Syngenta has broken ground on a new research centre which the company says will deliver the latest advances in biological sciences including molecular and analytical research and digital innovations to shape the future of sustainable agriculture.
Scheduled for completion during 2028 and requiring an investment of £100 million, the facility is being built at Syngenta’s site in Jealott's Hill, Berkshire, UK. The new facility known as BioSTaR (Biological Science Technology and Research) will focus on delivering innovation across chemical, biological and digital platforms and will bring together around 300 scientists who are already working at Jealott's Hill.
“By combining these capabilities at BioSTaR, scientists will deepen understanding of how pests, pathogens, plants and soils interact and accelerate the development of tools that protect crops more effectively, reduce environmental impact and strengthen farming systems in a changing climate,” Syngenta said in a statement.
BioSTaR is also set to strength the UK’s role as a global centre for agricultural innovation and ensuring scientists have the advanced infrastructure needed to push the boundaries of bioscience, digital research and AI driven innovation.
Speaking at the groundbreaking event, UK farming minister Dame Angela Eagle said: “Syngenta’s investment in the new BioSTaR facility at Jealott’s Hill is a clear vote of confidence in the UK and our world-leading agricultural science. This government is backing agri-tech growth and British farming, investing £345 million in grants for equipment and innovation to help farmers grow food more sustainably while protecting the natural environment and building a profitable, resilient future for the sector.”
Tackling current challenges and anticipating what might impact agriculture in the future, the centre will support innovation in areas such as soil management, improved safety, efficacy and sustainability of treatments, as well as using advanced automation to accelerate product development. BioSTaR will also serve as the hub for Syngenta to build its extensive network of global collaboration.
“Our ability to collaborate across disciplines, across borders and with partners worldwide is core to our success,” said Camilla Corsi, global head of crop protection R&D at Syngenta.
In a separate development Syngenta has said that it is partnering with QuantumBasel, Switzerland's first commercial quantum computing hub, to apply quantum technologies to agricultural research and development. Initial projects will aim to deepen understanding of molecular behaviour with insights that could unlock new approaches to discovery and crop science.
Syngenta said that quantum computing has the potential to provide greater insight on the complex molecular interactions - that classical computers can only approximate - with far greater precision and to predict details about molecular behaviour that have previously been out of reach. This could provide openings for product design and new pathways for innovation in agriculture.
Feroz Sheikh chief information and digital officer at Syngenta said: "Quantum computing could be a catalyst for the next generation of scientific breakthroughs in agriculture. It has the future potential to give us a deeper understanding of molecular interactions than has ever been possible, delivering insights and solutions that can help growers meet the challenges of a changing world.”
Further reading:
- Syngenta and agriculture's sustainable future
- Syngenta launches innovation, collaboration and accelerator platform
- Regenerative Agriculture: The route to adoption
Visit Blog