Why was there a need for a Phytopathology Lab?
The need for a Phytopathology Lab arose from our company’s and the flower industry’s focus on developing disease-resistant plants. Our Venhuizen facility breeders have been working on developing fantastic products for years.
With climate change and increasing challenges from plant pathogens, having a dedicated lab here allows us to study these threats closely and create stronger, more resilient plant varieties quickly, as breeding and pathology will be in the same location. This lab is essential for our future direction in enhancing crop health and productivity.
What are the main tasks for this lab at this location?
1. Breeder Support: Playing a key role in disease resistance development by creating and testing new plant varieties with enhanced resistance to diseases.
2. New Resistance Source Discovery: Screening wild relatives (collected by Kees van Petersen) of our commercial crops for disease resistance via bioassays. This will help us find new sources of resistance that breeders can use to develop stronger varieties.
3. Pathogen Research: Investigating various plant pathogens to understand their behaviour, impact on crops, and how they cause disease.
4. Microbe Cultivation and Maintenance: Growing and maintaining different types of microbes and pathogens for research purposes. Each microbe is unique, requiring specific strategies for maintenance.
5. Greenhouse/Growth Room Trials: Conducting controlled experiments in our separate greenhouse to develop and validate our findings.
6. Phytosanitary Improvements: Implementing new phytosanitary protocols to make our location more disease-free.
What are the unique aspects of this lab?
1. Specialized Facilities: The lab is equipped with state-of-the-art tools and technologies like microscopy, molecular biology for diagnostics and applied pathology research.
2. Integrated Greenhouse/Growth Rooms: We have a separate greenhouse and two growth rooms specifically for pathology trials, ensuring a controlled environment for accurate results.
3. Isolation for Safety: The lab’s location and setup ensure that our pathogen research is safely conducted away from other company activities, minimizing risk.
4. Sustainable and Cost-Efficient: 80% of the lab is made up of high-quality second-hand materials, including all lab furniture and several important instruments. This allowed us to establish a fully functional lab within a tight budget.
How was the opening?
The opening of the Phytopathology Lab was a significant event, marked by excitement and optimism. “The opening of this lab marks a monumental step in our journey to develop the next generation of disease-resistant plants. I am thrilled to lead this initiative and contribute to a sustainable future,” said Dharani Kamalachandran, PanAmerican Seed Scientist Plant Pathology, Research & Development.
Colleagues from PanAmerican Seed and special guests from Ball Helix, including Shannon Carmody (Director of Plant Pathology, Helix), Matt Mouw (CTO, Helix), and Jason Jandrew (Chief Product Development officer, Ball), gathered to celebrate this new chapter in our research capabilities.“When you set out to discover innovative products, you discover that there is even more to discover as you explore,” said Monique Zaal, PanAmerican Seed Global Science Manager Cell Biology, Cell Biology Lab.
The event featured speeches from Dharani and Monique, and everyone enjoyed delicious ice cream treats to celebrate the unusually cold Dutch summer.
