Headquartered in Antalya, İstanbul Tarım is active in the field of vegetable seed genetics for professional greenhouse production. The company supplies varieties developed for modern, soilless cultivation systems and provides technical support to growers during the production season to support stable performance under commercial conditions.
"Our foundation is built on vegetable seed genetics designed specifically for high-tech greenhouse growers, where performance stability and adaptability are non-negotiable," says Ali Adli, High-Tech Product Manager at İstanbul Tarım.
A key element of İstanbul Tarım's operational model is its long-standing cooperation with Bayer. Through this partnership, the company integrates global breeding strength with regional market knowledge, enabling the introduction of value-adding genetics suited to local production realities.
"We have been working closely with Bayer for many years, and the continuity of this partnership allows us to deliver genetics that consistently add value for growers," Ali notes.
© İstanbul Tarım
From seed supply to integrated grower support
İstanbul Tarım's activities extend beyond seed distribution. The company positions itself as a technical partner to growers, offering consultancy services that include variety positioning, production strategies, and in-season technical guidance. This integrated approach is particularly relevant for professional operations managing complex climate, nutrition, and labor dynamics.
"Our role does not stop at seed sales; we actively support growers throughout the entire production season with technical consultancy and strategic guidance."
The company's primary focus remains on modern greenhouse enterprises in Turkey, while also maintaining active engagement with growers in the Turkic Republics. "These markets are characterized by medium to large-scale commercial investments where yield continuity and quality consistency are critical to economic sustainability."
© İstanbul Tarım
Market dynamics driving genetic priorities
Shifts in production economics are strongly influencing variety selection. Rising energy costs, labor constraints, and increased climate variability have elevated the importance of stress tolerance and long-term performance stability in greenhouse genetics.
"Growers are clearly moving toward varieties that offer resilience, high stress tolerance, and stable performance over long production cycles," Ali explains.
Virus pressure is another defining factor in regional greenhouse production. The prevalence of ToBRFV and TSWV has made resistance traits a baseline requirement rather than a value-added feature.
"The need for varieties tolerant to ToBRFV and TSWV has become inevitable in our region."
© İstanbul Tarım
Enhancing quality through advanced breeding technologies
In collaboration with Bayer, İstanbul Tarım has focused on adapting varieties that combine virus tolerance with established standards of fruit and cluster quality. Particular emphasis is placed on internal and external fruit characteristics that directly affect marketability and consumer perception.
"With Bayer's FULRED technology, we ensure completely red internal fruit color, high brix levels, and strong eating quality, which helps redefine consumer expectations for cluster tomatoes," Ali shares.
These quality parameters are validated through extensive observation in İstanbul Tarım's soilless R&D greenhouse, where plant balance, adaptability, and responses to varying climate and nutrition regimes are monitored in detail.
© İstanbul Tarım
Portfolio focus and future expansion
The company's current portfolio is centered on cluster tomatoes, pink tomatoes, and specialty tomato segments. Ali elaborates that strong root systems, balanced vegetative and generative growth, high fruit set, and uniform quality across extended harvest periods characterize these varieties.
İstanbul Tarım plans to expand commercial trials of new varieties and strengthen its technical outreach. Increasing knowledge exchange through field activities is a key priority, supporting growers in optimizing performance under evolving production conditions.
"Within the year, we aim to broaden our commercial trials and provide more targeted technical solutions, while increasing platforms for technical knowledge sharing."
© İstanbul Tarım
Broader breeding efforts under the Delta Seed brand
Beyond its collaboration-based portfolio, İstanbul Tarım also invests heavily in its own breeding programs. Under the Delta Seed brand, the company conducts breeding studies for pepper, tomato, cucumber, eggplant, melon, watermelon, and snake melon, targeting both protected cultivation and open-field production.
"By conducting breeding programs across different regions of Turkey, we develop varieties that are highly adaptable, grower-friendly, and aligned with both local and global market expectations."
Through Delta Seed, İstanbul Tarım serves the domestic market while also exporting seeds internationally, integrating local genetic expertise with global market demands. This dual structure enables the company to contribute to regional agricultural resilience while maintaining a competitive international presence.
For more information:
İstanbul Tarım
Ali Adli, High-Tech Product Manager
[email protected]
www.istanbultarim.com.tr
Bayer
www.bayer.com
