About Kakegawa Research Center

Sakata Seed Corporation’s largest comprehensive
research facility for vegetables and flowers in Japan

Since our founding, we have placed research and development at the center of our business and released a wide range of vegetable and flower varieties. We have a number of research stations, but the Kakegawa Research Center is the core of our worldwide research stations because it takes advantage of the warm climate to develop new varieties suitable for a wide range of cultivation purposes, and it also collects and gives feedback on domestic and international research information. These are the four main functions of the center.

Exterior image of Kakegawa Research Center

Four main functions

Image of Breeding vegetables and flowers

1. Breeding vegetables and flowers

Using a wealth of genetic resources to develop varieties that meets diverse needs

To breed previously unknown plants and plants with new characteristics, we set targets that capture the challenges and demands of growers, distributors and consumers, and breed accordingly. Based on these targets, we use the massive amounts of genetic resources that the company has accumulated to breed parental lines over several generations, cross pollinate them, and develop excellent new varieties that display the traits and properties we were aiming for.

Image of Biotechnology

2. Biotechnology

Supporting breeding through molecular biology, tissue culture and chemical analysis

We carry out R&D on breeding selection techniques, breeding materials, and fundamental technologies. For example, the use of biotechnologies has allowed the creation of interspecific or intergeneric hybrid plants, shortened breeding periods, and made it possible to produce F1 seeds effectively, protect our germplasm, and select plants efficiently. These increasingly sophisticated breeding technologies contribute to our company’s strength in developing varieties. 

Image of Plant pathology

3. Plant pathology

Supporting the development of disease resistant varieties, supplying healthy seed, and performing appropriate disease control

Varieties that are strong against disease (disease resistant varieties) are used as one of the pillars of disease control. The Kakegawa Research Center supports the breeding of disease resistant varieties through high precision disease resistance testing and the development of testing methods. It also responds to seed borne diseases and diagnoses diseases.

Image of Showcasing varieties and techniques

4. Showcasing varieties and techniques

Exhibiting SAKATA’s vegetables and flower and demonstrating our proposal solutions and cultivation techniques

We cultivate and exhibit the varieties and the agricultural and horticultural supplies that Sakata Seed Corporation handles, provides explanations of those varieties and supplies to visitors, mainly growers, and also offers guidance on cultivation techniques. We also use various types of collected information about seeds and cultivation experiment results received from visitors to give feedback to breeding and sales and marketing departments, and that feedback is used to carry out breeding that accurately solves issues or reflects the background of the era.

Signature varieties

“Vincent’s” series (Sunflower)

A series bred by Sakata Seed Corporation, which developed the world’s first pollen-free F1 sunflower. It solves cultivation problems through features such as a high germination rate and growing easily through the seasons. It also solves users’ problems by having upward facing blooms with round petals, and keeping rooms clean by being pollen-free.

“Vincent’s” series (Sunflower)

“PF Double Snow” Lisianthus

As the leading company in lisianthus, we followed the “Solo” series of single-flowering pollen-free types with the development of the world’s first double-flowering pollen-free variety. The flowers last longer because they are pollen-free, allowing users to enjoy the flowers for a long time. They also reduce labor for growers, reduce shipping losses, and reduce sales losses for distributors.

  • *

    PF stands for the initials P and F of the three words below, and will be applied to the pollen-free type of lisianthus to be released by our company:(1) Pollen Free (2) Prolonged Flowering (3) Patented Flower Breeding Technology

“PF Double Snow” Lisianthus

“Ohayo” broccoli

“Ohayo” is a variety of anthocyanin-free early- and midseason broccoli brought to you by Sakata Seed Corporation, the leading company in broccoli. It yields dark green, high quality heads that can be picked in severely cold conditions without producing anthocyanins that reduce quality. It solves growers’ and distributors’ problems because the quality of the produce does not decline at the distribution stage.

“Ohayo” broccoli

“Ousama Tomato” series (Tomato)

A produce brand of large tomatoes developed to be harvested when fully red. Thanks to their firm flesh, they can be harvested when fully red, keep well, and have excellent transportability. Since the tomatoes are picked when ripe, they are known for their full-bodied flavor with a balance of sweet and sour. This makes the Ousama Tomato series a produce brand that benefits growers, distributors, and consumers as well.

“Ousama Tomato” series (Tomato)
  • *

    Excluding the “Solo” series and “Vincent’s” series, the varieties and series presented here are only sold in Japan.

Overview

Name

Kakegawa Research Center

Address

1743-2 Yoshioka, Kakegawa City, Shizuoka 436-0115, Japan

TEL

+(81)(0)537-26-1111

Opened

1993

Area

34ha

Facility

Main Building, Research Building, Exhibition Trial Fields, Glasshouses, etc.

Breeding Crops

Vegetables

Broccoli, Cabbage, Bunching Onion, Carrot, Melon, Sweet Corn, Strawberries, etc.

Flowers

Sunflower, Pansy, Petunia, Primula, Flowering Kale, Flowering Cabbage, Campanula, etc.

Research stations

Asia/Oceania

  • Hokkaido Research Station

  • Kimitsu Research Station

  • Misato Research Station

  • Kakegawa Research Center

  • Brolead Co., Ltd.

  • Yoju Research Station

  • Khonkaen Research Station

  • Bengaluru Research Station

North and Central America

  • Woodland Innovation Center

  • Salinas Research Station

  • Florida Research Station

  • Mount Vernon Research Station

  • Culiacan Innovation Center

  • Yurecuaro Research Station

South America

  • Bragança Paulista Research Station

Europe / Middle East / Africa

  • Uchaud Research Center

  • Odense Research Station

  • Sakata UK Ltd.

  • Almeria Research Station

  • Sakata Seed Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd.

  • Autalya Research Station