Designer seed that focus on providing solutions to problems faced by farmers in specific regions is currently driving research at seed companies.
Bayer celebrated 20 years of Dekalb maize hybrid seed technology in South Africa at Nampo 2025. Cutting the birthday cake were Caio Tosta, commercial head for Bayer Crop Science Africa, on the left, and Johan Bibbey, Bayer Crop Science Country Lead Seed: South Africa, on the right.
Photo: Lindi Botha
Designer seed that could solve challenges faced by farmers in specific regions is what seed companies are focusing on in their technology development departments.
Speaking at the 20th anniversary of Bayer Crop Science’s seed brand Dekalb, at the Nampo Harvest Day in Bothaville, Free State, agronomists said that while yield increases would always form the base of seed advancements, region-specific solutions were also needed.
Seed that provides tailor-made solutions
“Our research and seed development is becoming more focused on designing seed that provides tailor-made solutions,” said Christiaan Troskie, product development scientist at Bayer.
“For example, farmers in irrigation regions want yield and standability, whereas those in the eastern production regions want disease resistance, coupled with high yield.”
Future solutions for farmers could also include seed that had already been launched elsewhere, but was yet to be made available locally.
Bayer agronomist Wilhelm van Heerden used short stature maize, which was grown in the US, as an example of this.
“This is a shorter plant, so it is easier to spray using a spray cart, has better root development and standability, and has greater nutritional value for silage.”
Meanwhile, Charl van der Merwe, Free State agronomist for Pannar, told Farmer’s Weekly that the company was seeing a lot of progress in terms of producing maize and soya bean seed that was drought tolerant.
“We are testing seed under very strenuous circumstances to ensure that the seed can withstand drought. It is exciting to see the direction seed advancement is taking because farmers need this kind of peace of mind when they are investing so much in their crops. In this regard, reducing risk and increasing margins is crucial.”
Bayer however expressed concern over negative public perceptions about technology that ultimately influenced whether the technology came to market.
Jako Benadie, an agronomist at Bayer, said that this was an era in which there was much pressure from consumers on agricultural companies to prove that the technology was safe for humans and animals before it could be made available.
“Some 20 years ago, the fear that prevails today over food safety did not exist. It has not hindered the rate at which new technology develops, but has rather slowed down the speed at which it comes to market.”
Liza Bohlmann, lead for corporate communications at Bayer Sub-Saharan Africa, noted that this pressure mostly came from consumer sentiment, not scientific fact, but ultimately influenced policy makers.
“People fear that which they don’t understand. If there is enough fear it can create a tipping point where decisions against technology are made. It is therefore vital that information on how the technology works, that it is safe, and offers immense value to food production, is widely publicised.”
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