Big investment to boost tomato breeding

In previous years, tomato breeders at NCSU, led by Dilip Panthee, have used the summer months to test their tomatoes' resistance to disease. Then they cross breed tomatoes with the best combination of traits in a greenhouse during the fall and spring months. This allows them to grow three generations of tomatoes in one year, speeding up the development of new varieties, which take six to eight years to produce.

The new greenhouse, which was completed in April, can be temperature controlled. This will extend Panthee and his fellows' tomato growing season. The greenhouse also has separate compartments allowing them to grow multiple generations of crosses at the same time and even test the tomatoes' resistance to diseases.

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Source and Photo courtesy of Greenhouse Grower

Source: Greenhouse Grower