Speedy corn! Syngenta trait conversion accelerator helps farmers pick the perfect crop

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    NAMPA, Idaho (KIVI) — That strange and futuristic looking greenhouse along Chinden Boulevard in Nampa is literally the future of farming. Syngenta has created what it calls a trait conversion accelerator to vastly shorten the time it takes to create new and better versions of corn. And the strange pink light that it emits at night is part of the process.

Making farming sustainable. I’m senior reporter Roland Beres outside Syngenta seeds. I’ve watched this facility in Nampa grow over the last decade always wondering , especially at night when it would glow pink, what was going on inside.

Turns out, it’s the future of farming.

Neil Durrant grew up on the Big D ranch and he knows exactly what kind of corn seed he needs to plant.

“We want weight because we get paid by the ton on it so we want something that’s going to produce the tonnage.”

These little corn seedlings will someday be huge and chopped up for sileage.

But every farm is different and the corn they grow needs to be tailored to the land.

“I’m looking for a seed that the resources I have in the soil it’s going to take those resources here and use them to grow and.become a better crop.”

It’s that kind o specificity that is why Syngenta spend 30 million to build this facility in Nampa known as a trait conversion accelerator.

“Farmers are at the heart of everything we do here.

At syngenta we’re often collaborating with farmers to see what their challenges needs etc are.”

The accelerator creates new strains of corn that can best meet the needs of farmers.

And Syngenta grows test crops fast under special greenhouse conditions including pink lights that glow all night long from the facility along Chinden boulevard.

“so some of the lights that you’ve seen are really tying to get the plant to grow as quickly and efficiently as possible.

“They’ve been able to shorten those processes down to get new variety out it might be 10 years from when they start on to it to get through their trials and get it out to the public we’re seeing some seeds coming out in three years.”

One of the best traits in the age of global warming is a plant that needs less water: a priority for syngenta.

“it’s really about this water optimization space making sure our crops continue to decrease the amount of water needed for input but still maintain those yields that a farmer needs.

It’s a long growing season and farmers still roll the dice every time they pick a crop. But using specialized seeds can help stack the deck in their favor.

Syngenta is an international company that employs about 120 people in Idaho and has been in the state for more than 100 years. But this is a behemoth considered one of the top three AG research and development companies in the world. In Nampa, Roland Beres Idaho news six.

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