Room for more

Every year from December to February, Longaví becomes the “hotspot for knowledge and information sharing,” says Rodrigo Kleeberg, Head of Region South America. That’s when the early-maturing plants are in full bloom at KWS’ southernmost corn breeding and research service station. Breeders from Europe assess the current status of their programs in Chile, while 120 seasonal workers pollinate the plants. These are the busiest months at the location, where the main season extends from September to April.

It has been eight years since KWS expanded from its existing Chilean station in Rancagua to this new site. That was because Longaví, 200 kilometers south of Rancagua, has different enviromental conditions: “That starts with the rainfall: The average in a normal year at Longaví is 850 milliliters, while Rancagua only gets 350 to 400 milliliters. In addition, Longavi has a temperate Mediterranean climate with cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers,” says Rodrigo, who managed the station himself until four years ago, when his successor Mauricio Weiss took over. “That’s why we specialize in breeding programs for early-maturing corn varieties here, while in Rancagua we focus on medium-late maturity groups.”

Rodrigo cites two further reasons why Longaví was added to KWS’ network of breeding stations in 2017. “We’ve the possibility of growing further at this location.” Rodrigo is referring to the availability of land for open-pollinated field cultivation, which had become scarce and was already exhausted in Rancagua, while Longavi offers significant potential for expansion. The second reason relates to staffing. “During the flowering season, we employ around 450 people across both sites, and finding all of them in one area was a major challenge,” Rodrigo explains.

Longaví offers a unique competitive edge thanks to its significant isolation and distance from other corn production. This geographic separation drastically reduces the risk of pollen contamination and impurities, ensuring the genetic purity of our breeding material. By safeguarding GMO-free programs and delivering consistent, high-quality results, Longaví strengthens KWS’ position as a trusted leader in corn breeding.

And so, with its breeding service and 11 permanent employees, the station plays an active part in contraseasonal breeding programs from France and Germany – almost exclusively for corn, except for a small program for sunflowers. “One main focus is on producing parent lines and experimental hybrids,” says station manager Mauricio.

And the potential has not yet been leveraged to the full. This is because a well-functioning value chain has also been established around KWS – from cooperation with farms to logistics with external partners. “We’re working to also have vegetable breeding programs in Longavi in the medium term and expand the sunflower programs,” says Rodrigo, who is responsible for the organizational structure in the region. “With our know-how, our people and capacities, we’re ready for more.” |