Tomato

Solanum lycopersicum L.

With a history of achievements that includes breeding for improved tolerance to bacterial wilt, resistance to the widespread and highly destructive Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus, and higher yield potential, the hybrid tomato is one of East-West Seed’s successes that started in the 1980s.

East-West Seed continues to focus on developing varieties that thrive in the tropical climate. Our available hybrid crop varieties are bred for differing agronomic traits, including the high-yielding D-Max (good for year-round production)—a variety which has made many farmers in the Philippines very rich.

Karina Van Leeuwen

Crop Breeding Manager

“We’re working hard for the farmers in Asia.”


What sets East-West Seed apart from its competitors, Dutch plant breeder Karina explains, is “a strong focus on resistance breeding, especially against tropical diseases.” East-West Seed is targeting farmers from regions where they are dealing with difficult diseases, in an effort to help overcome them and improve their yield potential.

Karina’s joy in her work comes from the diversity that working for East-West Seed provides. “What I really like the most, is that there is not a day the same.” Whether she’s interacting with tomato farmers and discussing their needs, strategizing in the office for the future or battling statistics; every day is different.

She enjoys seeing the results of good quality products and effort have a significant impact on the smallholder farmers she works with closely. Being able to share in a farmer's happiness following a good crop when they can make purchases such as a new car or pick-up truck, making such a difference for their families, is “one of the cool parts of our job.” Also, for her, one of the more exciting aspects of her job is that “we have to learn every day to make that happen.”