Increasing the predictive power of plant breeding

摘要

The Breeding Technology Centre (BTC) at Diimmen Orange's headquarters in De Lier, the Netherlands, is instrumental in developing ornamental plants and flowers with resistance to biotic and abiotic factors. Head of Research and Development, Hans van den Heuvel has made it his mission to make sure that varieties with outstanding yields, end-use quality and supply chain and environmental performance will make it to market. Ready for use as Intrinsa-branded products to be precise.Since 2015, Hans van den Heuvel is Head of Research and Development at Diimmen Orange, a conglomerate of ornamental plant breeding and propagating companies. Hans, who studied plant and crop sciences and agricultural economics at Wageningen University, previously worked at Wageningen UR, as Head of Research at De Ruiter Seeds and director R&D at Limagrain Vegetable Seeds. He is currently involved in establishing the presence of Diimmen Orange's new state-of-the-art R&D centre. Here, there is no better teacher than nature. By deciphering and analysing the genetic code of plants, world-class researchers learn about the precise biological causes for existing or missing resistances. The next challenge is to move the new, Intrinsa branded flowers and plants from development to market with speed required to remain competitive.