Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84LEARNMORE On Oct. 20, Seed World will host a webinar that further explores the abiotic stresses that farmers face and the newest seed treatments on the market. You’ll have the chance to ask questions and hear firsthand from companies working in this area. The webinar will be held at 1 p.m. Eastern. Registration is free and can be done online at SeedWorld.com/ webinar. SUPPORTED BY ENDORSED BY 46 / SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2016 generate more roots that can explore greater soil surface area to capture available nutri- ents. In addition to more roots, she says Poncho/VOTiVO has the ability to change the root anatomical traits, reducing the plant’s carbon needs when various abiotic stressors are present. Invest in Innovation “Soil health is key to unlocking a seed’s potential,” Riggs says. Because of this, Bayer is developing Poncho/VOTiVO 2.0 — the next generation, which will bring a new biologi- cal into the mix to address soil nutrient availability. “Corn growers can expect the same consistent pro- tection against above- and below-ground insects and nematodes, with the added benefit of increased microbial activity in the soil around the root, resulting in more nutri- ents being available for the plant’s needs,” Riggs says. Furthermore, BASF is working to develop a new coating, called Convenio. Hofer explains that it acts like a barrier and works best in cool and wet conditions in the northern hemisphere where no-till is a popular practice, or hot and dry conditions. Convenio is set to launch within the next two years. Hofer says that around the world, farmers are putting their crops in earlier and earlier, in some areas trying to get two crops out of a year. “That’s why we focused on bringing added protection in cool, wet conditions,” he says. “We have about 20 new prod- ucts coming onto the market in the next five years. They are not all for abiotic stressors, but many are.” With regard to nutrient availability, BASF is looking at ways to get the crop to use the nutrients in the soil more efficiently with popup or startup fertilizers that are applied in the root zone during planting. Rodriquez’s company plans to expand its use of BioEnsure into other crops and has been specifically researching cotton. They also plan to include nutritional enhancements in the future. Adaptive Symbiotic Technologies has proprietary treatments for corn and rice and is working on soybean, wheat, barley and sorghum. While companies have a jumpstart on delivering novel seed treatments to the market, a changing climate is in the forecast. According to the 2014 National Climate Assessment, Midwest farm- ers can expect more extreme heat, along with heavier downpours and flooding, and serious consequences for the Great Lakes ecosystems. According to the report, climate change will bring a mix of competing effects. Higher average temperatures bring a longer growing season, but that also increases the risk of sudden cold snaps in the spring. Heat waves during pollination can cut down crop yields, and seasonal periods of hotter temperatures tend to be accompanied by drier conditions, which are espe- cially likely to increase in the region’s southern portion around Missouri. Exerts say this means lower crop yields as warming goes up. If this climate reports holds true, novel seed treatments such as the ones listed above will become even more valua- ble in helping farmers increase and maintain yields. SW Climate change is expected to bring a mix of competing effects, including hot, dry temperatures which can lead to stressed corn.