b'at the companys Global Research and Developmentto Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV) making in an headquarters in Newark, Delaware. FMC acquiredexcellent choice in years when BYDV is prevalent. the 515-acre Stine Research Center campus as part of its acquisition of a portion of DuPonts crop protectionFour new sweet basil varieties resistant to downy business in 2017. The transaction was the largestmildew diseasewhich destroys leaves and has been in FMC history and retained more than 500 jobs inthe bane of basil growers for a decadeare now being Delaware, transferred 45 employees from a nearbysold to home gardeners and commercial farmers state and created 19 new positions. across the United States thanks to years of painstaking breeding and selection at Rutgers University. Two of To enter the sunflower seed market and complementthe four varieties also show high resistance to Fusarium its existing portfolio for sunflower, BASF has signed awilt, another important soil-borne disease. The four new distribution agreement with Euralis Semences. Thedowny mildew resistant (DMR) sweet basils are Rutgers hybrid products will include BASFs Clearfield PlusDevotion DMR, Rutgers Obsession DMR, Rutgers technology, combining state-of-the-art genetics andPassion DMR and Rutgers Thunderstruck DMR. crop protection. First market launches of sunflower hybrids are expected in 2020. Intrexon announced it is advancing GreenVenus Romaine lettuce to commercial trials. Initial data The European Seed Association (ESA) has changedunder commercial indoor production conditions its name to Euroseeds. The goal is to presentindicate that GreenVenus has improved shelf-life up Euroseeds as refreshed and with a more consistentto 2 weeks and a potential for higher marketable name, better aligning all the projects and servicesyield with no tip burn.In addition, GreenVenus non-under the same look and feel. Euroseeds also plansbrowning lettuce has been assessed by the United to update the website technologies and integrate allStates Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the content management systems in one easy-to- determined not to be subject to regulation under use platform. A main pillar of this exercise is the full7CFR Part 340 for plants altered or produced through integration of the #EmbracingNature campaign in thegenetic engineering.new Euroseeds universe, both in terms of visuals, tone and messaging. PEOPLE NEWSKaren Plaut, the Glenn W. Sample Dean of the College PRODUCT NEWS of Agriculture, has appointed Katy Martin Rainey as All-America Selections, North Americas oldest andthe new director of the Purdue University Soybean most well-known non-profit plant trialing organizationCenter. Rainey, an associate professor of agronomy, just announced five new winners, all of which arespecializes in soybean genetics and plant breeding. wonderful new edible varieties. The new winnersRainey has been a Purdue agriculture faculty member are: Tomato Celano F1, Cucumber Green Light F1 ,since 2012. Tomato Early Resilience F1, Tomato Galahad F1 and Watermelon Mambo F1. The International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) welcomes its new president, Steve Jones of Saskatoon, The Public Strawberry Breeding Program at theSask. Jones is an employee of the Canadian Food University of California, Davis, has released five newInspection Agency where he serves as diagnostic test varieties that will help farmers manage diseases,supervisor for the Seed Certification Testing Unit in control costs and produce plenty of large, robustthe Seed Science & Technology Section (SSTS) of the berries using less water, fertilizer and pesticides. Two ofSaskatoon Laboratory. the new varieties could increase yields by almost 30%. Since its inception in the 1930s, the UC Davis PublicNewLeaf Symbiotics announced the hiring of Strawberry Breeding Program has developed morethree experienced agriculture leaders to its product than 60 patented varieties, turned strawberries into adevelopment and manufacturing team: Jan Diemont, year-round crop and increased strawberry yield fromfermentation scientist, John Whitteck, PhD, formulation about 6 tons per acre in the 1950s to more than 30scientist, and Linda Pipkins, Logistics Team lead.tons per acre today. Corteva announced that Marcos Lutz, chief executive The University of Minnesota (UMN) has releasedofficer of Cosan Limited, has been elected to Cortevas a new hard red spring wheat variety calledBoard of Directors, effective June 25, 2019. He will MN-Washburn. MN-Washburn features excellentserve on the Audit and People and Compensation straw strength and good overall disease resistance.committees of the Board. SWIn particular, it contains the bdv2 gene for resistance SEPTEMBER 2019SEEDWORLD.COM /75'