Dr Heike Knoerzer’s fascination for farming began back in childhood. Heike grew up on a seed farm and food production quickly became an integral part of her life and something she grew to be greatly passionate about.
She completed her PhD in Agronomy at the University of Hohenheim, Germany in 2010. Heike joined Petkus back in 2014 and in her six years with the company has continued to pursue her interests in food production as Head of Knowledge Management and Head of Petkus Academy.
What brought you into this industry?
I was born on a seed production farm in Southern Germany, and already as a child I thought being a farmer is one of the most fascinating professions. My enthusiasm and dedication to agriculture, and especially to seeds, drove me to study agronomy.
Breeding, cropping, processing – it is like one coin but with multiple sides; complete different businesses. I wanted to comprehend and connect the knowledge of those strands. I wanted to go behind the complexity and multidimensional nature of the seeds business.
My professional career is based on the combination of science and business. After my PhD in agronomy I worked as a postdoc at the department of bio-based products and bioenergy crops at the Universität Hohenheim before I entered the business world. I worked for a large international breeding company (Dow AgroSciences) and was involved in portfolio management working closely together with the breeders.
How long have you worked for Petkus?
I have worked for Petkus for five years. Collecting, editing and disseminating the vast experience the company has is one of my key tasks: making knowledge available. In addition, keeping pace with new trends and developments in the business is a key element for success. Thus, the scientific networking and screening of evolving technologies is another element.
The knowledge gained is reflected in internal position papers, textbooks and what we call white papers. Therein, the individual and partwise country-specific processing procedures, all physical characteristics of the respective seed such as breaking point, drying behaviour, rupture point, thermal conductivity, coefficient of friction etc are documented. Those booklets can serve as guidelines for seed line and silo plant engineering.
Where have you worked previously and what was your job title?
I worked as a Product Development Agronomist at Dow Seeds Europe (now Corteva). I was responsible for the development and product positioning of maize and HOLLI oilseed rape varieties for the Northern European markets.
What academic qualifications do you have and from where?
I studied Agronomy with the focus on plant production systems at the Universität Hohenheim (Stuttgart/Germany). After my studies I got a German Research Foundation (DFG) scholarship and did my PhD in collaboration with the Universität Hohenheim (Stuttgart/Germany), the China Agricultural University (Beijing/China) and the CSIRO (Perth/Australia).
I also studied Literature and History and worked as a journalist. That is one of the reasons I am involved in public relations here at Petkus. The combination between technical knowledge and editing knowledge is a key element of my job as knowledge manager.
What is your proudest achievement?
To have developed, designed and established a Northern Europe spanning HOLLI oilseed rape trial network including variety testing and agronomic field trials. With the results of the trials in combination with scientific studies and a partwise sponsored PhD project I was able to draw up a cropping guide for the production of HOLLI oilseed rape. It was a bit of successfully practicing applied science.
What technology do you think sets Petkus apart from its competition?
Maybe it is not so much a single technology that sets Petkus apart, but the sum of machine integrated innovative features, matched components and harmonised systems. Therefore, Petkus technologies are characterised by a high sorting accuracy. The OS f-class, an optical sorter for vegetable and flower seeds, is a good example.
High resolution cameras and long-life LEDs alone are no assurance for good sorting performance. The synchronisation of the optical system, the hardware-software package as well as the design of the optical boxes and the ejection play an essential role when it comes to clear recognition of defects.
The Petkus philosophy is to provide technological solutions rather than just machines in order to help the clients to reach their goal. Nowadays, clients tend to stand out from their competitors with offering special quality labels and with developing their individual seed coating recipes.
Therefore, the Petkus/Roeber HySeed bio concept is a good example for responding to future challenges, to offer a solution and to take customisation into account. As the chemical seed coating is socio-political challenged, the HySeed biotechnology offers a bio-physical alternative for seed hygienisation and treatment.
Activated steam pasteurises the seed surface and eliminates fungal and bacterial pathogens. The steam treatment can be combined with biologicals or other bio-based agents within the same platform which offers customised recipe development and individualised seed conditioning settings.
As a woman in a predominantly male-dominated industry, did you face any special challenges?
Most of them can withstand the pressure I exert on my male colleagues to perform. No seriously, sometimes you are underestimated when you are a woman in a technology based surrounding.
One has the feeling of comparatively more power and performance to render and to give more emphasis to things. Sometimes you need to be tough and strict beyond the mere proficiency. I gained the experience and understanding that your opinion and statements tends to be more scrutinised.
But there is also the opposite situation that I have gentlemen colleagues who treat me more than courteously. It always depends on the team and the individuals.
We live in an age of climate crisis, dwindling resources, and increasing regulation. What changes do you foresee for Petkus over the coming decades?
I expect the rise of problem weeds and impurities, greater seasonal variation and increasing pressure of fungal, bacterial and viral infestations. Thus, post-harvest cleaning and sorting efficiency and precision must meet higher standards.
It goes hand in hand with seed and grain rescue measures. We need to feed the world with healthy food and cannot afford to waste grain productions. In some countries we still face the issue that post-harvest loss is half the harvested amount. Under the prospects of climate change, loss of arable land and the declining plant protection toolbox of (chemical) active ingredients, the gap between harvested yield and safeguarding yield has to be bridged. Post-harvest technologies will become a major bridge.
Single seed analysis, precise elimination of infested kernels and problem weeds, secure machine/plant operation procedures as well as sorting for quality ingredients are the key words. Eg if the average lot doesn’t meet the protein content specification, but a subset, a sorting technology that can separate high protein grains from low protein grains has to be available.
In addition, automation with regard to machine handling and defect recognition, self-learning systems and procedures as well as sorting precision while reducing good seed loss will become essential. Intelligent machines with decision support tools could help to reduce errors and fine-tune processing procedures.
Those tools also support the traceability and documentation of processes which will get more and more important. After all, energy-saving technologies will come into focus. Thus, designing seed and grain cleaning technologies will get more sophisticated and needs manufacturer with the relevant expertise. Petkus is well positioned here.
