fessional experience he enrolled in the University of Ghanas genetics and plant breeding doctoral pro- gram. All of his field research was conducted on pearl millet in Niger while class work was done in Ghana. Since completing his Ph.D. in 2012 Issaka has served as INRANs senior research scientist in charge of the pearl millet breeding program. Issakas doctoral program was made available through the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement WACCI a program housed at the University of Ghana and funded by international development agen- cies and private organizations. Known for providing students a high-quality education WACCI allows students to remain in Africa rather than have to enroll in programs farther from home. This alone helps to efficiently spread the core knowledge and underlying science required of plant breeders as well as the doc- torate credential to aspiring African students. Early in his career at INRAN Issaka worked with sorghum under the guidance of Issoufou Kapran a sor- ghum breeder and Winrock project manager. Kapran encouraged Issaka to shift his focus from sorghum to pearl millet. Kapran later accepted a position with AGRAs Program for Africas Seed Systems AGRA- PASS and Issaka ultimately became the INRAN pearl millet breeder for Niger. Issaka and Kapran remain col- leagues and Issaka has benefited from various AGRA- PASS training and development opportunities. As a result of this collaboration Nigers pearl millet breeding program is better positioned to work with the emerging private seed sector a sector where many companies are developing thanks to capacity building assistance provided by Kaprans organization. These linkages partnerships and collaborations sur- round the good work of ICRISAT and INRAN in Niger with respect to pearl millet breeding activities. The magnitude of change required to make a timely and broad scale impact on West Africas ability to feed its population warrants the creation of an even greater number and more diverse set of collaborations than I witnessed with the pearl millet breeding programs of ICRISAT and INRAN in Niger. However these programs demonstrate what might be attained through col- laboration. The spark has ignited. The flame is being fanned. SW DENNIS THOMPSON is dedicated to delivering solutions and empowering people and organiza- tions to solve complex problems related to international agricul- tural development and global food security. His career experience and international credentials include Extension educa- tion agronomy and administration. Linkages Foster Fires of Development 800-333-9048 AdvantaUS.com USA Argentina India Thailand Indonesia Australia WELCOME TO OUR TEST PLOT 2014 Advanta US Inc. ADV-13-002b SW The only way to tackle the worlds food challenge is by using a global perspective. Thats why Advanta has developed a worldwide network of researchers and test facilities to scour the globe for the best traits and germplasm. Then we bring the worlds most exciting plant traits to North America to help make the planets most productive growers even better. When you partner with a global player like Advanta you open up a whole world of possibilities for your seed offerings. CALL US FOR A TOUR NEAR YOU 800-333-9048 48 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 Above Buckwheat Left Black-Eyed Susans CHOOSING COVER CROPS BEES LOVE When selecting a cover crop you typically consider benefits such as reduced fertilizer needs weed suppression erosion prevention and overall better soil health and yields. Try taking it another step and consider how you can help the bees while helping the soil. According to research from Pennsylvania State Universitys Department of Entomology differences in flower shape size and color all influence which pollinators are attracted to a particular cover crop. Canola flowers for example have open petals that allow the pollen and nectar to be available to all native bees. However the closed petals of flowers in the pea family are more difficult for some pollinators such as bees to enter. Larger bodied or very tiny bees are most likely to be observed visiting these flowers because they can push aside or crawl through the petal tunnel. Consider planting a diversity of cover crop species or choose one with an open flower to attract more pollinators. Its also important to plan for a long-season of bloom and include variety for a balanced diet and plenty of nutrients available as summer winds down into fall. A good resource is the Pollinator Partnerships Bee Smart app which will guide you in selecting plants for pollinators specific to your area. Visit pollinator.orgguides.htm. Lance Walheim Bayers garden expert recommends the following cover crops for the Midwest as being especially beneficial to bees legumes alfalfa Medicago sativa crimson clover Trifolium incarnatum red clover Trifolium pratense white clover Trifolium repens sweet clover Melilotus spp. field peas Pisum satuvum arvense hairy vetch Vicia villosa soybean Glycine max brassicas black brown and field mustards winter canola Brassica napus oilseed radish Raphanus sativus turnip Brassica rapa flax Linum usitatissimum and buckwheat Fagopyrum sagittatum. You can see why were struggling. This is where you come in. Planting diverse wild- flower patches that bloom all season long or installing hedgerows with blooming shrubs or trees is a great way to provide new food sources for bees that wont take up much room at your location. I look for areas with high bloom densities and my favorite colors are yellow blue and purple so plants with blooms in those colors are most attractive. While Im at it I also prefer to harvest pollen somewhere sunny. Just make sure you dont plant in areas with a high risk of pesticide drift which reminds me its crucial to read and follow all product labels to minimize risk to me and other pollinators. Minimizing wind drift and water runoff also ensures proper use of pesticides. If we make it through the summer our prime pollinating season with a healthy hive were much more likely to have a successful winter season. Without the help of our human beekeepers our hive could lose as much as 50 percent to 60 percent of our entire population during the winter. Somewhere around 20 percent is much more manageable for us to be able to build our numbers back up in the spring. Becky Langer Bayers Bee Care program manager believes one persons contribution can make a big dif- ference. Providing more food for bees is a cumulative effort and every little bit helps she says. If you dont know of any nearby managed hives there are other pollinators you can hope to attract by planting flowers and you might be surprised by how far Ill fly to find food up to 10 miles if needed. The more of those long trips I have to make the more likely my already- short life will be cut even shorter. I already only have about six weeks to live in which Im trying to get all this work done. Yikes You can also help by telling everyone you know about the struggles we face. George Hansen president of the American Beekeeping Federation says most of the general public has no clear idea of how we produce food in this country or the challenges faced by the agriculture industry. Were very misunderstood creatures who need help from our human friends. But without you helping to educate your friends and family how else will they learn I cant tell them. But you can. SW Participate in a management education seminar created specifically for you a seed industry professional. Surrounded by your peers you will discuss what key factors are driving the industry and learn the concepts and tools you will need to be a successful leader. W W W. A G R I B U S I N E S S . P U R D U E . E D U F O R M O R E I N F O R M A T I O N 50 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 AS A KID growing up on a dairy farm in east- ern Ontario Francis Glenn knew he wanted to leave a legacy in agriculture. What he probably didnt realize back then was how big an impression he would have not only in Canada but also around the world. Today Glenn is recognized as a true visionary in breeding hybrid corn. The 68-year-old developed the worlds first leafy corn varieties three decades ago and has numerous other breakthroughs in breeding corn varieties for silage under his belt. Inspired to pursue corn research work during his undergraduate studies in the late 1960s Glenn graduated with a doctorate in corn breeding. He then joined Warwick Seed as a corn-breeding assistant and became the director of corn research when Warwick was purchased by Pfizer in 1976. Four years after that Glenn stepped out on his own and founded Glenn Seed Ltd. near Blenheim Ont. where he continues to breed foundation seed for hybrid corn production. During the course of 35 years Glenn worked to build a stellar reputation in the seed genetics trade. Glenns earliest breakthrough was the develop- ment of an extra leafy corn a gene that produced taller plants with more leaves resulting in an exceptional silage variety. Glenn whose approach was a departure from the conventional concept of producing corn for grain started breeding with this leafy gene in the mid-1980s. My selection criteria for silage hybrids were determined by finding out the specific needs of dairy farmers he says. Increased understanding of their growing harvesting storage and feeding requirements helped to shape the type of leafy silage varieties that I brought to the marketplace. To produce optimal silage hybrids Glenn selected for the following characteristics High total yield with high grain content. Going the Grain Francis Glenn focuses his efforts on breeding corn for silage. Mark Halsall Higher above the ear leaf number and taller more flexible above the ear stalk which is composed of more digestible fiber. Lower ear position on the plant resulting in a decrease in the plants total lignin. Stalks that are adequately strong to stay erect until silage harvest. Corn breeder Francis Glenn makes observations in a yield trial. PHOTOGLENNSEED. Against OCTOBER 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 51 Batco Belt Conveyors minimize impact damage protecting the grade quality and germination performance of your delicate seed. Batco manufactures Long Conveyors and Field Loaders as well as Low Profile Transfers Pit Stops and custom conveyor options. Handling whats important. 