Golden Opportunities at International Rapeseed Congress 2023

Written By Pioneer Seeds

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Pioneer® Brand Seeds, along with Corteva Agriscience™, are jointly sponsoring the International Rapeseed Congress (IRC) in Sydney, 24–27 September 2023.

Staged in a different global city every four years, congress organisers have announced a huge research-focussed program for the showcase rapeseed gathering, which this year explores the theme: Global Crop – Golden Opportunities.

As well as hearing world-leading crop scientists outline the latest canola (mostly referred to as rapeseed in Europe) discoveries in genetics, genomics and breeding, more than 450 delegates from around the world will be in Sydney to learn about canola agronomy, physiology, crop protection – and the latest canola market trends.

Before the congress gets under way, many of the delegates are expected to take advantage of a special field day being offered at a Pioneer Brand Seeds trial site in Wagga Wagga.

Territory Sales Manager Luke Gooden says he expects about 110 IRC delegates and more than 200 farmers and agronomists to attend a pre-conference field day in Wagga Wagga on Friday, 22 September.

“We’ll be demonstrating trials of our new third-generation, glyphosate tolerant Optimum GLY® canola technology (population/fertiliser) as well as a knockdown pre-emergence and post-emergence trial,” he says.

Respected former Pioneer® Brand Seeds senior business manager Rob Wilson, one of the IRC 2023 organisers, says it’s a great honour for Australia to host another international rapeseed congress because Australia hosted an IRC in Canberra just fourteen years ago.

“This is a very significant conference where we’ll be learning about new data concerning climate change, new directions in canola breeding and the many changes happening in canola agronomy.”

One of the keynote speakers at IRC 2023 is Corteva Agriscience Research Director Seed Product Development Dr Steve King.

Based in Canada, Dr King leads Corteva’s global breeding teams for canola, wheat and sorghum, the research units behind the new third-generation, glyphosate tolerant Optimum GLY canola technology being released commercially in Australia in 2024.

No stranger to Down Under, Dr King completed his PhD in Molecular Plant Physiology at the Australian National University. His keynote for the congress will address: “Increasing the value of canola (Brassica napus L.) meal through breeding for higher protein and decreased fibre contents.”

About Pioneer Seeds

In Australia, the production, sales, marketing and distribution of Pioneer® brand hybrid corn, sorghum, summer forage and canola seeds, and silage inoculant products are exclusively undertaken by GenTech Seeds – a Yates family company with a proud history in the seed business and a strong commitment to the future of farming.

Pioneer® brand canola hybrids offer a choice of standalone or combined herbicide tolerance systems such as Clearfield®, Triazine and Roundup Ready®. New Optimum GLY® herbicide tolerance trait hybrid canola will also be offered commercially by Pioneer Seeds in Australia from 2024.

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STEVEN KING

Global Canola Breeding Lead

Corteva Agriscience Research Director Seed Product Development Dr Steve King

Steven King serves on the Canadian Leadership Team as the Global Canola Breeding Lead. He is responsible for a team that spans across Canada, Europe, India and Australia. Steve’s team drives operational excellence at research centers with innovative breeding strategies and high data-quality standards. His role focuses on coaching and developing scientists and technical staff to deliver canola hybrids with improved yield, agronomic, disease resistance and seed quality traits. Holding to advice from early in his career, Steve has learned that you can never overestimate the power of a seasoned team.

Steve’s career in agriculture began in a Canadian start-up plant biotechnology company before joining Corteva in 2001 as a Corn Research Scientist. Prior to his current role, Steve provided regional and global leadership for early maturity corn breeding.

Steve takes pride in developing new seed products that enable growers to be more productive.

He enjoys continuous learning and directs his research towards practical, high-quality outcomes for growers. Outside of his career, Steve enjoys running, travelling and spending time at his cottage in the summer.

Steve holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular Plant Physiology from the Australian National University, a Master of Science in Crop Biotechnology and a Bachelor of Science in Crop Science from the University of Guelph.

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