Showcasing innovation and expertise at Gatton AgTech Showcase 2025

Rijk Zwaan participated in the second Gatton AgTech Showcase, held on October 15–16 at the Gatton Smart Farm. Building on the success of the 2023 inaugural event, this year's showcase attracted more than 1,500 horticulture professionals.

As a global vegetable seed company, Rijk Zwaan reaffirmed its commitment to driving success in the vegetable industry through innovation and research. The company's participation demonstrated how technology and genetics are shaping the future of protected cropping, breeding, and seed quality.

© Rijk ZwaanRijk Zwaan team: Sam Kim, Eva Sarosi, Stefanie Renaud and James Bertram

A key focus of this year's event was the opening of the new Protected Cropping Centre for Mild Winter Climates. Rijk Zwaan contributed to this initiative with an exhibit in the Protected Cropping Pavilion, showcasing ToBRFV-resistant tomato varieties. Client Manager and Crop Specialist James Bertram joined a panel discussion on "Preparing for New Diseases: The Case of Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV)," sharing insights from international breeding and production experiences. He noted that the company is combining global research efforts with best practices to stay ahead of ToBRFV and similar emerging challenges, emphasizing that high-resistance genetics are becoming a cornerstone of sustainable, long-term production systems in both protected and open-field environments.

Rijk Zwaan continues to invest in technology to deliver better outcomes for growers. Digital Phenotyping Specialist Stefanie Renaud, from the company's R&D team, demonstrated how digital tools are transforming the collection and analysis of crop data, accelerating breeding progress and improving seed quality.

© Rijk ZwaanToBRFV Resistant tomatoes on show

Local Queensland representatives Eva Sarosi and Sam Kim were present throughout the two-day event, engaging with growers and industry partners to discuss key innovations and resilient varieties suited to local conditions.

Rijk Zwaan expressed gratitude to the event organisers—the Department of Primary Industries, Hort Innovation, the National Farmers Federation, and AusVeg—for delivering a world-class program that highlighted the best in agricultural technology and research collaboration. The strong turnout and enthusiasm from participants reinforced the Showcase's growing reputation as an important fixture on the horticultural calendar.

The company also extended appreciation to the many growers and industry members who attended and shared their perspectives on the future of horticulture. Through continued investment in genetics, data, and technology, Rijk Zwaan remains committed to supporting growers in building productive, profitable, and sustainable businesses for the future.