877.667.7421 batcomfg.com MINIMUM DAMAGE MAXIMUM GERMINATION Large ears with kernels that are large and composed of softer slower drying lower test weight starch. Slow kernel maturation and dry down along with slow total plant drying. He launched the first leafy hybrid to the com- mercial market in 1992. Today about 20 percent of the silage acres planted in the United States use genetics from Glenn Seed. Success in a Niche Market He saw a niche that needed to be filled as well as an excellent market opportunity. Nobody was developing a product for silage at that time so I decided to specialize in it explains Glenn. The extra leafy corn that he developed pro- duced more tonnage of silage and contained a softer starch that was more readily digested by dairy cows enhancing its feed value. With the leafy product we offered a corn silage variety that had been selected for and met the requirements of silage producers much better than any grain corn would says Glenn who fol- lowed this up with floury leafy varieties that have enhanced levels of readily digestible starch. Compared to dual purpose corn Glenns leafy silage corn has more leaves above the ear and the ear is actually positioned lower on the stalk. Glenn explains that the below portion of the stalk must be heavily lignified to support the weight of the ear so lowering the ear increases the digestibility of the fiber content of the plant. Glenn collaborates closely with rumen nutrition experts to better understand how corn breeding can improve feed utilization by dairy cows. For example the smaller size of the processed kernel pieces and lower density of the floury kernels in his leafy floury varieties enable the corn to stay in the rumen longer and be digested into more micro- bial protein. Almost all of the rest of corn breeding being done is for grain as the end product Glenn says. The grain trade is all about having kernels that can travel long distances with multiple handlings and arrive intact without any breakage. The grain trade is all about having kernels that can travel long distances with multiple handlings and arrive intact without any breakage. Thats a product that is really quite indigestible for animals. Francis Glenn 52 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 Thats a product that is really quite indigestible for animals. Our goal is to make a starch thats more digestible in the rumen of cows because thats what makes milk. Weve worked hard to deter- mine what silage producers need for the greatest profitability. Glenns leafy corn lines both regular and floury confer numerous benefits to growers including drought tolerance disease resistance and a longer window of opportunity for harvesting. They also produce high overall yields with high grain content compared to dual-purpose hybrids developed for grain purposes and also sold for silage. Glenn Seed which Glenn operates with the help of four family members and two full-time employees develops inbred lines that hybrid companies propagate. It operates one of only two designated silage programs in North America and is the only one dedicated to improving the digestibility of both fiber and grain parts of the corn plant. The company boasts an impressive share of the silage market. Not only does Glenn Seed leafy hybrids account for 20 percent of the silage acres in North America his lines are also the parents of hybrids sold in France Italy Hungary Serbia Turkey Chile and New Zealand. In a highly competitive market Glenn Seed continues to flourish. The company is working to develop varieties that improve digestibility even further as well as new parental lines for full floury hybrids that will be used for corn silage as well as for producing high moisture corn for livestock feed. Glenns work has earned him numerous acco- lades. Most recently he was honored with the Canadiant Plant Breeding and Genetics Award. His breeding program has essentially gone against the grain focusing on factors that improve digestibility of all parts of the corn plant. Breeding with a focus on end use the leafy and floury corn for silage is easier for cows to digest. PHOTOGLENNSEED. For 35 years Dr. Francis Glenn has pursued a unique approach to breeding high yielding silage-specific corn hybrids says Dave Baute president of Maizex Seeds. It is the only corn program in North America devoted to the improvement of digestibility of both the fiber and grain parts of the corn plant. The market acceptance for products from his distinctive breeding pro- gram is a testament to the value of his work. Matt Anderson of DLF Pickseed Canada Inc. commended the breeder for continuing to deliver innovative new products. His work in developing leafy floury hybrids has led to a further increase in readily available digestible starch resulting in an overall increase in milk pro- duction Anderson reports. He also offers many of his new lines with leading edge herbicide-resistant and insect-protected traits. His ability to adapt and compete in the ever-changing corn technology market is remarkable. Competing as an Independent Glenn believes its his independence as a breeder that has allowed his com- pany to successfully tap into the unique market of corn varieties for silage. I think I have had the opportunity to follow my breeding objectives better than breeders who work for large companies he says adding that most plant breeders starting out nowadays lack the necessary resources to go it alone in todays breeding environment characterized by market con- solidation and costly genomic techniques. When I started my own in business in 1980 there was an opportunity to establish myself as an independent breeder Glenn says. Theres very little opportunity to do that today. SW His work in developing leafy floury hybrids has led to a further increase in readily available digestible starch resulting in an overall increase in milk production. Matt Anderson Lewis M. 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We also have manual and fully automaac wweighing systems including bagging and robooc palleezing. 54 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 UNDER THE AUSPICES of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture ITPGRFA entered into force June 29 2004 with the guid- ance of a governing body that is comprised of representatives from all contracting parties. The treaty sets out to accomplish three things. First it aims to take care of the conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. Second the genetic resources should be used in a sustainable manner. And third access and benefit- sharing should be managed. The treaty also recog- nizes that farmers have contributed to the diversity of crops that feed the world therefore it works to ensure that recipients share benefits they derive from the use of these genetic materials. With increasing population growth climate change impact on agriculture and water scarcity for our crop production we need to safeguard our agro biodiversity and food security by conserving our plant biodiversity in situ on farm and ex situ facilitating climate change adaptation of our food crops increasing agricultural productivity and by ensuring the equitable sharing and exchange of Industry experts look to improve the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agricultures Access and Benefit- sharing mechanism. Julie Deering Treaty Helps to Feed the World our resources information and technologies says Matthew Worrell ITPGRFA chairperson of the Sixth Session of the Governing Body. The treaty has been making rapid progress in addressing these goals by integrating and further developing its operational mechanisms its open initiatives and its govern- ance function throughout the entire value chain derived from plant genetic resources. To date there are 136 contracting parties to the ITPGRFA and 64 crops accounting for 80 percent of all human consumption are exchanged under the treaty. With the treaty in place plant breeders farmers and scientists of contracting parties have access to genetic resources the world over. Resource Boom According to data from CGIAR more than 8500 transfers are made every week adding up to 440000 accessions in one year from international research centers alone. Farmers donors scientists and genebank managers all con- tribute to the success of the treatys multilateral system a system whereby countries that have ratified the treaty agree to make their genetic diversity and related information about the crops stored in their gene banks available. Its important to realize that we are all dependent on each other for genetic resources for food and agriculture says Anke van den Hurk of Plantum. Theres not a single country that has all the genetic resources needed for food production originating in their own country. For example Brazil has a lot of biodiversity but still it derives genetic resources that originated in other countries. Genetics float all over the world and it should remain that way. The international treaty makes it possible THE FAST ACCURATE AND ULTRA CLEAN BAGGING SYSTEM Versatile - Will easily handle multiple bag types and sizes Automatic changeover - No tools Full integration of tagging and marking systems Safe operation - All moving components are guarded as standard construction - not as an option High capacity - Single line produces 26 bags per minute Worldwide experience - Local support CONTACT US TODAY FOR FULL SPECS AND PRICING. 3400 109th Street Des Moines IA 50322 800-247-6755 www.bratney.com DEFINING INNOVATION-SERIOUSPACKAGINGSOLUTIONS 56 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 In Luzon Philippines farmers build terraces of rice a key crop exchanged under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. 136 parties are contracted to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. 64 crops are exchanged under the treaty. BY THE NUMBERS to exchange genetic resources in an easy way through the Standard Material Transfer Agreement. It might not be completely ideal but it makes the exchange of genetic resources possible and allows the flow to continue. Rice is one of the key crops exchanged under the treaty. In the Philippines the International Rice Research Institute IRRI has collected more than 100000 varieties of rice. Its staff of plant breeders at the IRRI gene bank focus on improving rice vari- eties to help farmers prepare for future challenges that might come their way. On average IRRI sends out 200 samples a day using the treatys Standard Material Transfer Agreement. According to the treaty the Standard Material Transfer Agreement is a mandatory model for contracting parties wishing to provide and receive material under the multilateral system. Everyone recognizes that its very important to send rice from one country to another but there is a big difficult question of fairness says Ruaraidh Sackville Hamilton head of IRRIs Genetic Resources Center. It needs to be used but it needs to not be misused. The treaty in general and the Standard Material Transfer Agreement give us the confidence that we are not sending rice like that and the benefits will be shared fairly. However the Access and Benefit-sharing mechanism of the treaty is not working as many had hoped and how benefits are shared seems to be a point of consternation. Theres not as much money flowing in as many had hoped van den Hurk says. Sharing Expertise In September IRRI announced that Sackville Hamilton would be joining the ITPGRFA secre- tariat at the FAO of the United Nations to bolster implementation of the treaty. He will spend part of his time in Los Baos and part in Rome. An evolutionary biologist with four decades of experience in plant genetic resources Hamilton will share his deep scientific expertise as head of the gene bank maintained by IRRI to strengthen the global information system GLIS on plant genetic resources under the treaty and its multi- lateral system of access and benefit-sharing. Ruaraidhs expertise which draws on and honors thousands of years of farmers knowl- edge will be made available to help address a broader set of global food security challenges through the scientific and informatics work of the treaty shares Robert Zeigler director general of IRRI. Hamilton will help to develop options for improving the instruments that enable the fair and equitable sharing of genetic resources. Benefits Not Realized Under the current system van den Hurk says that benefit-sharing can be monetary and non- monetary however non-monetary sharing is not always felt as sufficient particularly by developing countries. In principle when accessing genetic resources from