Jobs in plant breeding: Solana group offers manifold career opportunities

Again it is time to farm and sow the seed for the next crop. Even in private gardens and on balkonies, hobby gardeners are avidly sowing to produce high quality plants – just as professional plant breeders are dedicated to provide a versatile offer of plants. Plant breeding is a fascinating and forward-looking industry, which has developed increasingly ever since Gregor Mendel (1822 - 1884), known as the „father of modern genetics“ started his experiments on plant hybridization using pea plants. For more than 150 years economic plants have been systematically bred to meet specific demands. Mendel’s research and knowledge, today known as the Laws of Inheritance, provide the basis.

 Today, the plant breeding industry offers career opportunities to newcomers as well as studied experts. The daily work is a complex and challenging matter involving much know-how until the seeds are ready to be sold. „ Breeding a new potato variety takes about ten years“, explains Torsten Spill, Managing Director of Solana GmbH & Co. KG. „Prior to this process we spend many years in intensive basic research. We understand plant breeding as a huge challenge: Since potatoes are considered a ’boom-product’ on the world market they need to meet the high requirements of both industry and consumers.“

 The field of potato breeding is very versatile including business management, technical professions and specialised laboratory and research work sometimes requiring an academic background. Solana encourages young people to take a chance on these manifold career und future opportunitys. The staff is expected to share the passion, competence and creativity which made the company become a global leader in the field of potato breeding.

 „Potato breeders play a central role in the agriculture of the future. We contribute significantly in order to fight worldwide food shortage by producing more robust plants. Compared to other plants, potatoes provide more edible biomass and energy per hectare, therefore potatoes save more ressources than other foodstuffs“, emphasises Torsten Spill. „It is essential to use scarce resources like water and cultivable land wisely und to reduce the use of pesticides.“

 Who wants to be part of this business can find detailed information such as job descriptions and advertisements on www.solana.de. General information about career opportunities are also provided on www.bdp-online.de.