Bayer CropScience opens R&D centre in India for vegetable seeds

Marking yet another important milestone towards leadership in the vegetable seeds business in India, the Vegetable Seeds division of Bayer CropScience India has inaugurated a multi-crop breeding station in Karnal, Haryana of India.  The modern facility will focus on breeding activities, screening of diseases, evaluation & selection of breeding materials, inbred development and crossing in vegetable crops like cabbage, onion, tomato, hot peppers, cucumber, okra, water melon and gourds.

Spread over 8.5 acres, the high-tech breeding station will be equipped with all aspects of R&D infrastructure in the same location. These include - an administrative building, polyhouses, phyto pathology lab and plots for breeding. Seed cleaning and seed preparation laboratories, cold room for germplasm storage, adequate space for future expansion of activities are also in the plan. State-of-the-art laboratories will support activities in resistance breeding and disease screening. The new facility will also have a cultivable area of 5.0 acres for field experimentation and 2.0 acres for polyhouses.

 “The state of the art R&D station will enable us to drive the development of Indian agriculture by investing into locally bred, highly productive and nutritious vegetable varieties for the benefit of our farmers, the consumers and Indian agriculture as a whole,” said Joachim Schneider, Head of Vegetable Seed business who was not present in person but conveyed his best wishes.

“Bayer CropScience is a leader in its vegetable seeds business and the opening of the R&D station provides a stronger footprint in the country. Research and breeding activities will be boosted specially in crops like onion which hold a huge potential for the country,” said Joerg Rehbein, Head of Bayer CropScience, Indian Subcontinent.

This facility is primarily for breeding programs of Cabbage & Onion and screening, evaluation and generation advancement of all other vegetable crops. It has a state of the art phyto pathology Lab and also an insect rearing facility. At Karnal, there is a strong team of breeders, scientists and technicians to support the activities.

The company’s other R&D facilities are in Bangalore and Kullu. Disease screening facilities and early hybrids evaluation are at Pune, Guntur, Kolkatta and Indore to cater to the needs of various market segments.

“Thanks to the hard work of the team, we are proud to open our very first R&D station at this strategic location today. This facility will enable us to further consolidate our leadership position in the country and give a big boost to our output in all important crops like onion, cabbage, tomato, okra, melons and hot pepper,” said Hema Abichandani, Head of Bayer CropScience Vegetable Seeds, India.