Corteva Agriscience announced the opening of a new seed research station in Navasota, Texas. The site will focus on capturing field data and characterizing grain sorghum and corn hybrids, applying an analytics-based approach to the challenges facing farmers in South Central Texas. By leveraging local data, Corteva’s Seed Product Development team can bring new, locally tested, high-performing genetics to market faster.
The new research station opened in February, expanding research, pre-commercial product testing, and characterization efforts for sorghum and corn products optimized for the southern Plains and Coastal regions. Its close proximity to Texas A&M University is expected to bring opportunities to collaborate with world-class sorghum experts as Corteva continues to advance agricultural research technology. In addition, the new research station will provide educational opportunities for K-12 and university students in the area.
Using its robust germplasm pool with industry-leading performance, Corteva strives to develop seed products with higher yield potential and improved defensive traits. Leveraging the global knowledge and strength of Corteva’s worldwide R&D engine, scientists at the new station will deploy predictive analytics tools to gather better data more efficiently.
Focused Intensively Managed Product Advancement, Characterization and Testing (IMPACT) plot management on grower farms, improved agronomic understanding of product performance, and expanded trait characterization and genetic understanding of issues such as grain sorghum head sprout, will help speed the commercialization of the best-performing products. Coupled with insight from local agronomy experts, the new station is expected to enable Corteva to create a broader suite of innovative seed products to meet Texas growers’ needs.
“Aligned with our localized approach, and backed by the strength of our global innovation scale, this new research station is focused on helping address the unique regional needs of our farmer customers,” said Geoff Graham, vice president, Seed Product Development for Corteva Agriscience. “Our investments and ongoing focus on R&D systems and seed breeding methods such as predictive analytics, precision phenotyping, centralization and horticulturalization are changing the way we bring products to market. This station, like others across the United States, is focused on getting local data, putting us in an even better position to deliver best-in-class seed products to farmers, helping them meet their yield and productivity goals.”
