Construction of Corteva Agriscience's Integrated R&D Center begins in Eschbach, Germany

A consolidated research center bringing together Integrated Field Sciences (IFS) and plant breeding is being built in Eschbach, Germany. The facility is due to open next year.

With a total investment of €5.7m, the integrated R&D site builds on the existing facilities and will enable Corteva Agriscience to conduct state-of-the-art Crop Protection studies with European targets and establish a center of excellence for the research of resistance development.  

Bringing plant breeding and IFS together also facilitates the development of new methods, such as digital trial evaluation with drones, remote sensing and the use of molecular biology to understand the susceptibility of plant diseases to new mode-of-actions.

Corteva Agriscience site due to open in first half of 2022

Located at French-German border and in the transitional climate zone between North and South Europe, the new site provides an excellent base to conduct field trials in almost all relevant European crops.

The construction of one modern, energy-efficient facility built to achieve zero emissions meets the vision of the Corteva Agriscience 2030 Sustainability Goals, which include a commitment to increasing sites’ sustainability efforts.

The Eschbach facility, in south western Germany, will also provide a boost for the local economy, not only through the move of European research programs to the site but also by adding six additional experts for pest, disease and weed management to the current team of more than 20 researchers.

Elliot Heffner, Corteva Agriscience Plant Breeding Leader, Europe, said: “This is a significant milestone, bringing IFS and plant breeding under one roof to deliver advanced solutions for farmers in Europe.

“In keeping with our sustainability vision, we remain unwavering in our commitment to develop and deploy innovative and sustainable agricultural solutions for the greater good of our customers, consumers and the communities we serve.”

Andreas Huber, Corteva Agriscience Integrated Field Sciences Leader, Europe, added: “Corteva Agriscience is committed to protecting the environment while providing farmers with the products they need to protect their crops. With consumer demand growing for crop protection products of natural origin, Eschbach will also focus on biologicals and their efficacy against European pests and diseases. This new site will enable us to continue innovating, supporting farmers as they move to more sustainable practices.”