The present and future of the seed chain is highlighted on CBSementes

For a market that generates more than R$10 billion a year, the Brazilian seed chain has the merit of contributing to Brazil's leadership position in food production. However, there are still important challenges in research, drying processes, processing and professional training – just to name a few. The XXI Brazilian Seed Congress (CBSementes), which takes place from the 12th to the 15th of September, at Expo Unimed, in Curitiba, will bring together researchers, executives from large corporations and seed producers, representatives of the most notable critical mass in the sector, including international participation, to point out the horizons of seed technology.

The biggest seed event in Latin America should have a thousand participants, who will face a marathon of panels, lectures, symposiums and poster and technological advancement sessions.

The president of Abrates, Francisco Krzyzanowski, highlights the importance of CBSementes, as a forum of international relevance for discussing seed science and technology.

“CBSementes is the largest forum for discussion and dissemination of seed science and technology in Latin America. Therefore, it is highly relevant to academia, research institutions, the machinery industry and seed producers. It is a unique opportunity to update knowledge and expand your network of contacts”, says Krzyzanowski.

International participants at the congress include Bert von Duijr, professor at Laiden University/Fytagoras; Andreas Wais, executive secretary of the International Seed Testing Association (Ista) and Sabry Elias, professor at Oregon State, representing the Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA). Check out a preview of the program, which starts right after the opening ceremony on the 12th at 9:30 am.

The opening panel, with the theme “Germplasm bank – role in maintaining biodiversity”, will be coordinated by the Financial Director of Abrates, José de Barros França Neto.

It will feature the participation of the director of the Germplasm Bank of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Vania Azevedo, who will give the lecture “The role of CGIAR in preserving seeds worldwide”.

Also making up the panel, the researcher from the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), Rosa Lia Barbieri, will give a lecture on “Embrapa's participation in germplasm banks worldwide.

The germplasm bank is the main way to maintain and guarantee seed biodiversity for future generations, but other themes, such as “Vigor: updates” are also highlighted in the program schedule for the first day of the congress.

Bert von Duijr participates in the panel with the talk “Measurement of oxygen consumption for single seed analysis”

The professor at the Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, at the University of São Paulo (Esalq/USP), Francisco Guilhien Gomes Junior, continues the theme of vigor, with the lecture “Assessment of seed vigor: computerized analysis of images of seedlings and protrusion of the primary root”.

The panel also features the CEO of the German company Petkus, the Brazilian Carlos Petkus to talk about the development of new tools. A topic he shares with the professor at the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), Laércio Junior da Silva. The professor will also be the moderator of the panel.

On the 13th, the congress begins with the “Ista and Aosa” panel, which will discuss the global role of the two associations, the demand for research and opportunities.

Participating are the general secretary of Ista, Andreas Wais and the representative of Aosa, Sabry Elias. It will be the first in a series of appearances by Elias at the event.

Stock exchange

The seed market is a business opportunity that has transformed family businesses into publicly traded companies on the stock exchange.

Three cases show how this is possible. Among the participants, José Américo Basso Amaral, seed consultant; João Paulo Vanin, seed manager at SLC Agricultura S/A; and Marino Colpo, CEO of Boa Safra Sementes.

The congress also opens space for a panel that will discuss “Teaching and research in seed science and technology”, with the participation of representatives from the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Capes); the professor at the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Édila Vilela Von Pinho; and the CEO of Seed News, Silmar Peske.

It is a time when the teaching of seed production will be discussed and how academia and companies can establish partnerships to develop research.

On the 14th, the  CBSementes  program features panels, simultaneous lectures and the presentation of work sent to the congress.

Highlights of the program are the symposiums on the 15th, such as the 4th Brazilian Symposium on Forage Species Seeds, the 10th Brazilian Symposium on Forest Seed Technology and the 15th Brazilian Seed Symposium. The events are organized by committees from the areas of the Brazilian Association of Seed Technology (Abrates), which has promoted CBSementes since 1979.

The president of this edition of CBSementes, Fernando Henning, considers the moment to be opportune for the debates that the event puts on the agenda.

“We are going to deal with basic issues in the area, such as laboratory issues, drying and processing, but there are important bottlenecks that we will try to cover in the best way possible with these discussions”, concludes Henning.

Service

XXI Brazilian Seed Congress

Order date: 12 to 15 September 2022

Location: Expo Unimed, Curitiba (PR)

Registrations: https://www.cbsementes.com/