CBSementes opens with record attendance and highlights the quality of seeds as a vector for agribusiness

The XXI Brazilian Seed Congress (CBSementes) opened this Monday (12/09), at 9 am, at Expo Unimed, in Curitiba, with a record attendance, totaling 1200 participants. With the theme "Seed: Driver of Agribusiness", the event highlights the quality of seeds as a vector of Brazilian agribusiness.

The opening ceremony was attended by the president of the CBSementes Organizing Committee, Dr. Fernando Henning, president of the Brazilian Seed Technology Association (ABRATES), Dr. Francisco Carlos Krzyzanowski, general head of Embrapa Soja, Dr. Alexandre Nepomuceno, General Secretary of the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA), Dr. Andreas Wais, Executive President of the Brazilian Seed and Seedling Association (Abrasem), Idone Grolli, and the Executive President of the Brazilian Association of Soy Seed Producers (Abrass), engineer agronomist Gladir Tomazelli.

The highlight of the ceremony was the researcher, Dr. Odette Liberal, main founder of ABRATES, in 1979. Invited to the stage by the president of ABRATES to receive the entity's honor. Dr. Odette, in her 95th year, moved the participants with her testimony and vision of the founding of a scientific association. "There were 25 of us and we decided to create this association that was founded to spread the value of science, technology and Brazilian research throughout the world. At that time it was difficult, we didn't have the Internet, WhatsApp. When we planted that seed, we didn't we knew it would turn into a sequoia", said Dr. Odette, excited.

The president of CBSementes, Dr. Fernando Henning, highlighted each of the topics of the lectures, remembering that the event has national and international prominence, with the participation of representatives from ISTA and AOSA. "We will have a general overview of everything that is happening in terms of research and the technological innovations that are coming to the market, in addition to providing contacts with very high-level professionals who are fully active in the sector."

He highlighted the holding of the three symposia that will take place on the last day of the event (15): the 4th Brazilian Symposium on Forage Species Seeds, the 10th Brazilian Symposium on Forest Seed Technology and the 15th Brazilian Symposium on Seed Pathology.

Gladir Tomazelli, from Abrass, praised the organization of CBSementes, mentioning that "it was in an ideal place to learn about, deepen and discuss innovation, technology and research". According to him, ABRASS, the entity's corporate structure, represents more than 50% of the soybean seed sold in Brazil.

For the president of Abrasem, Idone Grolli, as a private initiative, agribusiness entities cannot just be associations to respond to government demands in public consultations. "We must be proactive and as a legislative entity build what is ideal for the entire chain, without privileging one link or another," he stated.

The two main technological evolutions in agriculture - digital and genetics - were highlighted by the head of Embrapa Soja, Dr. Alexandre Nepomuceno. "Quality seed is the basis of agribusiness as it brings the genetics of the new cultivar to the producer", he states, adding that it is extremely important to have events like CBSementes, where all the technological knowledge reaches the production chain".

The president of ABRATES, Dr. Francisco Carlos Krzyzanowski, highlighted that the 21st edition of the event focuses on seed quality and its extremely important role as a vector for Brazilian agribusiness. "Therefore, over the next four days we will be exchanging scientific and technological information and professional experiences in this area, as we hope to contribute to the permanent development of science and seed technology in favor of the production of high quality seeds", stated Krzyzanowski.

He adds that high-quality seed is an essential raw material "of this open-air industry that is agriculture", whose production unit is plants with high agronomic performance, originating from seeds whose pillars are based on genetic, physiological, sanitary, physical and legal status of the seed, seed has origin".

The Brazilian Seed Congress is the largest forum for discussion and dissemination of the seed sector, establishing itself as a reference in the presentation of results and technology throughout Brazil and abroad.

The program includes important discussions on genetic improvement, vigor tests, germination, seed physiology, seed and seedling production techniques, biotechnological aspects, seed market, production costs, among others.

“In summary, the event has the role of promoting an integrated debate between the most varied audiences in the national production chain, highlighting researchers, members of academia, students, rural producers and industries, in search of solutions and advances for the sector” , adds the president of CBSementes, Fernando Henning.