Agri-food company Syngenta Vegetable Seeds, part of the Swiss Syngenta Group and headquartered in the United States, has opened a state-of-the-art R&D centre in El Ejido (Almería), in which it has invested 10 million dollars. Dedicated to research into key crops such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, the centre will help shorten traditional plant-breeding timelines and strengthen food security.

The new facilities have been designed to combat the emerging pathogens that are devastating crops and affecting farmers’ livelihoods around the world. Integrated into the company’s network of innovation centres in El Ejido, the new laboratory plays a key role in developing solutions for fruit crops.

At heart of research
The new centre’s approach aims to cover the entire process from field to laboratory. Diagnosis begins directly in the fields, placing farmers at the heart of the research. Among other activities, the new R&D centre will work on plant breeding, seed management, trait development, fruit quality, applied data science and digital technology.

The new facilities have been equipped with biosafety technology. This enables scientists to work with emerging threats in a controlled, quarantined environment, while maintaining the highest standards of plant health.

From Spain to whole world
Matthew Johnston, Global Head of Syngenta’s vegetable seeds business, says that “new pathogens are emerging at an unprecedented pace, affecting farmers around the world”, and explained, “It is essential to offer strong, resilient seeds to protect crops and farmers’ livelihoods. This investment further strengthens our commitment to supporting farmers through innovation and providing solutions that help protect their crops, not only in Spain, but worldwide”.

Syngenta Vegetable Seeds’ Global Head of R&D, Uri Krieger, did for his part describe the new centre as “one of the best examples of the close relationship between our plant-breeders and the farmers who rely on the performance, quality and availability of our products to meet their production needs”.

Syngenta has made numerous investments in southern Spain over the years, as it is one of the world’s most important horticultural production areas. Almería in particular has the highest concentration of greenhouses in the world, covering more than 30,000 hectares and producing around 4 million tonnes of vegetables a year.

^{Photo: Syngenta Vegetable Seeds}