On the leading edge in Beans.
Custom breeding programs with a strong consumer focus
Green, fresh and tasty. That’s how we like our beans. However, achieving this requires us to overcome a lot of complex, interrelated traits. Diseases, challenging environmental conditions, and increasing consumer demands all require specific breeding traits. Our strategy of local, in-depth trials and intensive research combined with advanced technologies enables us to develop custom solutions that score high on both agronomical and consumer traits.
We understand that each region has its own unique challenges when it comes to market demands and customer types. That’s why our breeding programs are specifically designed to deliver high yields, uniformity, and disease resistance suited to local conditions. Genetic diversity is crucial in plant breeding, particularly in breeding for disease resistance.
As climate change accelerates, heat tolerance in crops is becoming increasingly essential, particularly during prolonged periods when night temperatures remain above 20 to 22 degrees. And then there is the combined challenge of heat and drought, which often reinforce each other. By addressing these intertwined traits through breeding and conducting trials both in the open field and in greenhouses, we have successfully developed beans with improved heat tolerance. The result is our Magma Collection: a selection of varieties with built-in heat genes that consistently deliver high marketable yields under heat stress and other harsh conditions.
“To us, it was a journey of trial and error. The huge bean portfolio of KWS Vegetables allowed us to increase our market share and to prove that new genetics can solve several pain points our growers have.”
At KWS, we breed for both the Processing Industry and the Fresh Market, recognizing the unique demands and trends in each segment. As consumer behavior evolves with busy lifestyles, people often replace traditional meals with multiple eating occasions. This global trend is driving the popularity of easy-to-prepare and ready-to-eat meals. In response, we focus on developing bean varieties that are pre-cut and pre-trimmed, ideal for ready-to-eat meals. We continuously explore new culinary applications, such as steaming and air frying, to enhance the versatility of our beans.
"Because we’re in close contact with our customers and involved in on-site trials, we can align our breeding programs directly to their needs. This way, we can really help solve our customers’ challenges."
Senior Bean Breeder