another country the accessing party must abide by the Standard Material Transfer Agreement which has minimal upfront fees she says. Under the agreement if the developed variety is not free for research and breeding then the accessor is obligated to pay 1.1 percent of gross sales minus 30 percent. If the variety is available for research and breeding accessors are asked to voluntarily contribute the same amount. Bridging the information gap between the dealer and the seed company eSMS is an enterprise cloud based sales management system that provides seed companies and dealer networks with live actionable sales customer and inventory information to drive increased productivity sales revenue and profitability. For dealers requiring a single user license try our new SMS Pro system. Our systems give you everything you need to gain an edge over your competition Sales force collaboration and management Accurate inventory reporting Electronic order submission One click customer invoicing And so much more. Discover the benefits of eSMS and SMS Pro today Learn more or request your FREE 30 day trial. Call 1-507-697-0617 Email salesagri-ware.com www.agri-ware.cominfo eSMS has completely changed the way I run my seed operation. I now have more time to spend with customers closing new business 58 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 To date van den Hurke says this has been done on a very limited scale. She says that theres also an alternative form of benefit-sharing for individuals or companies where they can pay .5 percent of gross sales for a complete crop. No parties have chosen this option as its relatively expensive. Building Benefits As such in 2013 an Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group to Enhance the Functioning of the Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-sharing was formed to develop a range of measures for consideration and decision by the Sixth Session of the Governing Body met Oct. 5-9 in Rome Italy. Plantums van den Hurk chair of the International Seed Federations Sustainable Agriculture Committee which works under the Breeders Committee and Tom Nickson of Monsanto committee co-chair represent the interests of the ISF on the ad hoc working group. Through the work of van den Hurke Nickson and other committee members a first discussion paper was developed approved by the Breeders Committee and presented to the ad hoc working group in December. A more elaborate document was approved in March and was sent to the working group for discussion in June. The system as it is now is not appreciated for different reasons and thats why there is a working group thats trying to improve the multilateral system van den Hurk says. One of the rules of the treaty is that if you are contracting party that you should make your genetic resources of those 64 crops available in the multilateral system. In practice a lot of countries have not made those resources available. On the other hand some countries indicate that they will not make their genetic resources available as there is no benefit-sharing coming through the benefit-sharing fund. Van den Hurk explains that like the chicken and the egg its a struggle over which comes first. It might be true that theres not a lot of direct benefit-sharing but there is a lot of non-monetary sharing through developed varieties the breeding exemption and all sorts of support to maintain and improve genebank collections worldwide. It should be recognized that the breeding exemp- tion is a big benefit on its own. As part of the discussion paper ISF proposes a multi-optional approach to enhance the benefit- sharing portion of the treaty. One element of the approach is a subscription model that would be based on the crop accessed over multiple years. To encourage researchers and breeders to subscribe the recommended payment would be much lower than the current percentage. If accepted by the governing body different rates would apply for different crops taking into account a crops commercial value. In the discussion paper ISF also recommends a minimum incorporation threshold for consideration by the ad hoc working group. ISF proposes that if a product incorporates at least 3.125 percent of the plant genetic resources for food and agriculture from the multilateral system by pedigree five crosses andor incorporates a trait of value derived from the multilateral system then benefit-sharing obligations should be triggered. Trait of value is described as any trait that confers commercial value to a product including but not limited to agronomic traits traits conferring One of the rules of the treaty is that if you are contracting party that you should make your genetic resources of those 64 crops available in the multilateral system. In practice a lot of countries have not made those resources available. Anke van den Hurk CROPS OF THE TREATY Crops exchanged under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture include Breadfruit Asparagus Oat Beet Brassica complex Pigeon Pea Chickpea Citrus Coconut Major aroids Carrot Yams Finger Millet Strawberry Sunflower Barley Sweet potato Grass pea Lentil Apple Cassava BananaPlantain Rice Pearl Millet Beans Pea Rye Potato Eggplant Sorghum Triticale Wheat Faba beanVetch Cowpea Maize Astragalus Canavalia Coronilla Hedysarum Lathyrus Lespedeza Lotus Lupinas Medicago Melilotus Onobrychis Ornithopus Prosopis Pueraria Trifolium Andropogon Agropyron Agrostis Alopecurus Arrhenatherum Dactylis Festuca Lolium Phalaris Phleum Poa Tripsacum Atriplex Salsola 60 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 resistance to biotic or abiotic stresses traits that enhance the nutritional or processing value of harvested commodities and any other traits used to describe a product for the purpose of promoting its commercialization. ISF believes that the benefit-sharing obligations linked to percent incorporation based on pedigree could be a graduated scale where the payment is greater for a higher percent incorporation on a sliding scale to no payment when percent incorpo- ration is less than 3.125 percent. Other elements of the discussion paper include royalty payments upfront pay- ments and termination clauses for a Standard Material Transfer Agreement. Van den Hurk hopes the ad hoc working group will come to some resolution as whatever comes from it will say a lot about the future outcome of the treaty. Its important that the seed business understand that there is a new concept of thinking internationally and that rules for access and benefit-sharing exist she says. The treaty approach for access and benefit-sharing is reasonable it might not be ideal but in principle it creates a level playing field for companies no matter the size of the company. Meeting of the Sixth Session Signatories of The Sixth Session of the Governing Body of the ITPGRFA met in early October to negotiate a subscription system to access diverse germplasm that is intended to generate predictable and regular income for farmers conserving and further adapting seed varieties on farm. During the meeting delegates also agreed to proceed with the proposal for a Global Information System GLIS. GLIS will contain a virtual gene library that will include data from seed banks research centers and farmers organizations says Shakeel Bhatti ITPGRFA secretary. Its going to take time to get it fully functional because of the vast array of interests involved but it will greatly facilitate the work of all the actors along the seed value chain in developing and developed countries. IRRIs Zeigler said We cant expect every program every gene bank in the world to redesign their databases to match some international standard. What we need is inter-operability to create por- tals where everyones databases can talk to another. That is what the GLIS is designed to be. IRRI made the first contribution to the new system by placing with it the genome sequences of more than 3000 rice varieties. According to the European Seed Association Europes breeders see this treaty with its multilateral system and standardized approach to Standard Material Transfer Agreements as the best available concept to successfully secure the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources. It is ESAs position that access to genetic resources for further breeding is the key precondition to enable plant breeders to continuously and success- fully address the grand challenges of food security environmental sustainabil- ity and climate change said Garlich von Essen ESAs secretary general during his speech in Rome. However von Essen recognizes that the treaty is not perfect highlighting the lack of income flowing into its benefit- sharing fund. He added that ESA stands ready to further contribute its knowledge and experience to a successful conclusion of the ongoing negotiations regarding further improvement of the treaty and its financing. To show its commitment ESA made voluntary financial contributions to the treatys access and benefit-sharing fund in 2014 and 2015. During its recent annual meeting in Vienna Austria the association gifted 300000 euros to the treatys benefit-sharing fund. Across the pond to date the United States is not a signatory to the ITPGRFA however the American Seed Trade Association has been working for a number of years to get the treaty rati- fied by Congress. Monsantos Nickson explains the United States would not have to change any of its laws to be in compli- ance with the treaty and that its philo- sophically aligned with what the National Plant Germplasm System is trying to do when it comes conserving plant genetic resources. ASTA continues to push Congress on the issue but Nickson says with the upcoming presidential election it will be hard to get anything done. SW 1.800.418.9461 convey-all.com INNOVATIVE QUALITY SOLUTIONS Dealer Enquiries Welcome Looking for reliable equipment for your agribusiness Check out our extensive line of Short Transfer Conveyors Transloaders Fieldloaders Paddle Belt Conveyors Large Harvest Conveyors We have the model to t your requirements. We also produce an extensive line of Seed Tenders Commercial Seed Tenders Visit CONVEY-ALL.COM to read testimonials of the quality and eciency that our products can add to your operation. We realize the marketplace is competitive and in this day of technology the value that we can add to your operation is our commitment to your satisfaction. Contact your local dealer and ask them about Convey-All. 62 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 About The Author Chengyan Yue holds the Bachman Endowed Chair in Horticultural Marketing and is an associate profes- sor in the the departments of Horticultural Science and Applied Economics at University of Minnesota. By better understanding con- sumers and other stake- holders preferences Yues research provides important guidance and implications for marketing horticultural prod- ucts in strategic ways. RESEARCH SHOWCASE Welcome to Seed Worlds Research Showcase a new department within the magazine. This department is designed to bring more scientific information to readers as well as showcase the work being done by graduate students and their advisors. Are consumers interested in low-input turfgrasses for their home lawns Chengyan Yue Associate Professor Department of Horticultural Science and Department of Applied Economics University of Minnesota Eric Watkins Associate Professor Department of Horticultural Science University of Minnesota Introduction Healthy residential