Vegetable Breeding Institute (VBI)

The Vegetable Breeding Institute (VBI) includes faculty at Cornell University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison who are conducting basic and applied vegetable breeding research, as well as domestic and international members in the vegetable seed industry who actively support VBI research.

Mission Statement

The mission of the VBI is five-fold:

  1. To assure the continued development of improved vegetable breeding lines and varieties to meet future needs of the vegetable industry and the general public.
  2. To encourage the transition of basic and applied research findings into usable germplasm and methodologies for use by private sector plant breeders.
  3. To support applied vegetable breeding programs in which both graduate and undergraduate students may train to become capable vegetable breeders of the future.
  4. To provide a forum in which a continuing dialogue is encouraged between plant breeders in the private and public sectors.
  5. To ensure the fulfillment of its mission by providing ongoing financial support for vegetable breeding research at institutions represented by participating faculty.

Contact Us

Vegetable Breeding Institute
Cornell Universsity
School of Integrative Plant Science, Plant Breeding and Genetics Section
103C Leland Lab
Ithaca, NY 14853

Email: VBI [at] cornell.edu

  • Irwin Goldman (beets, carrots, onions)
    University of Wisconsin-Madison
    Email: ilgoldma [at] wisc.edu
     
  • Phillip D. Griffiths (broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, dry and snap bean)
    Cornell University
    E-mail: pdg8 [at] cornell.edu
     
  • Molly Jahn (VBI advisor)
    Dr. Jahn is no longer active in the VBI as a vegetable breeder but serves in an advisory capacity.  
    Email: mjahn [at] cals.wisc.edu
     
  • Michael Mazourek (cucumber, melon, pepper, pumpkin, snap peas, summer and winter squash)
    Cornell University
    Email: mm284 [at] cornell.edu
     
  • Martha A. Mutschler (onion, tomato) (retired)
    Cornell University
    E-mail: mam13 [at] cornell.edu
     
  • William F. Tracy (sweet corn)
    University of Wisconsin-Madison
    Email: wftracy [at] wisc.edu

The following companies actively support the Cornell Vegetable Breeding Institute:

American Takii, Inc.
Salinas, CA

Bejo Seeds, Inc.
Geneva, NY

Breeder Select
Sioux Falls, SD

Chia Tai Company, Ltd.
Samutsakorn, Thailand

HM.Clause
Portes-les-Valence Cedex, France

Clover Seed
Hong Kong, China

Crookham Co.
Caldwell, ID

Emerald Seed Company
El Centro, CA

Enza Zaden
Enkhuizen, The Netherlands

Feltrin Sementes LTDA
Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Harris Seeds & Harris Organic Seed
Rochester, NY

Hazera Seeds, Inc.
Coconut Creek, FL

High Mowing Seeds
Wolcott, VT

Hortigenetics Research/East West Seed
Sansai, Thailand

Johnny's Selected Seeds
Albion, ME

NOVA GENETICS
Longué Jumelles, France

Nunhems, USA, Inc.
Acampo, CA 

Outstanding Seed Company, LLC
Monaca, PA

Pan American Plant  Research
Elburn, IL

Pro Veg Seeds
Cambridge, UK

Rijk Zwaan
De Lier, The Netherlands

Row 7 Seed Company
Dobbs Ferry, NY

Rupp Seeds
Wauseon, OH

Sakata Seed America, Inc.
Salinas, CA

Sakata Seed Sudamerica,Ltda.
Braganca Paulista, Brazil

Seeds by Design, Inc.
Maxwell, CA

Semillas Fito, S.A.
Barcelona, Spain

Seneca Foods Corporation
Janesville, WI

Seneca Vegetable Research
Hall, NY

Starke Ayres Seed (Pty) Ltd.
Kempton Park, South Africa

Tokita Seed Co., Ltd.
Saitama-ken, Japan

Vilmorin & Cie
Paris, France