Syngenta hires broccoli breeding specialist

Syngenta has a new breeder from Gilroy, California, who will continue the company's commitment specifically to broccoli production.

Syngenta’s goal is to establish a larger broccoli portfolio in North America.

“Broccoli production has significantly increased in the U.S. over the past several years in order to fulfill consumer demand, jumping 13 percent from 2013 to 2014,” Barner Golumbfskie-Jones, Syngenta leafy and brassica crop product marketing manager, said. “The addition of a new breeder will give us the ability to focus our broccoli breeding efforts for North America, which is the fastest growing broccoli market in the world.”

To accomplish their broccoli portfolio goal, Syngenta has hired Julie Rothe as a plant breeder focused primarily on broccoli to lead its sweet baby broccoli program, a collaboration between Syngenta and Mesa Packing.

“While introducing traits that offer a unique eating experience for consumers is important, developing traits that allow growers to address production challenges is critical as well,” Rothe said. “We are evaluating traits that expedite maturity of heads, allowing for earlier days to harvest and creating first-to-market opportunities for producers. We are also working to enhance disease resistance in our brassica offerings and introduce varieties with improved systemic downy mildew resistance.”