lawns provide important environmental benefits such as urban heat dissipa- tion water quality protection erosion control and carbon sequestration as well as functional and aesthetic benefits to society. Widespread urban development has led to substantial growth in lawn acreage and the subsequent increase in the amount of resource inputs fertilizer water etc.. The use of low-input turfgrass species on residential lawns could be a viable strategy to reduce the rising environmental and economic costs of maintenance inputs as well as satisfy public concerns about water conservation and pesticides and fertilizer reduction. During the past few decades researchers have identified and developed alternative grass species suited for low-maintenance sites. Previous research shows there is market potential for environmentally-friendly goods and services but there has been no information on consumer preferences for maintenance attributes of turfgrasses. The research focused on answering the following questions 1. Will consumers be willing to pay premiums for low-input turfgrasses 2. If yes what are the premiums 3. Will the premiums they are willing to pay be the same for different low-input characteristics such as reduced water use reduced mowing and reduced fertilizer use 4. If not which characteristics glean higher premiums The results presented in this study provide important implications and insights about the market potential of low-input turfgrass species to plant breeders and professionals in the Upper Midwest turfgrass seed industry. Method Presurvey focus groups conducted in April 2010 helped identify a key set of nine turfgrass attrib- utes to include in the study Table 1. Aesthetic quality is important to homeowners and the three aesthetic attributes included in the study were color texture and weed infestation. Many home lawns have a significant amount of shaded area thus shade adaptation was included in the set of attributes. Consumers have shown interest in native plants for landscaping Helfand Sik Park and Nassauer 2006 so origin was also included as an attribute which was defined as being native to the United States or nonnative. Each of the aesthetic attributes shade adaptation and origin had two categories. The focus groups also helped identify three turfgrass maintenance practices of foremost importance to homeowners specifically irrigating fertilizing and mowing. Therefore these three maintenance attributes were included in the choice experiment and each had three input catego- ries corresponding to low moderate and high. Price points were determined based on turfgrass seed prices obtained from consulting with various seed sales professionals in the Minneapolis and St. Paul Minn. metropolitan area. To reduce error in participant estimation price was given as the cost to seed an area 1000 ft2 and prices ranged between 5 and 20 with 5 as the incremental interval. PHOTODAVIDHANSEN. OCTOBER 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 63 Table 1. Turfgrass Attributes and the Attribute Categories Tested in This Study Attributes Category Texture Fine Coarse Color Dark green Light green Weed presence Yes No Native Native U.S. Nonnative Shade adaptation Sun Sun or shade Fertility Requirement 1 lb nitrogen1000 ft2 per year 2 lb nitrogen1000 ft2 per year 3 lb nitrogen1000 ft2 per year Irrigation requirement Low less than once a week Medium 1-2 times a week High 3-5 times a week Mowing Requirement Once a month Every other week 1-2 times per week Price 5 per 1000 ft2 10 per 1000 ft2 15 per 1000 ft2 20 per 1000 ft2 To capture the effects of aesthetic characteristics on con- sumer choice behavior we gave participants the opportunity to see and evaluate actual turfgrass plots instead of seed. Although showing a sample turfgrass plot is not typical for tur- fgrass varieties in retail stores plots of new varieties are com- monly tested in various public displays. Although consumers purchase seed the turfgrass is the ultimate product that deter- mines the demand for new turfgrass varieties. Therefore having participants evaluate turfgrass plots allowed us to evaluate the market potential for several novel low-input turfgrass varieties. The choice experiment was conducted on field plots at the Turfgrass Research Outreach and Education Center at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul Minn. in June 2010. The tur- fgrass field plots 1.52 m X 0.91 m each were seeded in August 2009 each species was seeded at the recommended seeding rate and typical turfgrass establishment procedures were fol- lowed. The following six turfgrass species from the field plots were used in the study colonial bentgrass hard fescue tufted hairgrass prairie junegrass perennial ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass. Additionally multiple cultivars of each species were available for the choice experiment. The six different species and the multiple cultivars of each provided the necessary com- binations of aesthetic attributes. We conducted a survey of 136 homeowners in the Minneapolis and St. Paul Minn. metropolitan area. The main component of the survey was a choice experiment to investi- gate consumer preference and estimate willingness to pay for several low-input turfgrass attributes e.g. water use as well as aesthetic attributes such as origin and shade adaptation. Participants were recruited by placing an advertisement in 13 local newspapers in and around the Minneapolis and St. Paul Minn. metropolitan area including both urban and suburban communities and also from www.minneapolis.craigslist.org. Participants were compensated 30.00 each for their time. To ensure that the sample was representative of the consumer market only those consumers who had a home lawn and only members of the household who were able to make lawn care decisions and purchases were allowed to participate. Participants were presented with a series of choice sce- narios which consisted of adjacent or nearly adjacent turf- grass plots. To lessen the cognitive burden on participants only two turfgrass plots were included in each scenario. The two turfgrass plots in each scenario varied in aesthetic quality. For example if Plot A was dark green fine in texture and had weeds then Plot B was light green coarse in texture and had no weeds. The two plots in each scenario also varied in shade adaptation and origin levels of maintenance inputs and price which were displayed on labels in front of each turfgrass plot. Participants were asked to choose which alternative i.e. tur- fgrass plot in each choice scenario they would rather purchase. They were also given the option to choose neither for each scenario indicating they would not purchase either alternative. The opt-out alternative was included in the experimental design to make the choice situation more realistic. Participants were asked to choose which grass seed in each choice scenario they would rather purchase. Of the 136 homeowners who partici- pated 128 provided enough information for analysis. On average participants were approximately 45 years old and 51 percent of the participants were female. Sixteen percent of participants had a high school diploma or less approximately 63 percent of them had some college or a college diploma and 21 percent had some graduate school or had a graduate degree. Twenty percent of participants had children younger than 12 years old. Thirty-one percent of the participants house- hold income was less than or equal to 50000 47 percent of participants household income was greater than 50000 and less than 100000 and approximately 23 percent of partici- pants household income was over 100000. Eighteen percent of participants home lawns were larger than 8000 ft2 and when asked what type of grass do you currently have on your lawn 61.8 percent indicated they did not know. Twelve percent of participants stated that they had Kentucky bluegrass on their lawn and only 6.9 percent stated that they had perennial ryegrass. Findings The price premiums for low-input attributes are shown in Figure 1. Compared to a high irrigation requirement grass seed partici- pants were willing to pay 9.70 per 1000 ft2 more for a turf- grass with a low irrigation requirement and they were willing to pay 5.85 per 1000 ft2 more for a turfgrass with a moderate irrigation requirement. Another characteristic evaluated was the frequency at which the turfgrass would need to be mowed. Compared to the most 64 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 These two images show how participants were presented with a series of choice scenarios which consisted of adjacent or nearly adjacent turfgrass plots. Participants were asked to take into account price shade adaptation and requirements for irrigation fertilizer and mowing. OCTOBER 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 65 Contact us Today Ask for Erick at 800-992-2824 ext 111 erickks-ka.com www.krautersolutions.com Your Seed is in Good Hands Climate-Controlled Storage Growth Chambers New Retrofitted Systems Our patent-pending Krauter Solutions frequent mowing requirement participants were willing to pay 3.92 per 1000 ft2 more for a turfgrass requiring infrequent mowing and they were willing to pay 2.97 per 1000 ft2 more for a turfgrass requiring moderately frequent mowing. Compared to the high fertility requirement the premiums for turfgrasses with low and moderate fertility requirements were not significant and they were 2.00 per 1000 ft2 and 1.10 per 1000 ft2 respectively. Conclusion and Recommendations Irrigation was the most influential maintenance attribute affecting consumer choice followed by mowing requirement. Fertility was the characteristic least likely to influence consumer buying behavior. Likewise participants were willing to pay the highest premium for a turfgrass with a low irrigation requirement. It is likely that the strong preference for water conservation is not only due to cost savings but also due to environmental concerns. More than 75 percent of participants slightly-to-strongly agreed with the statement water use on home lawns is an environmental concern. Mowing requirement was the second most influential input studied affecting buying preference and behavior. Although participants did not indicate a significant preference between having to mow every other week versus once or twice a week they did indicate a strong preference for mowing on a monthly basis. The results indicate there is great market potential for some turfgrass species e.g. fine fescues that can provide acceptable quality when mowed on a monthly basis or only twice per year. Fertilizer requirement did not affect consumer willing- ness to pay. Participants responses to the questionnaire show that approximately half of participants did not know the total amount of fertilizer applied to their home lawn per year. Previous research has also found that most homeowners are unfamiliar with the recommended fertility practices. This lack of knowledge could be a potential reason for the lack of significance of fertility requirement. Another possible explana- tion that fertility requirement did not affect choice behavior is that participants already perceived their fertility practices to be low-input considering more than 70 percent of participants fertilized their lawn two times per year or less. REFERENCES Yue C. K. Hugie and E. Watkins. 2012. Are Consumers Willing to Pay More for Low-input Turfgrasses on Residential Lawns Evidence from Choice Experiments with Real Products. Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics 44549560. Participants preferred turfgrasses with dark green color and fine leaf texture and the most important aesthetic charac- teristic was the absence of weeds. Efforts should be focused on developing cultivars that are competitive against weed encroachment. We also found more than 80 percent of par- ticipants agreed with statement pesticide use is harmful to human health and the environment. Results suggest that future plant breeding efforts could be directed to increasing the aggressiveness or allelopathy i.e. natural weed suppres- sion of turfgrass varieties as a means of providing nonchemical weed control for low-input or organic lawns. The development of low-input turfgrasses deserves further consideration as a strategy to reduce the environmental and economic costs of home lawn maintenance. These results sug- gest that changes in residential turfgrass management could potentially benefit the turfgrass seed industry because of the considerably large price premiums associated with low-input attributes. Low-input turfgrasses could also provide a means for the industry to take advantage of increased regulatory action. As environmental concerns continue to manifest the turfgrass industry might develop a greater interest in producing and marketing low-input turfgrasses. Prices Consumers Are Willing to Pay for Low-Input Turfgrass Attributes Low-input turfgrass attributes Priceper1000ft2 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Waterlow Water medium Fertilizerlow Fertilizer medium Mowinglow Mowing medium 66 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 Exploring ideas and views on all aspects of the seed industry. CONFERENCE TO FOCUS ON PEOPLE PERFORMANCE AND PRODUCTIVITY The 2015 National Conference for Agribusiness hosted by Purdue Universitys Center for Food and Agricultural Business will be held Nov. 10-11. A vital part of business strategy is managing a companys greatest assets people. There is a correlation between effective performance management and company success says Michael Gunderson associate director of the center. Company strategies not only have to identify poor performers but also address the issue. During the conference experts from Purdue University Rhode Island College and a variety of cooperatives and corporations will help participants learn to lead change within their companies. Participants will gain insight on helping people perform their best stay motivated and find career success. Additionally results from Purdues national survey of agribusiness managers about their performance management assets and obstacles will be unveiled. THERE IS A CORRELATION BETWEEN EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND COMPANY SUCCESS. Michael Gunderson CHINA COMMITS TO IMPROVE BIOTECH APPROVAL PROCESS After in-depth discussions about agricultural biotechnology with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Chinese officials committed to further improve the approval process. In late September representatives from USDA and Chinas Ministry of Agriculture met to discuss the topic which is part of the Strategic Agriculture Innovation Dialogue prior to a meeting between President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Following the meeting the White House issued a fact sheet reporting Both sides reaffirmed the importance of implementing timely transparent predictable and science-based approval processes for products of agricultural biotechnology which are based on international standards. According to the fact sheet both sides committed to share experience and practices of research and development regulatory administration and safety approval of agricultural biotechnology. Additionally both countries affirm that states should not conduct or knowingly support misappropriation of intellectual property including trade secrets or other confidential business information with the intent of providing competitive advantages to their companies or commercial sectors. COMPETITION PREPARES STUDENTS TO IDENTIFY AND CONTROL WEEDS At the 2015 National Collegiate Weed Science Contest students were asked to identify 130 weed species and their seeds on site. Sixty- five teams from 25 schools participated in the event hosted by The Ohio State Universitys Agricultural Research and Development Center including 140 graduate students and 73 undergraduates. Students competed as individuals and as teams. They were asked to identify weeds at various stages of growth and development from seeds to mature plants. During live role-playing sessions they were asked to solve weed management issues faced by farmers and land managers. They also had to identify which of 30 herbicides had been used to treat various field plots based on visual indicators. Finally they had to prove they could calibrate commonly used sprayers. The Top undergraduate team was from the University of Nebraska and team members included Brad Meusch Jacob Nikodym Bret Rausch and Don Treptow. The top graduate team was from Purdue University and team members included Pretap Devkota Nick Harre Joey Heueghan and Doug Spaunhurst. The top graduate and undergraduate students were Zachary Lancaster of the University of Arkansas and Katelyn Vonn Treeck of the University of Wisconsin respectively. 68 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 REGULATORY ROUNDUP Keeping you informed of legislative and regulatory changes at the state national and international levels from lawsuits to approvals to other regulatory issues affecting your business. NATIONAL BLM UNVEILS NATIONAL SEED STRATEGY The U.S. Department of Interiors Bureau of Land Management released National Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration Aug. 17 at a seed warehouse in Boise Idaho. According to the DOI the strategy will help foster resil- ient and healthy landscapes important to wildlife and to the economy by guiding ecological restoration espe- cially for those lands such as sagebrush habitat dam- aged by large rangeland fires. The American Seed Trade Association participated in numerous open and construc- tive dialogues fostered by the BLM staff throughout the formulation process. SAN FRANCISCO COURT CANCELS EPA PRODUCT APPROVAL The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco Calif. ruled the Environmental Protection Agency did not have sufficient data when it approved sulfoxaflor in 2010 and subsequently canceled EPAs approval of products containing the ingredient. Dow AgroSciences reported it respectfully disagrees with the Ninth Circuits conclusion that EPAs registration of products containing sulfoxaflor should be vacated. Dow AgroSciences will work with EPA to implement the order and to promptly complete additional regulatory work to support the registration of the products. The company is also considering its options to challenge the courts decision. USDA ASKS EPA TO RECONSIDER PLAN TO PROTECT POLLINATORS The Environmental Protection Agencys plan to protect bees from exposure to pesticides could have a negative impact on numerous specialty crop farmers and the rural economies they contribute to across the U.S. according to Sheryl Kunickis program director for the Department of Agricultures Office of Pest Management Policy. In a letter to Jack Housenger EPAs pesticide programs director Kunickis writes that USDA has concerns with proposed prohibitions and encour- ages a thorough evaluation of adverse effects reports associated with contracted pollination services in order to best understand where protection improvements can be made rather than enact- ing a complete prohibition in crop protection materials. Under its Proposal to Mitigate Exposure to Bees from Acutely Toxic Pesticide Products EPA proposes to prohibit the applications of pesticides that are highly toxic to bees when crops are in bloom and bees are under contract for pollina- tion services. These restrictions would prohibit application of most insecticides and some herbicides during bloom. INOCUCOR MOVES ONE STEP CLOSER TO PATENT The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office sent Inocucor Technol- ogies Inc. a notice of allowance for its patent application to protect Inocucor consortia and unique microbial products that accelerate plant growth and enhance yields on farms and in greenhouses. This initial patent relates to Inocucors live IN-M1 microbial consortium and its fermentation byprod- ucts. These byproducts are the basis of the formulation for Inocucor Garden Solution the companys first-generation growth-accelerator product. INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPING COUNTRIES DECIDE FATE ON GMOS At a biotech seminar titled The Impact of Biotechnology on the Developing World Agriculture Nutrition and the Environment organized by the U.S. Mission in Geneva at World Trade Organization headquarters in-country experts shared triumphs and troubles related to the development and adop- tion of genetically modified crops. Countries outside the European Union are deciding whether or not they want to grow GM crops. The seminar suggested that countries out- side of the EU are less worried about biotech concerns. EU APPROVES TWO GM CROPS FOR IMPORT Two genetically modified crops have received endorse- ments to be approved for import in the European Union. The European Food Safety Authority EFSA has deemed the herbicide tolerant GM soy- bean Mon87708 x Mon89788 and the herbicide tolerant GM maize NK603 x T25 safe for food or feed use. In its scien- tific opinion EFSA reported that both crops are as safe as their non-GM counterparts and non-GM conventional maize varieties with respect to potential effects on human and animal health and the environment in the context of its scope. ORGANIZATIONS VOICE CONCERN ABOUT EU DIRECTION ON GMOS In early August 2015 Richard Lochhead the Scottish cabinet secretary for rural affairs food and environment announced that he would not allow the planting of insect resistant corn the only genetically modified crop approved for planting in the European Union. He also said that he would not allow the use of six other GM crops that are being assessed by the European Food Safety Authority EFSA. In a statement Lochhead mentioned that the reason for the ban was to protect and further enhance our clean green status. In response to this decision 28 scientific organizations expressed concerns in a letter to Lochhead about the decision to ban GM crops in Scotland. These organizations which include the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the British Society of Plant Breeders have asked for a meeting with Lochhead to talk about scientific evidence on GM crops. Lochhead has agreed to meet with the scientists and assured them that the ban will not affect the state of current research in Scotland. SW BE INCLUDED IN THE YEARS BEST SEED INDUSTRY BUYERS GUIDE LIST YOUR COMPANY IN THE 2016 SEED WORLD BUYERS GUIDE Online reference tool for the seed industry Optimized for mobile viewing on smartphones and tablets Bonus print edition distributed at the ASTA CSS GET LISTED TODAY AT SEEDWORLD.COMBUYERSGUIDE Your company will be listed in the 2016 Buyers Guide for one year PLUS your listing will be printed in the most talked about issue at ASTA CSS 2015 Seed Expo December Seed World at no extra charge. PLUS 70 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 STATUS ARGENTINA For the first time in 20 years the Argentine government will allow citizens to voice their opinion on