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From the world of KWS
Foundation Dinner
Foundation Dinner at Göttingen museum
The seventh Foundation Dinner in support of the University of Göttingen was fully booked out: A hundred guests gathered at the Forum Wissen, the new museum of knowledge, on Berliner Straße. The second floor will house the university’s future Biodiversity Museum, which will also benefit from the event’s proceeds.
University President Professor Metin Tolan welcomed the guests and thanked all the sponsors. Professor Maria Teresa Aguado Molina, designated director of the Biodiversity Museum, and Professor Christoph Bleidorn, future scientific director of the Forum Wissen, presented the concept to the guests.
The evening’s keynote speaker was Professor Udo Di Fabio, former judge at the Federal Constitutional Court. Representatives from KWS were also invited and were able to gain an initial impression. KWS, one of the innovation drivers in the Southern Lower Saxony region, has supported the museum’s establishment. |
KWS surfing tip
KWS icons represent our products and tools. They clarify ideas, explain matters, communicate processes and provide instructions on what to do. They are reduced to the essentials – and match our illustrative style and thus dovetail with our overall visual image. A pool of illustrations is available in the new icon library in the KWS BrandNet. Search functions or icon collections help you find the right icon and download it with just a click of the mouse. |
New breeding methods quickly explained
With a series of short and easy-to-understand videos, we wish to explain the new breeding methods on various social media channels and point out their potential benefits for developing new plant varieties. At the end of June, a new video was shared highlighting the potential of plant breeding for ensuring food security for a growing global population. You can find the videos on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook under the hashtags #LetsTalkBreeding and #seedingthefuture. |
Auf dem Versuchsfeld: Mario Schumann, Forschungsleiter Phytopathologie, und Nora Temme
World of Farming: Focus on biologicals
Seed is particularly vulnerable to damping-off disease and pests immediately after sowing. To protect it from external stress factors and strengthen its development, it is often treated and enveloped with a coating, which may contain synthetic pesticides as well as biological ones, termed biologicals.
Biologicals consist of beneficial microorganisms like bacteria or fungi and other substances of natural origin, such as plant extracts. They can act as a biological means of crop protection, improve nitrogen fixation, and strengthen the plant’s root development and germination. Nora Temme, Head of Biologicals at KWS, notes: “Biologicals allow us to systematically harness natural interactions and introduce them into the environment.” Biological seed coatings offer farmers additional options for specific applications. For example, KWS recently launched a biological for treating sugarbeet seed for the first time. It is to be followed by further biologicals for other crops. You can learn more about the subject of biologicals in our online magazine World of Farming. |
That was the size of KWS’ exhibition area at this year’s German Agricultural Society Field Days. KWS showcased high-performance varieties and digital services – an ideal combination to support farmers in their daily work and to help them get the most out of their seed. You can find further information on all topics at the German Agricultural Society Field Days online. |
Online and in-person event in one
The BU Cereals successfully staged this year’s International Cereals Meeting (ICM) in a hybrid format: A KWS studio was set up in Wiebrechtshausen to stream two live events (“CSI: Wohlde”) for all colleagues worldwide. Some were also invited to attend in person. A survey revealed that an ideal balance had been struck between video content and discussion time in the live sessions. The focus was on the Strategic Planning 2031 – and just about all participants agreed that the ICM was the right format to kick off the strategy. A workshop during the event aimed to give a deeper understanding of the strategic initiatives: Milestones were defined, success criteria specified and risks discussed. Other objectives were to designate contributions to the strategic issues of the future, identify stakeholders and develop communication ideas. The idea of organizing location-specific public viewing, including a lunch, at the next ICM was raised, so as to enhance the sensation of the ICM as an event among online participants in the individual countries.
The recordings of the live sessions are available online. |
© KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA 2025
