Dr. Valerio Primomo Dr. Primomo has accumulated over 20 years of experience working in plant breeding and genetics. Dr. Valerio Primomo received his B. Sc in Biochemistry from McGill University in 1994 and his M. Sc and PhD in Plant Breeding and Genetics from the University of Guelph in 2000 and 2004, respectively. Shortly after graduating, Valerio accepted a Visiting Scientist position with Pioneer Hi Bred International at their headquarters in Johnston, Iowa. He spent two years in Iowa before accepting a Research Scientist position with Pioneer Hi-Bred at their Caledon, Ontario canola breeding station. He spent 4 years there as a molecular breeder working on several crops including canola, sunflower, rice and sorghum. In 2011, Dr. Primomo joinedVineland Research and Innovation Centre as a vegetable breeder. His work is currently focused on developing greenhouse tomato varieties as well as sweet potato varieties that perform well under Ontario’s environmental conditions using traditional breeding methods and current molecular technology.