Technical Affairs Updates

Standing Committees and Special Interest Groups

SC International Trade & Quarantines

The APSA Standing Committee on International Trade and Quarantine had its 3rd meeting this month and discussed on the topics of the upcoming Asian Seed Congress Technical Sessions. They have finalized the 4 presentations during the meeting, and the 1st draft of the agenda will be ready soon.

SC IPR & Biodiversity

The Standing Committee for IPR & Biodiversity (SC IPR&BIO) had its 3^rd meeting this month and prepared for one of the flagship events, the APSA 2025 Regional PVP & Biodiversity Consultation, which will be held on Tokyo, Japan on August 26-28. The consultation is organized by APSA Standing Committee on IPR and Biodiversity with support from American Seed Trade Association, Croplife Asia, and SEMAE in partnership with the Japan Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), Japan Seed Trade Association (JASTA), and Mekong US Partnership Project. This consultation is the first regional platform that brought the private sector and the public sector to exchange and understand the perspectives on development of Plant variety protection (PVP), farmer rights laws, biodiversity regulations, and key policies that enable access and Benefit sharing (ABS) of genetic resources for the users (primarily the seed sector). Currently 28 officials from 13 countries working on PVP and ABS have confirmed to participate in the consultation.

The drafts of PVP fact sheet of 18 countries are currently under review by Seed Associations and the PVP office in the country/region. Once all the fact sheets are reviewed, we will share them with the members.   

The Standing Committee on Plant Breeding Innovation

The Standing Committee on Plant Breeding Innovation organized its first ever APSA 2025 Regional Plant Breeding Innovation (PBI) Consultation at the JW Marriott Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on July 8-9, 2025, with the support of American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), CropLife Asia (CLA), SEMAE, Canada Grains Council, National Seed Association of Malaysia (NSAM), and International Seed Federation (ISF). The two-day consultation provided a platform to discuss the global developments around genome editing and the progress in our region. This consultation discussed the policy development that is product, science and risk based. Total of 79 participants (62 onsite participants and 17 online participants) including government representatives from 14 countries: Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos PDR, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The industry was represented by nominees of Seed Associations from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.  Experts from industry organizations including the International Seed Federation (ISF), CropLife Asia (CLA), the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) also participated.

Let us move to an update from Standing Committee on Seed Technology: 

The APSA Seed Technology Committee continues to actively develop initiatives that bring value to APSA members. One of the exciting upcoming opportunities is our Seed & Tech Showcase (Sponsored Session) — a premium platform for companies to present their strategic vision, innovations, and products to a targeted audience during the Asian Seed Congress 2025.

Brought to you by the APSA Seed Technology Committee, this showcase is distinct from technical sessions, offering a commercial spotlight for companies to elevate their brand and engage directly with industry stakeholders. The session will take place on Wednesday, 19 November 2025, from 9:00 to 12:30 hrs. at JWCC Lotus Hall 1, which accommodates up to 100 participants. Each presentation slot is 45 minutes, including speaker introduction, product demonstration, and Q&A. With only four slots available on a first-come, first-served basis, interested companies are encouraged to register early. The registration fee is USD 500 per slot, and all presentations will be featured on the APSA YouTube Channel for extended visibility.

On July 24, APSA successfully hosted the third session of its Seed Technology Webinar series, focusing on “Seed Diagnostic Technologies.” The session featured presentations from leading experts in the field. Dr. Vilas Parkhi from Mahyco Pvt. Ltd. shared insights on advances in destructive methods for seed purity determination. Dr. Jens Michael Carstensen, CEO of Videometer A/S, introduced digital seed quality analysis using spectral imaging, while Dr. Sarel Ashkenazy, CEO of Seed-X, presented on AI-driven non-destructive seed quality diagnostics. Each presentation was followed by engaging Q&A sessions, allowing participants to interact with the speakers and deepen their understanding of these emerging technologies.

