Our sister publication Germination and Seeds Canada put out the call to companies moving the needle in technology development. The result was our 2023 Innovation Showcase, which featured eight companies — three of which took part in a live panel discussion at the Seeds Canada annual conference in St. John’s, Nfld. last month.
Featured on the panel, moderated by Seed World Group Senior Editor Marc Zienkiewicz, were:
- Kim Kenward, research and development manager for 20/20 Seed Labs
- Farah Nour, chief science officer for Lucent Bio
- Adam Sturdivant, Sortex sales representative for Bühler Group
Bühler’s innovation has led to the development of the Sortex H SpectraVision, an optical sorter designed to address the challenges faced in seed production. In response to issues such as higher raw material costs, climate change and mycotoxin contamination, Bühler reimagined the capabilities of an optical sorter. After extensive research and development, they successfully created an AI engine that allows the Sortex H to self-adjust, minimizing the potential for human error, and allowing the user to run the machine intervention-free.
20/20 Seed Labs has made significant strides in the field of crop threat identification by developing new tests using advanced molecular and DNA lab techniques. These innovative tests include many industry firsts, addressing various threats to crops in seed, soil, and plants, including Fusarium graminearum, clubroot, Aphanomyces, bacterial leaf streak, and soybean cyst nematode.
Lucent Bio has attracted significant attention from industry peers by raising $19 million in funding from the Protein Industries Canada Supercluster and a group of investors to support Canadian growers’ efforts to elevate their sustainability efforts and reduce carbon emissions via the commercialization of its line of micronutrient fertilizers. Lucent Bio’s newest product, Nutreos, is a biopolymer micronutrient seed coating that is plastic-free and non-toxic. Nutreos has been designed to improve germination, emergence and increase yields while being sustainable and climate-positive.
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