b'INSIDERSSUSTAINABLE AGRICULTUREThe Future Only Works Together: New Technologies and Modern Plant Breeding for Greater SustainabilityVOLKER UTESCHHead of Business Unit Corn for EuropeKWSBurgeoning populations make high-yield- the complex trait of drought stress underNEW GRAIN CORN VARIETY ing harvests more crucial than ever forcontrolled conditions, robots, camerasWITH IMPROVED DROUGHT securing the global food supply. At theand artificial intelligence are now increas- TOLERANCEsame time, agriculture faces the chal- ingly moving into the protected area ofThe experts at KWS hope that using lenge of cultivating land sustainably inthe greenhouse. There, researchers aresuch digital technologies in combination times of increasingly scarce resources.working on a sophisticated system forwith modern plant breeding will lead Developing resilient plants with improvedphenotyping corn and sugarbeet plants toto new and quicker findings. Current tolerance to heat, cold and other abioticaddress a particularly acute issue: A lacksuccesses, including development of environmental factors is an importantof water causes diminished plant develop- new grain corn varieties with improved part of mastering this challenge. In par- ment, over even stops it entirely. This leadsdrought tolerance, confirm this is the ticular long dry periods, as the world isto substantial yield losses for farmers.right path to take. Offered under the label experiencing more and more, will con- ClimaCONTROL3, these varieties are tinue to increase due to climate change.PHENOFACTORY MAKES THEespecially targeted at countries in south-The issue of drought plays a correspond- WATER CONTENT OF PLANTSeastern and eastern Europe where farm-ingly significant role in plant breedingVISIBLE ers are in a tough battle against drought with plant breeders striving to gain aIn a KWS greenhouse, a wide range ofstress. The 3 in the labels name stands deeper understanding of the stages ofplant varieties with the latest geneticsfor the fact that a lack of water can have development in which plants experi- from many different test series are beinga different impact on plants depending on ence stress, how long the impact fromdriven in a PhenoFactory by robots thatthe point during growth when it occurs: the stress lasts and what form it takes.never stop moving24 hours a day, 365before flowering, during flowering or after To make decisions about breeding anddays a year. The core component of theflowering. The corn plant requires special to sustainably advance development ofPhenoFactory is a kind of photo box withcharacteristics in each one of these three drought-tolerant varieties, seed special- special cameras inside that record thephases to minimize the damage. CC3 ist KWS unites modern breeding methodsplants visible traits: shape, size, weight.varieties demonstrate an above-average with digital technologies.This allows the breeders to analyze theability to overcome drought stress events. plants water consumption in detailThese characteristics not only help farm-EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ON- an important clue in the search forers secure harvests, they also make an DROUGHT STRESS drought-tolerant varieties. Researchersimportant contribution to implementing Out in the field, technological support hascan collect data around the clock andsustainable climate protection measures become a mainstay for precisely, automat- draw early conclusions for breeding plantsand improving climate adaptability. ically and more quickly recording plantbefore the variety are tested in field trials. traits. In order to improve research intoThat enhances breeding progress. 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Doing it well is a masterful skill to up your marketing and sales success:understanding what problems they areand powerful tactic to help you stand out trying to solve or goals they are tryingfrom the crowd, leaving a lasting impres-1. Tell a Story People Want to Hear to achieve. sion on your customers and more sales for Its simple: people buy based on emotion,your company. 46IEUROPEAN SEEDIEUROPEAN-SEED.COM'