We extend our sincere thanks to all the speakers for their valuable contributions and to the APSA Seed Technology Standing Committee members who made this webinar a success. Special appreciation goes to Ms. Patcharin Taridno for opening the session, Dr. Manish Patel for skillfully moderating the discussions, and Dr. Woosik Kang for delivering the closing remarks. We also recognize their dedicated efforts of organizing this webinar, which attracted around 160 online participants!

Next, Seed Industry Professional Program (SIPP) x Seed Academy 2025–2026 registration is now open.

Initiated by the APSA Seed Technology Committee and developed in collaboration with the Australian Seed Federation (ASF), this online learning platform offers flexible, self-paced training for seed professionals across the Asia-Pacific region. With bite-sized micro-modules, webinars, and certification opportunities, the program covers essential topics such as Seed Production, Plant Breeding, and Seed Dormancy—with new content added every four months. Click here to register..

Special Interest Group on Field Crops (SIG Field Crops) 

the SIG Field Crops committee has been actively working on curating an engaging lineup of speakers for Webinar Session 2, which will focus on the timely and impactful theme of carbon credit management. The session is scheduled to take place next month and aims to provide valuable insights into sustainable practices and opportunities within the field crops sector.

In addition, several members convened to begin shaping the agenda for the upcoming Field Crops Study Tour, which promises to be an enriching experience for participants. Stay tuned for more updates as we finalize the details and prepare for another exciting chapter in SIG Field Crops activities!

Special Interest Group on Vegetables and Ornamentals (SIG V&O)

We would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to Mr. Rahul Ashok Pagar for his dedicated engagement with APSA’s SIG V&O over the years, and for serving as Chair since November 2022. Mr. Rahul stepped down from his position in late June. His valuable contributions will be remembered, and we look forward to future collaborations with him.

This month, SIG V&O did not hold a formal committee meeting. However, preparations are underway for the Quarter 3 meeting, scheduled for early next month. Looking ahead, the group is planning exciting discussions and updates, including a proposed vegetable study tour outside the Asia-Pacific region. Stay tuned!

The Working Group of Integrated Vegetable Seed Companies or WIC

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Chethan Kumar KV as a new representative of HM Clause India. Dr. Chethan serves as the QSE-CSR Lead for HM Clause Asia and is part of the extended Executive Committee for the region. With over 15 years of experience in quality systems and process excellence in the seed industry, he has held key roles at HM Clause India, Sakata Seeds, and Monsanto. In addition to his industry expertise, Dr. Chethan brings more than a decade of academic and plant research experience, with several published papers to his name. He holds a PhD from Mangalore University and a Master’s degree in Microbiology from Kuvempu University.

This month WIC has been communicating via email on follow up actions from the June WIC Midterm meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, namely on the review of the recent amendments of Crop Production Law in Vietnam and Vietnam’s Law on Plant Protection and Quarantine. Stay tuned for more info.

The Disease Resistance Terminology Working Group (DRT):

The Bitter Gourd Powdery Mildew subgroup is coordinating a meeting with the World Vegetable Center to explore alternative sources of bitter gourd seeds outside of India.

Meanwhile, in the Watermelon Fusarium Wilt subgroup, four out of five companies have completed their ring test results. The final company is expected to finish next month. Stay tuned for further updates in the next issue.

For the R&D Advisory Group,  

This month, APSA R&D Advisory Group members have been actively communicating via email to identify distinguished speakers for the upcoming APSA Breed Better TGIF Webinar – Session 3, which will focus on the male sterility system. The webinar is scheduled for August 22, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM ICT. For more details, please refer to the event page mentioned in Event’s section.

The R&D Advisory Group is also looking forward to its Quarter 3 meeting, planned for early next month.

APSA-WorldVeg Vegetable Breeding Consortium

We are excited to inform you on the 3 special project announcements from APSA-WorldVeg Consortium with details as follows. Please note that ONLY the active members of the 2025/2026 APSA-WorldVeg Vegetable Breeding Consortium are eligible to participate in these projects.