its plan to allow the introduction of new genetically modified GM seeds into the country. The first GM crop under citizens supervision a kind of soy is supplied by the Argentine affiliate of the multi- national Monsanto agrochemi- cal and agricultural biotech corporation and is resistant to dicamba and glyphosate. In its report on the second phase of evaluation Conabia a national advisory com- mission on agricultural biotechnology that works under the auspices of the Agriculture Livestock and Fishery Ministry stated the risks of that particular genetically modified soy to the agricultural ecosystem in large-scale crops do not differ significantly from those inherent in crops of non-GMO soybeans. However environmental organizations do not agree with that evaluation and warn about the toxic effects of using both herbicides about which the World Health Organization reported last March that glyphosate could possibly be a cause of cancer. According to Martin Lema Conabia head of biotechnol- ogy citizens can send their opinions about the new GMO by email or present them in person to the Agriculture world STATUS A look at seed industry developments around the globe. Be it securing germplasm or securing financing both are essential to furthering the global goal of increasing food production by more than 50 percent by 2050. Take a look at the efforts being made in Zambia and Syria and the partnerships and cooperation that are necessary to achieve this success. Ministry until Sept. 30 2016. At that time experts will judge whether its worth Conabia reviewing the report. The decision to accept com- ments on products of this kind has already been applied in places like the United States the European Union and Uruguay and forms part of the democratization of the Agriculture Ministry Lema says noting that Argentina has approved 30 different genetically modified food crops. Source Fox News. STATUS BELGIUM Researchers from Ghent University in Belgium have succeeded in stabilizing folates an essential nutrient in biofortified rice. In addition to certain forms of anemia folate deficiency in pregnant women can result in impaired development of the neural tube of the embryo. Folate deficiency is also associated with Alzheimers disease cardio-vascular diseases and the development of a range of cancers. Due to the mar- ginal levels of folate in rice consumed by about half the worlds population as a sole energy source folate defi- ciency is prevalent in develop- ing countries. The research team developed a new rice prototype and applied two strategies for the folate to remain stable for long storage. The first strategy involved binding folates with a protein which is well studied in mammals but unknown in plants. The protein occurs in milk and protects folate from degradation. Based on a folate binding protein from cow milk the folate content of rice remained stable in the long- term storage. The second strategy con- sisted of the stimulation of the last step in folate produc- tion which extends the tail of the folate molecule. This promotes cellular retention and binding to folate depend- ent proteins. Aside from enhancing folate stability the new gene combinations also increased folate levels by up to 150 times that found in regular rice. All genes used in the study were placed next to each other on a single piece of DNA so the genetic material can easily be transferred to edible rice varieties. It is also easier to make combinations with other interesting traits such as enhancement of other vitamins or minerals such as iron. This technology can also be used in other crops both cereals wheat sorghum and non-cereals potato banana. Sources International Service for the Acquisition of Agri- Biotech Applications and Ghent University. STATUS PHILIPPINES The Philippine Department of Agriculture Undersecretary for Policy Planning Research and Development and Regulations Segfredo Serrano received the declara- tions of support for the com- mercial planting of the fruit and shoot borer resistant Bt OCTOBER 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 71 eggplant. The copies of dec- larations were handed over by biotech corn farmer-leader Edwin Paraluman during the Forum on the Global Alliance for Agri-biotech GAABT Model on Low-level Presence and GM and Organic Farming Co-existence held Sept. 30 at the Iloilo Convention Center. Source Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology. STATUS SYRIA The war in Syria makes it difficult for research organiza- tions and gene banks such as the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas ICARDA to access seeds. Currently headquartered in Beirut Lebanon ICARDA manages a gene bank in Aleppo Syria. ICARDAs GeneBank holds in-trust around 150000 accessions in the active collection and dis- tributes up to 25000 samples a year. However the situa- tion in Syria has affected its genetic resources activities. In 2014 ICARDA had dupli- cated more than 80 percent of its unique collection of plant genetic resources 116484 accesssions of germ- plasm and shipped it to Norways Global Seed Vault. Mahmoud Solh ICARDA director general shares that sets have been duplicated in several gene banks including CGIARs research centers the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and safe places in Germany Turkey Lebanon and Morocco. Until recently we were using and dispatching bulk seeds of these genetic materials to meet requests from Aleppo in spite of the tough security situation Solh says. As a result in September ICARDA requested to with- draw part of its genetic mate- rials that had been duplicated at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway to reconsti- tute the active collection in both Morocco and Lebanon in large bulks to better meet incoming requests. Due to Syrias civil war the Global Seed Vault also known as the Doomsday Vault will now allow a withdrawal of its contents for the first time in its existence. Established in 2008 the vault can hold 4.5 million varieties and was built to survive rising sea levels power outages and other events that could affect the seeds says Brian Lainoff of The Crop Trust the foun- dation that oversees the vault. He shares that about 500 seeds of each variety are contained within the vault and they are key to genetic resistance against potential diseases that could affect the worlds major crops. Source ICARDA. STATUS ZAMBIA The 2015 African Green Revolution Forum was held Sept. 29 Oct. 2 in Zambia. Organized by the AGRF Partners Group the govern- ment of Zambia and the Common Market for East and Southern Africa the theme for the event was Walking the Talk on Youth and Women Bringing Inclusive Agricultural Markets to Life. Michael Sudarka AGRF program director says this is timely and apt as Africa seeks to make the prosperity inherent in agriculture more inclusive for women and youth. Sylvia Mwichuli AGRF convenor adds that Africas agriculture has the potential to generate all of the food that is currently imported valued at 35 billion per year. Historically women and youth have been disenfranchised with regard to accessing agri- cultural finance and markets. For Africa to fully unlock the prosperity inherent in agri- culture Sudarka says that the full value chain must work for men women and youth. Africa must define clear strat- egies for increasing access to operation finance and to lucrative markets to enable youth and women engaging in agriculture as a business enterprise he says. This will in turn spur the growth of associated industries with the net result being more shared prosperity for Africas men women and youth. Source Africa Green Revolution Forum. SW 72 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 The Independent Professional Seed Associationlaunched a new campaign designed to inform farmers why theyshould put their trust in IPSA-member companies. The campaign appears on various media outlets the associations website and will be made available to all IPSA members for their own use. Research Triangle Foundation is constructing a new 30000- square-foot facility at The Lab in Research Triangle Park N.C. The mixed officelaboratory and greenhouse complex is slated for completion and occupancy byAgBiome in December 2015. MarketsandMarkets reports the seed treatment market will be worth 8.8 billion by 2020. According to the report Multinational corporations are investing in the research of seed treatment methods on a global scale because it is one of the fastest growing markets. ... Existing companies are actively introducing new agricultural seed treatment products and methods with different functions to meet the expected yield. The International Seed Testing Association welcomes its first industry members Dow AgroSciences and DuPont Pioneer. To better facilitate communication between the seed testing industry and the producers and distributors of seed ISTAnow offers an Industry Membership option. BUSINESS NEWS Ag Processing Inc. AGP will participate in Monsantos 2016 pilot introduction of VistiveGold high oleic soybeans. AGP is the first processor to offer Iowa growers the opportunity to useVistive Gold high oleic soybeans which have an improved nutritional profile with zero transfats and reduced saturated fats. Dow AgroSciences openeda new Seeds Research Development Field Station in Huron S.D. An open house was held to showcase the station which includes an office seed processing building and machine storage shed. Technology Acceleration Partners TechAccel a private capital development company that invests in acquires and advances discoveries in agriculture has entered into a licensing INDUSTRY NEWS Delivering the people industry business and product news you need to know. Submissions are welcome. Email us at newsissuesink.com. Researchers have discovered how a tiny viral protein enables the infection of a complex plant. This finding could lead to understanding viral diseases in other plants animals and humans according to a team of Texas AM AgriLife Research biochemists. Xiuren Zhangs lab in College Station focused on how plants can defend themselves against viral attacks by experimenting with the effect of mosaic virus on Arabidopsis a model plant widely used in research. agreement for a bio-pesticide with Kansas State University. The agreement between the two organizations secures an exclusive license on the patent enti- tled Doubled-stranded RNA-based Nanoparticles for Insect Gene Silencing. In a second transactionTechAccel made an equity investment in Benson Hill Biosystems.Specifically the invest- ment is in a new technology platform whichThe MIT Reviewnamed as a 2015 breakthrough technology of the year. DuPont Pioneer expands its Windfall Ind. research center to better serve local growers and support global breeding and testing programs in corn soybeans and wheat. The Windfall multi-crop research center added three new breeding programs. The expansion includes 15000 square feetof indoor workspace and 9600 square feet of equipment and machinery storage. Syngenta breaks ground on a 20- million expansion of its North America Seedcare Institute in Stanton Minn. The 38000-square-foot structure will house laboratories for research and develop- ment treating plantability dust-off and quality assurance. It will also feature a scale-up treating area a treating equip- ment performance area to simulate real- life experiences state-of-the-art training facility and seed warehouse as well as office and meeting space. INCOTEC builds on a Dutch business