ONTARIO, CANADA - Heritable Agriculture, Paul J. Mastronardi, and CIV (Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti), are proud to announce that they have partnered to develop an advanced strawberry improvement program for greenhouse and tabletop varieties. This partnership represents a trifecta of expertise and capabilities essential for a successful breeding program, marrying the genetics and germplasm knowledge of CIV, the AI-driven breeding models and machine learning expertise of Heritable Agriculture, and the production assets, distribution network, and leadership in indoor strawberry production of Paul J. Mastronardi. 

By uniting germplasm, AI expertise, and advanced growing capabilities, this collaboration forges a synergy that surpasses what any single entity could accomplish alone.

Addressing Challenges in Greenhouse Crop Breeding

Traditional breeding programs take several years and millions of dollars to bring new cultivars to the market. Current strawberry breeding emphasizes field-growth and targets a limited number of traits. This results in inadequate control over essential characteristics such as taste, disease resistance, and productivity, which are key factors for successful greenhouse operations.

“We are already working with North America’s largest retailers to bring these innovations to their customers.” Paul J. Mastronardi said in a recent press release. “Greenhouse and tabletop environments vary widely, requiring tailored genetics and distinct growing protocols to optimize performance and meet market demands. We expect to bring novel varieties to the market that will deliver a premium quality experience for the consumer and retailer, while ensuring crop economics that will see farms thrive for generations.”

Innovative Breeding: Faster, More Precise, and AI-Powered

The partnership will use Heritable’s AI-driven predictive breeding technology to:

• Predict crop performance through simulations, before strawberries are planted.
• Optimize traits that are important in greenhouse environments, such as taste, disease resistance, and yield.
• Develop varieties that streamline growth and management practices for indoor growers.
• Reduce breeding timelines, bringing superior varieties to market faster.

Heritable’s AI-driven breeding program optimizes both grower and consumer traits simultaneously, and their breeding simulations and predictions drastically reduce breeding cycle timelines. By partnering with Paul J. Mastronardi for operational and market leadership, and CIV for their worldclass germplasm, Heritable is set to transform the strawberry market.

"Our approach empowers greenhouse and tabletop growers to break free from traditional breeding limitations," said Dr. Brad Zamft, CEO of Heritable Agriculture. "Partnering with Paul J. Mastronardi and CIV allows us to push the boundaries of what's possible for greenhouse crop optimization."

Heritable Agriculture’s multi-omic, AI-driven predictive models generalize across species, environments, and traits, making the approach highly adaptable to any operation. The technology extends to crops such as tomatoes, spinach, and peppers, offering an opportunity for growers looking to diversify and innovate.

See the full press release here.