Syngenta Flowers breaks ground on $8.25 million research and development flower breeding center

Syngenta Flowers—the global company known for its breeding and production of hybrid flower seed and vegetative cuttings for pot and bedding plants—recently broke ground on an $8.25 million research and development campus in Gilroy, Calif. The company plans to build a “world-class R&D Center of Excellence for ornamental horticulture.”

“Our new Center of Excellence in Gilroy will better enable Syngenta to develop and deliver plants and solutions that provide superior performance in the professional greenhouse, at retail, in professionally landscaped environments and in the home garden,” said Tim Kroenke, head, Syngenta Lawn & Garden, North America. “To continue to earn our customers’ business in today’s marketplace, Syngenta is committed to delivering unsurpassed plant solutions throughout North America and the world. This new Center will provide us with the facilities needed to carry out this ambitious mission.”

The majority of investment dollars will be used to replace existing greenhouse structures with three state-of-the-art greenhouse facilities. Also, hoop houses and a pot-filling operation will be constructed. The greenhouses, which are expected to be completed by the fall of 2012, will house breeding programs for pansy, viola, geranium, chrysanthemums and other flower crops. A third R&D greenhouse structure will provide environmental testing capabilities furthering the study of individual plant performance.

“The new greenhouses will also provide us with the research capabilities and technology we need to extend plant shelf-life at retail, reduce plant losses during transportation and better understand methods for managing water stress,” said Keelan Pulliam, president of Syngenta Flowers in North America. “Our R&D teams will also continue to focus on the creation of new innovative varieties that could be attractive to growers and consumers.”

In an interview with GIE Media’s Horticulture Group, Kroenke and Pulliam emphasized the comprehensive scope of the R&D activities that will take place at the Gilroy facility.

“Again, it’s not only traditional breeding we’ll be investigating,” Pulliam said, “but how to integrate growing media and other elements.”

Kroenke added: “One of the areas we have a lot of interest in is: ‘How can we make the consumer experience better, as well? How do we make a plant even more foolproof?’”

Pulliam and Kroenke also discussed their desire to use innovative approaches at the facility, allowing Syngenta to break out of a “business as usual” mentality that characterizes the green industry. Pullliam emphasized that the time is right for Syngenta to make investments and changes.

“There have not been a lot of changes in industry over the years,” Pulliam said. “This [project] gives Syngenta the chance to look at things differently, and make these changes.”

Kroenke offered this anecdote: “Someone told me once: If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything begins to look like a nail. If I only approach problems as [a plant] breeder, I may not be using right tool. The new facilities will allow us to use more holistic approaches.”

Photo (left to right):
Keelan Pulliam, President, Syngenta Flowers, Inc.
Dion Bracco, Gilroy Council Member
Tim Kroenke, head, Lawn & Garden North America
Honorable Congressman Sam Farr (Calif.)
Susan Valenta, Gilroy CA President Chamber of Commerce