Monsanto hires new lettuce breeder for North American breeding program

Monsanto recently announced that Lettuce breeder Dr. Isabelle Delannay will lead the North America lettuce breeding program for Monsanto Vegetable Seeds and its Seminis seed brand. Prior to this role, Isabelle bred for Monsanto’s Oakleaf and Batavia lettuce markets, based in St. Andiol, France.

Dr. Isabelle Delannay has developed a strong pipeline of new products that have excellent horticultural characteristics and are resistant to lettuce downy mildew.  As the new North America lettuce breeding lead based in San Juan Bautista, California, she will focus her efforts on iceberg, Romaine and Frescada (crisphead romaine cross) lettuce types.

Isabelle received her Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Genetics from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and has been with Monsanto since 2011.