April 4, 2024
Every vegetable grower faces unique challenges in their operation. From in-field threats that can harm yield to operational obstacles, growers adapt their practices.
Researchers at Syngenta Vegetable Seeds develop innovative solutions using the latest technology to support growers from genetics to the field. All innovations happen at world-class facilities, providing growers around the world with the cutting-edge solutions they need.
And it all starts with the seeds they plant.
Whether it’s the genetics in the seed or the physical quality of the seed itself, the seed is the baseline for yield and quality. Syngenta invests around the world in both genetics and seed quality to support growers wherever they are.
Investing in Seed Health
Quality seed is the foundation for global food production. As vegetable growers face increased challenges, rigorous testing and the high phytosanitary standards in seed movement have become more important than ever.
For example, the Syngenta Global Vegetable Seeds Quality Control Lab in Nampa, Idaho, USA is raising the bar for global vegetable seed health. Contained environment growth areas allow for precise testing for bacteria, fungus, and diseases. This means only the highest quality seeds end up in fields and ultimately, on shelves for consumers. It allows the latest innovations in seed health and resistance to get to growers faster.
“Quality control testing is expensive but it’s critical to make sure customers have safe seeds to plant, and something we’re committed to continue to provide,” said Laurel Carter, Global Head of Phytosanitary and Seed Movement Compliance at Syngenta. “We want customers to continue to know why they can trust the quality of the seed they get from Syngenta.”
But the investment in seed quality doesn’t stop in Nampa, growers can look to Enkhuizen, Netherlands and other locations around the world including a new addition in 2024.
Syngenta recently announced the opening of its newest seed health lab in Hyderabad, India. This investment, $2.4 million, strengthens seed quality control and is India’s first dedicated seed health lab to serve growers in India, across the Asia pacific region and beyond.
“High-quality, healthy seed is the foundation of success in the field for our customers,” said Nishchint Bhatia, Head of Asia Pacific for Syngenta Vegetable Seeds. “This investment highlights our commitment to ensuring growers have a reliable supply of healthy, disease-free seed.”
Finding Genetics for the Future of Production
Technology is vital to improving every step for the growing process. One example is Syngenta Vegetable Seeds research using robots in the tomato breeding and harvesting process. To learn more, Syngenta Vegetable Seeds worked with Four Growers, Inc. to develop machines that can harvest tomatoes and crops that can stand up to robotic harvesting.
“This collaboration helps serve as a link between genetics and automation,” said Ruud Kaagman, Syngenta Global Crop Unit Head – Tomato. “The success of robotization in the future is the application of robotics with different plant characteristics. With this collaboration you’ll see varieties adapted to robotic harvesting to enable growers’ success.”
A significant portion of tomato production expenses come from crops being harvested by hand. As researchers at Syngenta Vegetable Seeds look toward the future, it’s clear that labor shortages and production costs require a new solution.
Researchers are also employing artificial intelligence, advanced breeding techniques, and more to create the genetic solutions that growers need for today and the future. Whether it’s robotics, or emerging diseases, innovations in breeding are helping growers around the world.
Creating High Quality Seed
Seed quality includes germination, early vigor, and many other considerations that all support the healthy establishment of any crop. At Syngenta, we are dedicated to high standards for seed quality, which includes significant investments in sweet corn seed quality, for example.
For sweet corn, Pasco, Wash., U.S. is Syngenta’s world-leading facility in sweet corn seed conditioning and packaging gives growers around the world the best starts each season. These investments include color sorting technology, automation, and robotics in the conditioning and packaging process.
“We test for germination, vigor, physical purity, and genetic purity to ensure that every seed batch meets Syngenta’s stringent quality specifications,” said Casey Young, Syngenta Regional Processing Manager. “If it doesn’t, we discard that seed and we research what happened to correct and improve for next year.”
Each crop has unique considerations, some include seed treatments, but all require careful seed processing to protect the quality of the seed. At locations around the world all seeds are safeguarded by Syngenta’s expert technicians to protect yield potential from the start.
Technology combined with Syngenta Vegetable Seeds researchers’ nonstop quest for innovation enables new solutions faster, with an incredible amount of data and technology to back them up. Innovation isn’t just a one-time investment in breeding or seed quality. It’s a constant process that evolves, just like growers do in their own operations.
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