2  / SEEDWORLD.COM  SEPTEMBER 2026
CONTENTS / SEPTEMBER 2026
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Features, continued
Gene Editing Is Getting Faster; 
Commercialization Still Isn’t
Developers are stacking speed, 
transparency and value chain buy-in to 
move gene edited traits from pipeline 
to commercialization without repeating 
the baggage of past biotech fights.
Nutrition Emerged as a Big 
Theme at NAPB 2026
Yield still matters. Disease resistance 
still matters. But across multiple 
presentations at this year’s National 
Association of Plant Breeders meeting, 
another priority kept rising to the 
surface: nutrition.
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Super El Niño Could Rival Historic 
1877-78 Event
A rare alignment of climate indicators raises 
the possibility of a historic super El Niño. 
What are the potential implications for 
global crop supplies, seed sector planning 
and agricultural profitability?
Building Better Corn in Virtual Fields
By combining AI, 3D plant reconstruction 
and canopy modeling, researchers are 
helping breeders evaluate promising corn 
architectures long before extensive field 
testing begins.
Plant Breeders May Need to Think 
Bigger Than Ever Before
USDA Under Secretary Scott Hutchins says 
the future of agriculture will depend on 
breeding innovations that extend beyond 
the farm gate to consumers, human health 
and national resilience.
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