S&W Seed Company has appointed Mark Smith as director of breeding and genetics.
Smith will have primary responsibility for the continued research and development of the S&W Seed’s dormant germplasm pipeline, which was recently acquired from DuPont Pioneer and includes more than 60 developmental varieties.
“Mark will continue working with the very strong development pipeline of alfalfa germplasm that he and his team have been working on while at Pioneer, which has produced some of the highest yielding, most winter-hardy and reliable seeds on the market,” says Mark Grewal, S&W Seed Company CEO. “Mark’s experience with biotech breeding, which has helped produce established varieties in the market today, will also prove valuable as we further expand our breeding capabilities.”
Smith will also work with S&W’s integrated research and development group on crossover research, including both conventional non-GMO and GMO development.
Prior to joining S&W Seed Company, Smith worked for DuPont Pioneer for 28 years in the alfalfa seed industry where he managed its germplasm and varietal development alfalfa project.
