New Partnership Aims to Improve Indoor Strawberry Production
April 10, 2025 Heritable Agriculture, Paul J. Mastronardi, and Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti (CIV) have partnered to develop a strawberry improvement program for greenhouse and tabletop varieties. This partnership marries 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.
Addressing Challenges in Greenhouse Crop Breeding
Traditional breeding programs often 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.
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 its breeding simulations and predictions drastically reduce breeding cycle timelines. By partnering with Paul J. Mastronardi for operational and market leadership, and CIV for germplasm, Heritable is set to improve the strawberry market.
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.
It Starts with Genetics
With more than 40 years of experience in the R&D of new varieties, CIV has established itself as a leader in strawberry production, leveraging its knowledge and strong presence across Europe and North America.
Through its breeding program, CIV brings specialized experience and a rich germplasm collection to the partnership, with the ultimate goal of developing a strawberry that combines flavor with productivity by blending tradition with innovation and prioritizing sustainability.