Accelerating the development of climate-resilient vegetable varieties with a new ‘speed breeding’ facility 

The World Vegetable Center has established a cutting-edge, state-of-the-art ‘speed breeding’ facility for pepper and tomato breeding at its headquarters in Shanhua, Taiwan. Funded by the Taiwan Ministry of Agriculture, this marks a significant leap forward in accelerating the development of improved varieties to benefit smallholder farmers across the globe.

Speed breeding is a revolutionary approach that shortens the breeding cycle of crops, enables researchers to develop and evaluate new plant varieties in a fraction of the time that was previously required by traditional methods. By optimizing environmental conditions such as light, temperature, and humidity, plants grow faster and produce seeds earlier, allowing up to 4–6 generations of crops per year, compared to the 1–2 cycles that is usual. The new facility is equipped with advanced lighting systems and a precision climate control system, creating the ideal environment for the rapid breeding of heat tolerant and disease resistant lines of pepper and tomato. These two crops are especially vital for the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers, particularly in Asia and Africa, where climate change and emerging pests and diseases are placing increasing pressure on agricultural systems.

This latest infrastructure aligns with WorldVeg’s mission to improve livelihoods through improved vegetable production, healthier diets, and stronger seed systems. The faster turnaround enabled by speed breeding allows the Center to test a broader range of genetic combinations, incorporate cutting-edge traits, and swiftly respond to emerging threats in global agriculture. By delivering improved pepper and tomato varieties more quickly and efficiently, the speed breeding facility will play a pivotal role in WorldVeg’s efforts to enhance the resilience and productivity of smallholder farming systems—empowering farmers to adapt to changing conditions, increase their incomes, and nourish their communities.

Putting the speed breeding chambers in place, at WorldVeg headquarters, Shanhua, Taiwan

This latest addition to the ‘tools’ at the disposal of World, including its Phenospex automated field phenotyping facility, new research building, and greenhouses, puts WorldVeg firmly at the forefront of Vegetable breeding globally.