Technical Affairs Updates

Standing Committees and Special Interest Groups

Technical sessions at the Asian Seed Congress in Mumbai

This year’s Technical Sessions at the Asian Seed Congress were made possible through the year-round dedication and teamwork of APSA’s Standing Committees (SCs) and Special Interest Groups (SIGs). We extend our sincere appreciation to all members of the 2025 Technical Committee for their commitment, leadership, and contributions in ensuring the success of this year’s program.

Below is the list of SC/SIG Chairs and Co-Chairs who represent APSA’s technical groups and help guide our collective efforts toward advancing quality seeds across the region and beyond.

We are also pleased to inform you that the slide presentations from the Technical Sessions are now available for download. You may access the materials at the link below:  

Investment Opportunity Session

Technical Sessions

Seed & Tech Showcase (Sponsored sessions)

Brought to you by the APSA Standing Committee for Seed Technology, the APSA Seed & Tech Showcase (Sponsored Sessions) offered an exclusive platform for companies to present their strategic vision, innovations and products. The session was a great success, attracting more than 230 onsite participants who joined to hear insightful presentations from Phenome Networks, Demcon SeQso, Hoopman Equipment & Engineering BV, and Verdesian Life Sciences USA.For participants who missed the live session, the recordings and presentation files are available in this link.

SC International Trade & Quarantines

The SC ITQ had its fourth committee meeting of years 2025 in November to discuss and prepared for the 2026 APSA Phytosanitary Expert Consultation, which will be held on February 10-11, 2026, in Indonesia. This flagship event will gather regional and global experts to discuss pressing issues in phytosanitary regulations and protocols, aiming to streamline seed movement across borders.

The Working Group of Integrated Vegetable Seed Companies or WIC

WIC Holds second physical meeting at ASC 2025 in Mumbai

The Working Group of Integrated Vegetable Seed Companies (WIC) convened its second physical meeting of the year during the Asian Seed Congress in Mumbai on November 16, 2025. A total of 11 companies from 7 countries joined onsite, with an additional 8 members from 6 countries participating online.

The group held a productive and wide-ranging discussion covering key regional policy developments, updates from the June Jakarta meeting, progress on the Disease Resistance Terminology (DRT) project, the University Connect Program and ongoing collaboration with CropLife Asia. Members also exchanged updates on national seed policies and proposed future initiatives for the group.

The meeting concluded with clear next steps, reaffirming WIC’s commitment to advancing collaboration and strengthening the vegetable seed sector across the region.

APSA-WorldVeg Vegetable Breeding Consortium

Unlock the Future of Pepper Science at the 27th International Pepper Conference (IPC 2026)

19–22 January 2026 | Bangkok, Thailand
Hosted by the World Vegetable Center

https://worldvegetablecenter.org/pepper-conference/ 

The APSA community is warmly invited to join the 27th International Pepper Conference (IPC 2026), the world’s longest-standing and most important global event dedicated exclusively to Capsicum. Held in Bangkok, the conference will convene breeders, seed companies, researchers, and value-chain leaders from every region of the world, making it the single most diverse pepper-focused gathering anywhere.

A Global Gathering on Pepper Innovation

IPC 2026 will showcase cutting-edge advances in breeding, production systems, climate resilience, pest and disease management, genomics, and market trends. Participants will benefit from technical presentations, panel discussions, field visits, and numerous opportunities to network with both public and private-sector innovators across the pepper value chain.

Why APSA Members Should Attend

• Direct access to global R&D and emerging market intelligence
• Opportunities to initiate collaborations with leading breeding groups
• Exposure to the newest hybrids, OPVs, and trait innovations
• A truly international audience of nearly 200 experts, researchers, and seed-sector professionals

Sponsorship: A Key Driver of IPC’s Success

Sponsorship plays a critical role in keeping the International Pepper Conference accessible, impactful, and globally representative. Support from APSA member companies helps ensure:

• High-quality scientific programming
• Participation from emerging economies
• Student and early-career representation
• Professional visibility for the entire Asia-Pacific seed sector on a global stage

IPC offers a range of sponsorship levels designed specifically with seed companies in mind, providing strong visibility before, during, and after the event, including branding, exhibition space, and global recognition in conference communications. With nearly 200 participants expected from over 30 countries, sponsors benefit from direct engagement with decision-makers, breeders, researchers, and market influencers in the pepper world.

