As greenhouse automation continues to evolve, leading seed breeder Rijk Zwaan and agricultural robotics company eternal.ag have joined forces to explore tomato varieties that are better suited to robotic crop operations in high-tech greenhouse environments.
The collaboration brings together Rijk Zwaan’s extensive expertise in fruit and vegetable breeding and eternal.ag’s advanced capabilities in robotics and artificial intelligence. Together, the companies aim to identify plant traits that can support autonomous greenhouse operations, including harvesting and other crop management activities.
As the horticulture sector moves towards greater automation, understanding how crop genetics and robotic systems can work together is becoming increasingly important. The partnership will focus on evaluating tomato varieties and plant characteristics that enable more efficient interaction with robotic technologies. Key areas of interest include improved fruit accessibility, optimised plant structures, and growth patterns that allow robots to operate with greater accuracy and consistency.
The initiative reflects a broader industry trend towards automated greenhouse production, driven largely by persistent labour shortages and the growing need to improve productivity and food security. Greenhouse operators around the world are increasingly looking to automation to address workforce challenges while maintaining reliable crop yields and operational efficiency.
By aligning crop development with advances in robotics, Rijk Zwaan and eternal.ag aim to contribute to more scalable, predictable, and sustainable greenhouse production systems. The collaboration will also provide valuable insights into how future crop breeding programmes can support the development of fully automated greenhouse environments.
“Robotics will play an important role in the future of autonomous greenhouses,” said Michiel Zwaan, Crop Manager Berries & Tomato at Rijk Zwaan. “That’s why working together is important. This collaboration gives us the opportunity to test ideas and innovations in a practical setting.”
According to eternal.ag co-founder and CEO Renji John, the partnership represents a forward-looking approach that combines agricultural science with cutting-edge technology.
“By bridging the gap between robotics and crop genetics, we aim to improve future crop performance while addressing long-term food production challenges. Greenhouse automation will be essential in meeting the growing global demand for food, and collaborations like this help accelerate that future,” he said.
As part of the initiative, eternal.ag’s Harvester robot will be showcased at Rijk Zwaan’s Trial Centre High-Tech (TCHT) in De Lier, the Netherlands, during the week of 8 June 2026. The demonstration will provide an opportunity to evaluate robotic harvesting performance under commercial greenhouse conditions and further explore the interaction between crop traits and automation technologies.
The partnership highlights the growing convergence of plant breeding, robotics, and artificial intelligence as the greenhouse sector seeks innovative solutions to improve productivity, sustainability, and food production resilience in the years ahead.