Whether it’s through the use of molecular genetics and DNA markers or good old-fashioned experience and collaboration, the next generation of plant breeders is thoughtfully revolutionizing the industry. With the help of new databases and recordkeeping software, they are tackling the hot topics and adapting their work to changing weather patterns, sustainability, and consumers’ ever-changing needs. And gardens around the world are seeing the exciting results.
Molecular Genetics
Associate Breeder Baylee Knutson, Ph.D. | Syngenta Flowers
Baylee Knutson, Ph.D., is an Associate Breeder at Syngenta Flowers specializing in vinca, calibrachoa, and petunia breeding. She has a background in molecular genetics that heavily influences her breeding techniques.
“As a breeder, I’m interested in bringing statistics and genetic tools to horticultural plant breeding and taking our breeding practices to the next level,” says Knutson. “Our trialing prioritizes experimental design to produce reliable and reproducible results, giving confidence in the quality of our varieties. We are adopting genetic resources and by using genomic information, we will be more efficient in breeding and can focus on complex traits that matter to growers and consumers, such as disease resistance and flower shelf life.
“Our breeding practices utilize disease strains from around the country to ensure our products meet the needs of all growers and consumers, and we trial in outdoor locations with naturally high levels of disease infections. Our collaborations with universities allow us to continue to develop products at the cusp of discoveries and validate the effectiveness of our products with a third-party group.”
Advancing Science Through Collaboration
Director of Plant Breeding David Roberts | Bailey Nurseries
According to Alec Charais, Chief Marketing and Product Development Officer at Bailey Nurseries, David Roberts, Director of Plant Breeding, is committed to continuous learning and improvement — not just for his own growth, but in how he advances the science of breeding itself. Driven by curiosity and instinct, Charais says Roberts makes strides in breeding projects that emphasize both innovation and practical performance.
“A standout aspect of Roberts’ work is his dedication to understanding how each innovation performs in real-world conditions, both in the ground and in production,” Charais says. “Roberts considers essential questions: Does the plant propagate readily? How does it adapt to various production environments? He actively seeks insights from industry growers to incorporate their best practices, aiming to replicate real-world success in his evaluations.
“While technological advancement in breeding accelerates, Roberts focuses on collaboration. Though his facility may not be the most sophisticated, he leverages partnerships to access the latest resources and infrastructure — a strategic approach vital for today’s rapid pace of innovation in plant breeding.”
Selection via DNA Markers
Ido Raviv | Danzigeronline.com
Danziger Breeder Ido Raviv has been working on the company’s New Guinea Impatiens and Impatiens walleriana programs for just over a year. He is a graduate of The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment in Israel with a major in plant science. Ido brings years of cannabis breeding experience to his work in bedding plants.
“New-generation breeders like Raviv are developing and using advanced tools to speed the breeding process, primarily through genetic markers for marker-assisted selection,” says Atar Krispil, Bedding Marketing Manager at Danziger.
“This technique improves the selection of parent plants and shortens breeding cycles, making it easier to develop polygenic and recessive traits. For example, Danziger currently uses DNA markers to select for multi-petal Impatiens walleriana flowers in its Musica series. This method not only accelerates the breeding process but also reduces greenhouse space and resources needed for our mother stock banks. Additionally, genetic markers help monitor genetic diversity within breeding germplasm, ensuring better management of these resources.”
Combining Passion and Experience
Seedy Fatty | Westhoff
Westhoff Breeder Seedy Fatty, from The Gambia, received his master’s degree in Germany and has been working for Westhoff for the past eight years, focusing on Petunia, Lobelia, and Portulaca, among other crops.
“Sometimes to re-invigorate breeding programs, you need a new set of eyes,” says Bart Hayes, Westhoff Sales Manager. “Seedy is re-imagining some of the best-known products from Westhoff, including Crazytunia, with an enthusiasm that can only come from a passion for plant breeding, but with a precision that only comes from experience.”
Committed to the Consumer
Edison Quiros | Ball Horticultural Company
Edison Quiros, located in Costa Rica, is a Plant Breeder for Ball Horticultural Company. He says globalization, climate change, and the continuous growth of the world’s population have changed floriculture in recent years. Today’s lifestyle and speed of life are creating different challenges within the industry, such as sales reduction in some products, less space for gardens, changing customer needs, unique products, ecological impact, and others.
“Of course, all these factors affect the way of breeding,” Quiros says. “To meet these new demands, the new generation of breeders should focus on innovation and the application of high technology, sustainability, and a greater commitment to the consumer. Breeders should not limit themselves to developing flowers or beautiful and unique plants. They should go further and think about developing innovative products that add value to the market from a productive, ethical, and environmental point of view, which are in line with the needs of the market and geographical areas.”
Breeders Making a Difference
Quiros says there are several ways a breeding program can make a difference in floriculture. “One is breeding programs focused on environmental sustainability and specific markets, and the second is taking advantage of the tools and technologies available today.
“Breeding programs focused on sustainability not only allow us to reduce the impact on nature, but they also serve as a model to be followed in other production systems and, ultimately, transferred to the next generation of breeders and consumers.
“To accomplish this goal, there are several strategies that can be applied: Breeding programs focused on disease-resistant products, which would generate a reduction in pesticide applications; or developing products with tolerance to abiotic factors such as drought, salinity, temperatures, or nutrition, which would generate an increase in the efficiency of water or fertilizer management.
“On the other hand, we have technologies today that allow us to develop products in a more integral and efficient way, for example, the most important technological advances we can currently use are procedures such as CRISPR and gene editing, molecule markers, the use of data-driven breeding (software), and the use of automation and robotics (drones and others) in data collection or processes. All those methodologies can save considerable time, effort, money, and other important resources in breeding programs.”
Breeding Is Different Today
Quiros says, “Our predecessors have done an excellent job in generating products and information with the tools they had and that we use today as a basis for achieving the objectives of breeding programs.
“As I mentioned, technology has brought with it several tools that allow us to work in a more comprehensive way compared to previous years. We can collect data more efficiently, access, generate, and keep information more quickly and securely, and interact with different colleagues around the world in real time — a situation that could not have been done 20-30 years ago.
“So, what are we doing differently? I believe breeding programs are more focused on the needs of each region, with interdisciplinary collaborations of colleagues from different fields (breeders, managers, sales teams, marketing, pathologists, etc.) that are sustainable with the environment but also generate value to the market and the industry, seeking to attract a new set of customers by thinking about their needs.”
Stay tuned for Part 2 and Part 3 of plant breeding experts discussing new innovations and exciting developments in the field.
