Sevita Genetics - A Leading Developer of Canadian Soybean Varieties

Sevita Genetics is the soybean breeding department for Sevita International. Since 2015, Sevita Genetics has become one of the largest breeding programs for non-GM, identity-preserved, soybean varieties in Canada. Sevita Genetics evaluates over 30,000 unique breeding lines every year and later-stage commercial product testing across Canada.

Sevita Genetics works closely with our export representatives to develop varieties that work for specific end-use manufacturing. Soybean varieties are selected for food characteristics like protein, oil, sucrose content, and seed size, as well as yield potential and disease resistance for Canadian farmers.

Below is a quick overview of a few of the activities Sevita Genetics does: 

Variety Crossing

New soybean varieties are developed through "crossing" one cultivar with another soybean cultivar. This work is done with tweezers and a steady hand.

Sevita completes thousands of variety crosses every year. This occurs in a greenhouse in Inkerman, Ontario. 

Research Plot Sites

Once new experimental lines are developed, it is important to test them in field conditions for a few years to ensure they will perform for growers and processors. This multi-year testing helps determine disease resistance, preferred growing regions, and which varieties move on to commercialization.

Breeding program objectives include:

1. High Yield potential
2. Resistance to common pests like Soybean Cyst Nematode, Phytophthora, White Mold, and Sudden Death Syndrome.
3. Adaptation to a variety of production conditions like soil type, row widths, tillage practices, etc.
4. Maturities for Canadian soybean production regions. Relative maturities in Canada range from 000.5 to 3.3.

Below are aerial drone photos of our large plot site near Inkerman, Ontario in August and October.

Research Machinery

Planting and harvesting machinery that would be used on typical farms are too big for research purposes. Soybean variety plots are planted using a research planter which controls what is planted in each row or plot. Research planting is done with pre-counted seed packets and the planter would plant one variety while a second different variety is loaded for the next plot.  This process repeats thousands of times every spring. Sevita Genetics has several types of combines to harvest plots. Depending on what stage of testing the varieties may be planted in 1 row or 4 rows, so different sizes of combines are used. Most of the harvested plots are 4 rows.

Sevita invests significantly in the breeding and development of new soybean varieties because we understand it's important for Canadian farmers to have the best possible genetics for their farms. Our genetics are unique and Canadian bred.  Our genetics and export teams work together to ensure new products also perform during the food manufacturing process as well. 

If you would like more information on our breeding program, please reach out to a member of our export team.