Join Us in Bangkok

Whether your focus is hybrid development, seed production, trait discovery, market strategy, or farmer-led adoption, IPC 2026 is the place to connect, inspire, and advance the future of peppers.

Learn more, register, or explore sponsorship opportunities:

https://worldvegetablecenter.org/pepper-conference/ 

We look forward to welcoming APSA members and celebrating the next chapter of global pepper innovation together in Bangkok.

Special projects announcement

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

Conference Showcases Tasmania’s Seed Sector Growth: Tasmania hosted 150 international delegates for the International Herbage Seed Group Conference from 16–19 November, marking the event’s first return to Australia since 2003 and reflecting the state’s rapid sector growth. . . Read

Bangladesh

Farmers Face Sharp Increases in Hybrid Paddy Seed Prices: Farmers in Sunamganj’s haor region report steep and unregulated price hikes for hybrid paddy seeds ahead of the Boro planting season, with sellers allegedly charging arbitrary rates . . . Read

Cambodia

World Rice Conference Highlights Climate Resilience and Export Expansion: Cambodia hosted the 2025 International World Rice Conference Summit in Phnom Penh on November 7th, bringing together government leaders, industry representatives and international organisations to discuss climate-resilient practices . . . Read 

China 

Seed Supply Capacity Strengthens, Exports Rise: China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs reports significant gains in national seed supply capacity, with seed supply rates at major bases reaching 80% . . .  Read

 

India

Record Output of Foodgrains, Pulses and Oilseeds: India’s final crop production estimates for 2024–25 report record foodgrain output of 357.73 million tonnes, up from 251.54 million tonnes in 2015–16. Rice production reached an all-time high of 150.18 million tonnes . . . Read

 

Indonesia

Gov’t Reinforces Rice Import Ban: Indonesia reaffirmed its strict no-import rice policy after authorities seized 250 tonnes of illegal Thai rice in Sabang, with Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman declaring that “not a single litre” of imported rice will enter the country in 2025. . . Read

 

Japan

Retail Rice Prices Hit Record Highs Across Supermarkets: Japan’s average retail rice price reached a new record, rising to ¥4,316 per 5 kg (USD 27.59) in the week through Sunday, up ¥81 (USD 0.52) from the previous week . . . Read

Korea

Rice Output Falls for Fourth Year as Cultivation Area Hits Record Low:  South Korea’s rice production fell for the fourth consecutive year in 2025, dropping 1.3% to 3.54 million tonnes . . . Read

Malaysia

Gov’t Aims to Lift Rice Output and Reduce Imports by 2027: Malaysia plans to reduce rice imports by 2027 by targeting 3% annual growth in domestic production to reach 1.5 million tonnes, as part of its national food security strategies . . . Read

Nepal

Indigenous Kalanamak Rice Declines as Farmers Opt for Hybrids: The traditional Kalanamak rice variety is nearly absent from Banke’s fields as farmers shift to higher-yielding hybrids due to Kalanamak’s low productivity . . . Read

New Zealand

Opposition to Gene Technology Bill Grows: A rally at Parliament reflected growing opposition to New Zealand’s Gene Technology Bill, with GE Free NZ and supporters arguing the proposed framework does not adequately address liability . . . Read

Pakistan

945 Rice Germplasm Lines Acquired to Accelerate Breeding and Hybrid Development: Pakistan has strengthened its rice breeding base by acquiring 945 germplasm lines from China and IRRI under the Productivity Enhancement of Rice Project (2019–2025), which has also developed 14 new rice varieties . . . Read

 

Philippines

Typhoons Tino and Uwan Inflict Over USD 87 Million in Agricultural Losses: Agricultural damage from Typhoons Tino and Uwan has reached ₱5.16 billion (USD 87.7 million), affecting more than 135,000 farmers and fisherfolk . . . Read

 

Thailand

New Incentives to Shift Off-Season Rice to Alternative Crops: Thailand has approved payments of 2,000 baht per rai (USD 55) for farmers converting off-season rice land to other crops, targeting 1 million rai as part of a broader restructuring of the rice sector . . . Read

Vietnam

Floods Destroy Over 82,000 ha of Rice and Seasonal Crops: Severe flooding in Vietnam’s central and south-central regions has caused 13.078 trillion VND (USD 496 million) in economic damage . . . 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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