model to position the Indian seed sector for growth. With assistance from the OCTOBER 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 73 Netherlands Business Support Office and in collaboration with the Gujarat State Agriculture authorities INCOTEC India has a major role in developing the seed valley concept in Gujarat India. The official inauguration of Gujarat Seed Valley took place Sept. 10during the Agri Asia exhibition in Gandhinagar Gujarat India. BASF Crop Protection expands its Littlehampton United Kingdom facil- ity. The site is BASFs only onefor the manufacture research and development sales and distribution of its entire range of nematode-based biological control products for the global market. The expansion doubles the plants fermenta- tion capacity to 190000 liters. Oregons Blue Mountain Seeds has pur- chased a seed cleaning facility that was damaged earlier this year in a fire from Barenbrug USA. Blue MountainSeeds plans to clean fine-leaf fescue seed and bluegrass seed at the plant after some reconstruction and use the facilitys warehouse for seed storage. After a 75-year absence in the U.S. market the Rob-See-Co corn brand will again be available for 2016. Currently in states west of the Mississippi Rob- See-Co will also expand its sales territory for the Innotech brand of seeds east of the Mississippi River. Tropical Melhoramento e Gentica Ltda. and Verdeca LLC a joint venture between Arcadia Biosciences Inc. and Bioceres S.A. will collaborate to develop a port- folio of new non-genetically modified soybean varieties with agronomic and product qualitytraits. The collaboration will use Verdecas proprietary soybean genetic diversity library and Arcadias high-throughput screening platform. Developing into alife sciences company Bayer CropScience will become the Crop Science Division as of Jan. 1 2016. The companys business will be man- aged by three divisions Pharmaceuticals Consumer Health and Crop Science. Applewood Seed Company celebrates 50 years as acommercial and whole- sale supplierof wildflower garden flower native grassand herb seed. The company carries high quality open-pollinated seeds and offers single species as well as seed mixtures. Through a new licensing agreement with Synthace Dow AgroSciences LLC works to speed the process at which it can deliver microbial solutions to the market. The agree- ment includes a multi-seat enterprise license giving Dow AgroSciences access to Synthaces Antha software tools. AgReliant Genetics beginsconstruction on a greenhouse at itsLebanon Ind. research station. This space will be used for corn researchand trait technology conversion. The greenhouse will provide more than 3400 square feet of space and will be the first of threeplanned greenhouse additions. The initial pro- ject is expected to becomplete in December 2015. In Syngentas 2015 half-year results the company announced an expanded product pipeline with sales potential of more than 3.6 billion. In 2015 our industry has experienced continuing softness in crop prices and low farm incomes says Mike Mack Syngenta CEO. Despite these challenges and our decision to reduce sales of glyphosate we achieved sales growth at con- stant exchange rates of 3 percent. Becks expandsinto Iowa Missouri Wisconsin Michigan Illinois and Ohio. This expansion adds roughly 12 million acres of corn and soybeans to Becks former marketing area. Barenbrug USA acquiresOregon Seed Enhancement a high- output seed coating facility located near Tangent Ore. BASF released second-quarter results showing Agricultural Solutions sales rose by 1 percent to 1.7billion euros. Positive currency effects and higher sales prices offset lower sales vol- umes. Nevertheless earnings before interest and taxes EBIT and before special items fell by 68million euros to 365million. Aside from the decrease in volumes this was also a result of increased fixed costs from the startup of new plants. Bayer CropScience will expand its European Wheat Breeding Center in Saxony-Anhalt Germany. The center comprises about 98 acres of farmland greenhouses laboratories offices and facilitiesfor seed preparation. In the coming years the wheat breeding area will expand to about 198 acres. Illumina Inc. increased revenue in the second quarter of 2015. Revenue was539 million a 21percentincrease compared to 448 million in the second quarter of 2014 and an increase of 25 percenton a constant currency basis. Keygene N.V. and Floragenex Inc. enterinto a license agree- ment around KeyGenes Sequence Based Genotyping SBG technology. The agreement enables Floragenex to extend its SBG service offerings to include ddRAD-Seq in noncommercial and academic research across all species. In 2015 our industry has experienced continuing softness in crop prices and low farm incomes. Mike Mack 74 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 Bayer Group grew sales in the second quarter of 2015 and earnings increased. At CropScience sales matched levels at this time last year while earnings improved. Sales increased by 10.2 percent to 2.723 billion euros. After adjusting for currency and portfolio effects sales were level with second quarter 2014. Monsantos The Climate Corporation sold its crop insurance business to AmTrust North America. Through the sale AmTrust gains exclusive access to certain technologies of The Climate Corporation that can be applied in the crop insurance industry for three years. DuPont opensits Integrated Seed Science Center in Johnston Iowa. This is the second facility in the DuPont Integrated Seed Science Network that is dedicated to developing and testing seed treatment formulations applica- tions and seed handling techniques. Cargill completed its new seed innova- tion center in Fort Collins Colo. The facility will be the center of Cargills spe- cialty canola hybrid development. Cargill invested 10 million to build the new facil- ity where it will select the next generation of Victory seed varieties. Victorycanola hybrids are grown and harvested in Canada and the United States before being crushed and refined to become Clear Valley high oleic canola oils. In August Kansas-based Star Seed cele- brated the reconstruction of its produc- tion plant after being destroyed by a fire nearly two years ago. Today capacity is four times greater than it was in the old facility and operations throughout the plant are computer-controlled. The com- pany also installed a new pallet racking system for seed storage and quality control that has increased available floor space nearly five fold. In its 2015 second quarter and first-half results Novozymes revised sales growth expectations.Total sales in the first half of 2015 increased by 5percentorganically compared with the first half of 2014. Ball Horticultural Company purchased Conard-Pyle which brought the Knock Out family of roses to market. Among the acquired assets are Conard-Pyles in-house breeding division NovaFlora and its intellectual properties and the distribution production and administration facilities of its wholesale division. The Indiana Crop Improvement Association ICIA is now con- sidered a Non GMO Project approved laboratory. The polymer- ase chain reaction PCR testing protocol used by ICIA meets the standard requirements of the Non GMO Project for all crop species. ICIA received its ISOIEC 17025 2005 accreditation in October of 2014 which is a requirement of the Non GMO Project Standard. Evogene in partnership with Syngenta intends to establish transformational and validation capabilities for biotech soy- beans. Activities will initially focus on soybean cyst nematode resistance. The resulting candidate genes willthen be provided to partners for transformation and validation in the target crop allowing for further development. Syngenta intends to divest its flowers seeds business from its lawn and garden operating unit. Divestment would enable the new entity to play a role in the consolidation of the home gardening market. Syngenta also announced the divestment of its global vegetable seeds business in an effort to boost shareholder value creation. Additionally the company intends to return significant levels of capital to shareholders through a share repurchase program of more than 2 billion. AgriNomix brokeground on a build-out that expands its manu- facturing capabilities in Oberlin Ohio. The 15000-square-foot expansion will be complete in November and increases the com- panys operation to more than 70000 square feet under roof. AgBiome raised 34.5 million from investors to putinto research and development and the launch of its first product. AgBiomeexpects to add a half-dozen or more research and development employees this year and more than a dozen next year. The company also anticipates assembling a sales team but wouldnt begin to do that until next year in conjunction with the expected regulatory approval of its first product. Becks announces a collaboration between its secure web- based precision ag tool FARMserver and John Deeres Operations Center in MyJohnDeere.com to improve data flow and connectivity. The collaboration will allow users the ability to transfer data and field prescriptions between their FARMserver account and John Deere equipment. United Suppliers Inc. merged with Land OLakes crop inputs business. The merger builds on the successes of the two com- panies and aims to create a single relevant and competitive system of independent agricultural retailers. Vivid Life Sciences acquires the rights to Agrichem technol- ogy and products in the United States and Canada. Through the acquisition Vivid Life Sciences will sell nutritional seed OCTOBER 2015 SEEDWORLD.COM 75 Partner with ProHarvest Seeds Inc. to operate your own corn and soybean company as a Regional Owner Partner with ProHarvest Seeds Inc. to operate your own corn and soybean company as a Regional Owner Contact us today at 866-807-7015 ProHarvest Seeds Ashkum IL 60911 www.proharvestseeds.com Our unique system provides you with Access to multiple sources of genetics and traits Freedom to develop your own sales programs and pricing Support in areas of agronomy sales and business practices Seed products tailored to your own market area Potential territory exclusivity Opportunity to create value in your own seed business treatment and phosphite products previously sold in the United States by Agrichem. Key products now sold by Vivid Life Sciences include Agri-Fos brand phosphite products and Nutriseedbrand nutritional seed treatment products. Neogen Corporation acquired the stock of United Kingdom- based Lab M Holdings a developer manufacturer and sup- plier of microbiological culture media and diagnostic systems. Neogen will maintain Lab Ms current facility and operations will be managed by its Neogen Europe subsidiary. OhiosSchlessman Seed Company celebrates 100 years in business. Schlessman Seed Company began in 1915 when John Schlessman started to grow seed for local farmers. Eventually his four sons joined him. In 1957 Schlessman incorporated the business as J. Schlessman Sons Inc. INCOTEC opens a second facility in China situated in one of Chinas economic and technological development zones Tianjin City. The new facility will concentrate on the production of film coatings for vegetable and field crop seeds. PEOPLE NEWS AgriThority adds Rubn Villasante as account manager for Mexico and Central America to its team. Villasante is respon- sible for business development in his region and reports to Gerardo Copello AgriThority Latin America business