Should agro-chemical corporation be involved in ecological restoration?

Thu, 9 Feb 2017 10:02:56 GMT

For the development of seed technologies applied to native seed, such as seed priming and coating, a closer engagement with the private agro-chemical corporations could accelerate the research process and help to deliver positive outcomes and major breakthrough

But such a collaboration might raise a number of issues:

Are those private enterprises willing to collaborate and will there be the academic freedom to publish outcomes of value to wildlands restoration?

Is access to the potentially "rich" market of ecological restoration, enough of an incentive for those companies to invest in native seed research and share their technological know-how with scientific institutions?

Are those companies the kind of players that should be involved in restoration, or their profit-first and foremost focus is eventually going to corrupt the social and moral principles that underpin ecological restoration?

For more information on the issue visit the INSR article "Can seed coating boost seed based restoration outcome?"

Thu, 9 Feb 2017 12:43:13 GMT

I would suggest not to involve agro-chemicals companies in native seed coating, but instead I would suggest to a native seed producer with appropriate facilities and resources, to create an eco-friendly coating recipe to use to enhance seed germination and seedling establishment in restoration activities and to offer this service to all the native seed producers who need it.

Your review, Simone, also represents an useful guideline to follow as starting point for who may want to expand the businesses and start providing coating services.