Starke Ayres advances vegetable breeding program through new partnership with Computomics

Computomics, a leader in AI-driven bioinformatics solutions, and Starke Ayres, Africa's leading independent vegetable seed company, announced a collaboration aimed at advancing crop breeding efforts through the application of cutting-edge machine learning technologies.

This collaboration will combine Starke Ayres' extensive experience in breeding high-performing vegetable crops with Computomics' advanced Climate-Smart Breeding technology. The partnership will focus on improving crop selection processes by applying predictive analytics to large-scale genomic and environmental data, enabling more efficient and sustainable vegetable breeding outcomes.

"Our collaboration with Starke Ayres marks an important step in leveraging AI technology to enhance breeding processes for key crops," said Dr. Sebastian J. Schultheiss, Managing Director of Computomics. "By integrating machine learning and data-driven insights into Starke Ayres’ breeding programs, we aim to unlock new opportunities for genetic gain and deliver high-performing vegetable varieties tailored to specific regions and climate conditions."

Starke Ayres has long been at the forefront of innovative seed solutions in the agricultural industry. By partnering with Computomics, the company will have access to predictive tools that model complex Genotype by Environment by Management (GxExM) interactions, enabling their breeders to make informed decisions and accelerate the development of new, climate-resilient vegetable varieties.

"Our mission is to continuously improve the quality of crops and ensure they thrive in different environments," said Glendon Ascough, Research Director at Starke Ayres. "Collaborating with Computomics allows us to harness AI technology to gain deeper insights into plant genetics and new perspectives on environmental interactions, ultimately helping us to breed better crops for a growing world."

Through this partnership, both companies will work together to provide innovative, data-driven solutions that ensure the success of Starke Ayres’ vegetable breeding program and contribute to the sustainability of global agriculture.