manager. Marrone Bio Innovationsannounced that its president and chief operating officer James Iademarco has resigned. To assist with the transition of various pending matters Iademarco will advise the company in a consulting capacity for up to 90 days. DuPontnamesTimothy Glennas president of Crop Protection. Glenn succeedsRik Millerwho retired after 31 years of ser- vice to the company.Glenn will report to James Borel DuPont executive vice president. Previously Glenn served as vice president of Integrated Operations and Commercial Effectiveness with DuPont Pioneer regional business director forCanadaandLatin America and director of Marketing and Sales Effectiveness forNorth America. Legend Seeds adds 15 staff to provide additional dealer and customer support. New hires at Wahpeton N.D. include Jared Swiontek account manager Jed Wall sunflower busi- ness development lead Kelly Clarey account manager Laura Nieuswema research assistant and Maria Harvey account manager. New hires at the Breckenride Minn. location are Ed Lommel supply chain manager Don Rezac warehouse manager Brad Foster plant operator and Jaysen Hasbargen plant operator. Other new hires are Dan Propst sales agrono- mist in Pierre S.D. Dan Schmit account manager in Fairmount N.D. Terry Andersen property and fleet manager in De Smet S.D. Jim Germscheid business development manager in Maple Grove Minn. Charlie Tesch sales specialist in Watertown S.D. and Randy Rabata account manager in Beaver Dam Wis. 76 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 Bayer CropScience Vegetable Seeds changes its manage- ment team. Frank Claessens will replace Vicente Navarro as the managing director of operations. Navarro will replaceKo Remijnse as managing director of marketing and sales. The American Seed Trade Association named Bethany Shively as director of communications. Shively comes to ASTA from the National Association of Conservation Districts where she led communications efforts for the past five years. DuPont namedJeanmarie Desmondas vice president and controller succeedingBarry Niziolekwho retired in September following 34 years of service to the company. Desmond who joined DuPont in 1989 was most recently the general auditor and chief ethics and compliance leader. Advanta Seeds hiresthree sales account managers. Tanner Antonick Denver Cole and Terry Shelton will be responsible for sales of the Alta Seeds sorghum brand and Phoenix corn brand in the Gulf Coast of Texas Central Texas and the Texas Panhandle respectively. PRODUCT NEWS DuPont Pioneer announces 12 new Pioneer brand T Series soybean varieties with Roundup Ready 2 Xtend technology that will be available for pre-ordering this fall in anticipation of a commercial launch for 2016 pending regulatory approvals. Oregon State University released two barley varieties. Buck is a high-yielding winter barley that performs well in a number of Pacific Northwest conditions. The second variety BSR-27 is a spring- habit hooded barley stemming from the cross of two stripe rust-resistant varieties. Hazera hosted an open house in Israel where growers were invited to see new varieties. One of the new varieties dem- onstrated was Ocelot a seedless mini watermelon around 4.4 pounds which displays a tiger-patterned outer layer combined with crispy and tasty flesh. Ceres Inc. indicates that higher-than- expected demand could favorably impact the adoption of its Blade brand forage sorghum products next season. For the 2015 growing season inNorth America the company sold more than 4000 acres compared to the approximately 3000 acres estimated in July and 600 acres planted in 2014. As an outlet for previous generations of products in its portfolio Ceres also introduced generic seed for certain market segments. SW Precision Agriculture Starts With The Seed OPTICOUNT ONLINE PROVIDES Fully automatic operation line sampler interface Near real-time feedback to the operator PLC and data system interfaces Also available in manual OptiCount Lab 804-514-9189 processvis.com 281-276-3600 satake-usa.com Counting is fast and reliable with visual verication. OptiCount provides seed-by-seed size shape and color analysis giving you count and data output in less than 30 seconds. PROCESS V I S I O N S E E D S O L U T I O N S Backlit Count Measure Data Color ONLINE Also available in manual OptiCount Lab Also available in manual Buckhorn offers an unmatched selection of reusable packaging solutions designed to protect your products and increase your profitability. Buckhorns CenterFlow seed box is the safest most efficient way to transport and dispense all kinds of seed. It stacks four high handles loads up to 2500 lbs. and dispenses seed quickly - in as fast as 30 seconds. Stop by ASTA Seed Expo Booth 313 or visit buckhorninc.com for more information US 1.800.543.4454 Canada 1.800.461.7579 www.buckhorninc.com2015 BuckhornMyers Industries Inc. 040512 BULK BOXES HAND-HELD CONTAINERS IBCs PALLETS SPECIALTY BOXES 78 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 SINCE1915 ThefirstissueofSeedWorldwaspublishedin1915.Heretheeditorswilltakeyoubackintimeto explorethenumbersnewsandissuesthatimpactedtheseedindustryallcoveredbySeedWorld. 1915 1919 1920 1923 1925 1930 1935 1940 1945 1950 1955 1958 1960 1962 1965 1968 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2011 2015 The term biological control is coined. The National Seed Storage Laboratory is set up to provide long-term storage of plant germplasm. Alfalfa blotch leafminer is found in the United States. A MOMENT IN TIME Pictured here is the Peace Bridge an international bridge between Canada and the United States located at the east end of Lake Erie at the source of the Niagara River. It connects Buffalo N.Y. to the Town of Fort Erie in Ontario Canada just 100 miles from Toronto. Its here that the American Seed Trade Association hosted its 1962 annual meeting. Not since 1930 have we held a meeting in Canada and it seemed time to cross the border and renew friendships and make new acquaintances among our Canadian counterparts wrote ASTA president James Wallace in his formal invitation found in this issue of Seed World. FACTS AND FIGURES FROM THIS 1962 ISSUE 2700 pounds is the amount of alfalfa harvested on one site in the San Joaquin Valley that was attributed to a concentra- tion of natural wild pollinators. 15000 leafcutter bees are needed to yield some 90000 in the first generation and rise to 300000 before the years end according to a California study on the effectiveness of pollinators in alfalfa fields. 1 BILLION is the estimated increase in federal funding to farmers in 1961 com- pared to the previous year. 1055872 farmers took part in the Agricultural Conservation Program in 1960. 407 million acres of U.S. cropland will be needed by 1980 to meet foreign and domestic agriculture needs. First alfalfa gene index is identified and assembled by USDA scientists and several genes associated with regulating lignin and cellulose production are identified. Congress discontinues its distribution of seeds. 80 SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2015 Were Listening and Were Measuring The call for improved communication strikes me as both a vote of confidence and a challenge. Risa DeMasi divisions as well as by increased partnerships with peer groups such as the American Soybean Association National Corn Growers Association and Agricultural Retailers Association. Advocacy It was observed that communicating and building relationships with federal officials yields the most suc- cess when participation by the industry is as broad as it is deep. In addition to immediate legislative victo- ries progress can be measured by participation in ASTAs annual Washington D.C. Fly-In meetings held with state legislators expanded circulation of legisla- tive updates and intelligence flowing into ASTA from members and funding of the Seed First PAC. Inter-generational Communication Passing on the lessons learned by todays leadership to tomorrows was identified by several as a priority. More mentoring programs more aggressive recruit- ment of young professionals to working groups and greater outreach through social media are some of the ways we can measure success in this area. Internal Communication While a terrific amount of work is conducted and reported by ASTAs division and committee leaders more vehicles for two-way communication were rec- ommended. Requesting input from members to iden- tify and exploit more opportunities will be explored. Public Outreach With ASTAs rebranding program underway we recog- nize the need to communicate about all types of seed breeding and the industrys evolution to the public. Social and traditional media monitoring will help estab- lish benchmarks in public opinion and future outreach efforts will be evaluated and shared. As you can tell we have no shortage of ideas for sharing information and ideas among our industrys stakeholders and those who can impact our ability to grow and prosper. I hope you recognize this as an invitation to learn more and to actively engage with ASTA. With greater industry participation I look for- ward to reporting measurable progress in all areas of communication by the end of my term next June. SW IF THERES ONE message that leaders throughout the seed industry have communicated to me during the first 100 days of my term as chair of the American Seed Trade Association its that they want to improve com- munication between sectors with federal and state governments among generations within the associa- tion and to the public. While a seemingly huge order Im encouraged by this feedback. For one thing it affirms both the need for an active seed association and the desire of its members to be more involved. As one member said Were in a position to blast off It also affirms ASTAs successes in promoting trade and influencing policy and regulation are being recognized internally and externally. One example of this has been the increasing attendance at the Farm and Lawn Seed Conference the Corn Sorghum Soybean Seed Research Conference and Seed Expo the Vegetable Flower Seed Conference and ASTAs annual convention. Ive also seen our influence in state and federal government matters grow were now regularly consulted on and invited to participate in policy discussions such as the one I attended with U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Vilsack on the Sage Grouse Initiative. According to another leader surveyed ASTA is instigating profound change around the world. So the call for improved communication strikes me as both a vote of confidence and a challenge. Having stated in my acceptance speech in June that my focus will be on developing benchmarks and metrics to measure our progress in executing ASTAs five-year strategic plan I asked how we could apply this to com- munications. Strategically and tactically the feedback I received fell into five areas Cross-sector communi- cation advocacy inter-generational communication internal communication and public outreach. Cross-sector Communication Breaking down industry silos to facilitate innovation and cooperation among businesses in the row crop vegetable grass and floral sectors seems to be an idea whose time has finally come. Our progress in achieving sector- and geo-diversity can be measured by partici- pation in conferences and expanded distribution of information by working groups committees and RISA DEMASI American Seed Trade Association chair and Grassland Oregon partner and director of marketing