Dümmen Orange takes technology-driven plant breeding to next level

DE LIER, Netherlands: Breeder Dümmen Orange, in association with IT Services company Fullstaq, has taken a next step in developing its predictive breeding capabilities.

The implementation of a new so-called Kubernetes-at-the-Edge software system offers even more possibilities for collecting and processing data that enable faster development of impactful creations with less waste. Running Kubernetes on location in greenhouses – as close to the data as possible – is new, and with this Dümmen Orange leads the way in the use of precision breeding tools and prediction software.

“Floriculture plant breeding is transitioning from conventional to predictive breeding,” says Loes Raijmakers, business analyst R&D at Dümmen Orange. “More than ever, software systems are important to collect and process the data that plant breeders need to make the right choices. Kubernetes is a system for automating software deployment, scaling and management. It’s a platform that helps us getting an overview of different complex processes. That overview is essential for us to make the right choices faster and more efficiently, and to be able to select the best plant material for creating new crosses.”

Technology-driven breeding allows the floricultural industry to become more sustainable, by using state-of-the-art breeding tools to develop novel resistance traits and to improve variety portfolios for the most complex traits.

Fullstaq, specialised in Cloud Native solutions, helped Dümmen Orange with the implementation of Kubernetes and also provided training for the users. Gerrit Tamboer, CEO of Fullstaq mentions the ‘great collaboration between Fullstaq and Dümmen Orange’. He says, “Both companies are on the top of their game and constantly looking for ways to innovate. It has led to a close and positive collaboration, with excellent results.”

Dümmen Orange is a global leader in the breeding and propagation of cut flowers, pot plants, bedding plants, perennials, tropical plants and bulbs. Its annual turnover is about 370 million euro. The company employs 7.500 people worldwide. In addition to a large marketing and sales network, Dümmen Orange has a diversified network of specialized production sites and a world class R&D team developing innovative, value-added products for customers. Researchers and breeders collaborate to improve crop characteristics, like flower colour, fragrance and growth habit, but also less visible traits such as disease resistance, yield performance and vase or shelf life. Dümmen Orange develops products for a wide range of categories in the floriculture business and has an impressive variety portfolio.