Meet Vegetable Breeders Who View Work With a Fresh Perspective

When you look at the different folks in the agriculture industry, you’ll find a healthy mix of personality traits.

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With their scientific training, plant breeders have a healthy dose of practicality. But they pour all that training into creating crops that will solve as many of the industry’s problems as possible.

Meet several plant breeders here who find success by looking at things differently.

Charlie Thompson

Charlie Thompson, Sweet Corn Breeder, Illinois Foundation Seeds, Inc.

Thompson has recently brought forward high-performing hybrids that are also very early maturing. This is especially important for our growers in the Midwest, as early corn sales are commonly the most profitable and help extend the season’s sales period. Historically, Supersweet hybrids didn’t get much earlier than say 75 days to maturity, and they were generally susceptible to poor emergence and vigor in cool and wet conditions that are common early in the growing season.

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The varieties: ‘Kickoff XR’, ‘Catalyst XR’, and now ‘Bolt XR’ (all 70 days or earlier)


Avi Meromi

Avi Meromi, Sunny Me Seeds

Seeds by Design works with two independent breeders for its basil crops. Avi Meromi, based in Israel, offers disease-resistant varieties.

Rick Grazzini

Rick Grazzini

Pennsylvania-based Rick Grazzini developed dwarf varieties. Both breeders also breed ornamental crops — sunflowers for Meromi and vegetative floral plants for Grazzini.

The crop: Italian basil


Rakesh Kumar

Rakesh Kumar, Ph.D., Breeding Team Lead, Melon Breeding, Syngenta Vegetable Seeds

Kumar is passionate about delivering innovative solutions that make a real-world difference. With the latest tools and technology, he has led the development of Syngenta’s diverse melon portfolio focusing on improving flavor, quality, convenience, and productivity to benefit growers, shippers, retailers, and consumers.

The crop: Melons

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