1.Genomics-based prediction of heterosis for yield and earliness, and stacking key resistance traits into successful new bitter gourd hybrids (Project duration: 1 November 2025 –31 October 2028 - 3 years)

Registration period: 1 August – 30 September 2025
Objectives:

1. Develop High-Yielding, Early-Maturing, Disease-Resistant Hybrids:
   Combine high yield potential and earliness with resistance to key diseases, including begomovirus, crinivirus, and powdery mildew.
2. Utilize Heterosis to Improve Yield and Earliness:
   1. Identify and exploit heterotic groups among 400 advanced breeding lines using high-density genotypic data (GBS).
   2. Select the best parental lines from complementary heterotic groups to develop superior hybrids.
   3. Evaluate general (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining ability to identify the most promising parent combinations.
3. Conduct Multi-Location Hybrid Evaluation:
   1. In the first year, evaluate parental lines, hybrids, and commercial checks at the World Vegetable Center, Thailand.
   2. Member companies can then conduct multi-location trials to assess hybrid performance and stability across environments, and share data for yield and yield related traits for evaluating and selecting best parentals for hybrid crosses.
   3. Delivery of new inbred lines derived from top-performing hybrids and best combiners at the end of the project.
4. Identify Genetic Markers for Key Traits:
   1. Use GBS and phenotypic data of 400 inbred lines in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify major QTLs linked to earliness and other agronomic traits.
   2. Develop molecular tools for marker-assisted selection based on identified QTLs.
5. Enhance Virus and Disease Resistance in Bitter Gourd:
   1. ToLCNDV Resistance: Introgress resistance from AVBG1655 into elite breeding lines across major market segments.
   2. Powdery Mildew Resistance: Develop new hybrids using 20 resistant inbred lines identified during December 2024–March 2025.
   3. Crinivirus Resistance: Screen breeding lines in greenhouse and field conditions. If successful, provide resistant material as an optional project output.

2. High-Performance WorldVeg Tomato F1 Hybrids and Breeding Lines to Accelerate Variety Release (Project duration: 1 October 2025 - 30 September 2027 - 2 years)

Registration period: 1 August – 30 November 2025
Objectives:

1. Rapid Access to Advanced Hybrids: Provide partner companies with ready-to-use F1 hybrids that combine key traits such as yield, fruit quality, heat tolerance, and disease resistance.
2. Direct Access to Parental and Elite Lines: Facilitate the adoption of elite parental lines containing advantageous genetic combinations for targeted market traits and resistances.
3. Delivery of Segregation F2 Populations: Establish F2 populations as genetic reservoirs for partner companies, enabling the creation of innovative and adaptive breeding programs.

Interested companies can get seeds of selected hybrids of their choice for testing at their locations, and obtain information and seeds of the parental lines of the selected hybrids. Seeds of F2 population from each selected hybrid is also available upon request. It is important to note that some of the hybrids share a parent, which means that the same line may have been used as a parent for more than one hybrid.

3. Identifying, Validating, and Deploying TOBRFV-Tolerant Tomato Genetics to Broaden the Genetic Base and Strengthen Breeding Programs (Project duration: 1 January 2026 –31 December 2030 - 5 years)

Registration period: 1 August – 30 November 2025
Objectives:

1. Access to TOBRFV-Tolerant Lines: Delivery of 5–10 pre-screened tomato lines with TOBRFV tolerance abilities for evaluation and potential integration into members’ breeding programs.
2. Multi-Location Performance Validation: Performance and tolerance data from field trials conducted in TOBRFV hotspot regions, supporting informed selection for local adaptation.
3. Distribution of Advanced Breeding Populations: Provision of 10 BC1F2 populations combining TOBRFV tolerance with improved horticultural traits and market-oriented characteristics.
4. Expanded Genetic Base for Long-Term Breeding: Broader and diverse genetic resources to strengthen breeding pipelines and increase resilience to current and future production challenges.
5. Identification of Marker-Linked Traits: Generation of QTL and/or GBS data linked to TOBRFV tolerance, supporting the development of molecular markers for use in marker-assisted selection (MAS) to accelerate breeding of tolerant varieties.
6. Annual Project Workshop: Organization of an annual workshop to present results, share updates, and discuss research progress and future directions with project members.

