Bayer CropScience India has launched a new multi-crop breeding station in Chandippa, about 46 km from Hyderabad.
The facility will focus on breeding and development of germplasm for high performing hybrids in rice, cotton and millet, says a press release from the company.
“This is one of the most significant investments made by Bayer CropScience India over the last three years. Chandippa will serve as a strategic site for product development activities in India and Asia-Pacific markets,” said Stephan Gerlich, Country Group Head, Bayer in India, during the inauguration recently.
Over the last three years, Bayer CropScience India has invested nearly Rs 100 crore in various projects. These include capacity expansion at its existing Seed Processing plant in Toopran near Hyderabad, a new mustard breeding station in Palwal, Haryana and the multi-crop breeding station in Chandippa.
Spread over 36 acres, the breeding station will be equipped with all aspects of R&D infrastructure. These include - labs, open fields for trials, screen houses and fully automated greenhouses, which will be used to speed up breeding cycles.
The labs will support activities in resistance breeding, tissue culture and qualitative testing. The new facility will also have a cultivable area of 25 acres for field experimentation.
The Chandippa breeding station will have approximately 80 employees. A key highlight will be its rain water harvesting pond, which is a first of its kind facility in India and has been imported from the Netherlands. This fully automated system will harvest rain water, which will be filtered and utilised for cooling in the greenhouses.