Today’s challenges in agronomy call for the global integration of science and business. A significant event for the global seed industry recently took place in Serbia — the 6th International Symposium on Sunflower Broomrape, held in parallel with the 1st meeting dedicated to biotic and abiotic stresses affecting sunflowers. This large-scale scientific forum was organised by the world-renowned NS Seme Institute of Arable and Vegetable Crops (Novi Sad, Serbia) and the International Sunflower Association (ISA).
Dmytro Shatsman, Director of ‘Eurosem’, personally represented Ukraine and the country’s cutting-edge breeding programme at the event. His participation in an event of this calibre confirms the high standing of Ukrainian producers on the international stage and the company’s commitment to introducing the latest global innovations to Ukrainian fields.
Global challenges and the search for solutions
The main aim of the symposium was to consolidate the efforts of the world’s leading breeders, geneticists and plant pathologists in addressing key threats to sunflower cultivation:
The evolution of the sunflower broomrape (Orobanche cumana): the parasite is mutating rapidly, giving rise to new aggressive races, which requires constant updating of genetic material.
Climate change: prolonged droughts, temperature extremes and the spread of new complexes of diseases and pests that were previously not found in temperate latitudes.
During the event, the launch of a new international scientific initiative was officially announced, aimed at the joint development of genetically more resistant hybrids and innovative cultivation technologies.
Significance for Ukrainian farmers
As noted by Dmytro Shatsman, Director of ‘Eurosem’, synergy with foreign research institutes is the only way to stay one step ahead of the evolution of diseases and pests. The insights gained and agreements reached at the symposium will enable ‘Eurosem’ to integrate resistance to new broomrape races into its hybrids even more effectively, providing Ukrainian farmers with seed of the highest global standard.