The 2025 APSA WorldVeg Vegetable Breeding Consortium is now open for registration. Join the APSA-WorldVeg Vegetable Breeding Consortium to gain exposure to the latest research and connect with international breeders and scientists. Click here for more information.

This is all for now for the short SC/SIG updates.  Thank you very much and stay tuned for more updates next month. 

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Seed Industry News

The following country seed industry news pages have been updated with recent news briefs. To read full briefs, click the respective flag below, which links to the respective national seed industry news landing pages, where you can find all recent news briefs from that country:

Australia

Australian Wheat Yields Double Despite Drier Conditions: Innovations in seed breeding, no-till farming, deep soil ripping and optimized planting schedules have enabled Australian growers to double wheat yields. . . Read

Bangladesh

FAO and Bangladesh Launch Agricultural Transformation Programme: The Ministry of Agriculture and FAO launched the Agricultural Transformation Programme, supported by the Gates Foundation . . . Read

Cambodia

Cambodia And Yunnan Strengthen Agri‑Trade Cooperation: China’s Yunnan Province and Cambodia have agreed to expand agricultural trade and encourage Chinese investment . . . Read 

China

China Approves 153 New Wheat Varieties: July 22: China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs approved 153 new wheat varieties, including 119 high-yield varieties . . . Read

 

India

Vegetable Seed Exports Could Surge If Bottlenecks Removed: At a Federation of Seed Industry of India conference held on July 26, officials and industry leaders called for the easing of regulatory bottlenecks . . . Read

 

Indonesia

Indonesia Invites China To Co-Develop AI For Agriculture And Fisheries: The Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) publicly proposed a collaboration with China to enhance AI tools already in use . . . Read

 

Japan

Government To Encourage Rice Production After Shortage: Japan plans to reverse decades of policy by encouraging farmers to grow more rice . . . Read

Korea

Rice Price Surges As Production Hit By Extreme Weather: The retail price for a 20 kg bag of rice hit 60,112 won (~ USD 43) . . . Read

Malaysia

New Rice Varieties Tackle Weedy Rice Problem: The Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), in partnership with BASF, has released two imidazolinone-resistant padi varieties . . . Read

New Zealand

Growers Weigh In On Proposed Freshwater And Consent Reforms: Growers across New Zealand are responding to proposed changes to freshwater regulations and Resource Management Act (RMA) consent rules . . . Read

Pakistan

Monsoon Floods Devastate Standing Crops: Since the end of June, intense rains have killed over 270 people, damaged 1,200 houses and flooded fields . . . Read

 

Philippines

Rice Output Predicted To Edge Up To 12.25 Million Tonnes: According to the USDA, milled rice production is forecast to rise from 12.2 million tonnes in Marketing Year 2024/25 to 12.25 million tonnes . . . Read

Early Rains Point To Strong Yala Paddy Harvest: By end of May, farmers had planted 520,385 ha of paddy . . . Read

 

Thailand

Measures Rolled Out To Lift Rice And Longan Prices: Facing paddy prices of 6,400–7,400 Baht per tonne (15% moisture) and 3.05 M tonnes of rice exports (~ USD 1.8 billion) down 25.6% . . . Read

Vietnam

Agriculture Ministry to Reviews Land Prices:  July 3: Speaking at a press briefing, Deputy Director of the General Department of Land Administration Mai Văn Phấn announced plans to revise land-use fee regulations . . . Read

 

Seed Industry News by country in alphabetical order

Australia	Bangladesh	Cambodia	China	India	Indonesia	Japan	Korea, South
Laos	Malaysia	Myanmar	Nepal	New Zealand	Pakistan	Philippines	Singapore
Sri Lanka	Thailand	Turkiye	Vietnam	Central Asia	Middle East	International

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