Barineau brings over sixteen years of plant breeding experience to Novartis, including work in plant pathology, molecular markers, flavor enhancement and product development. Focussing primarily on tomato breeding for the past eleven years, he has been instrumental in the development of over 32 named commercial tomato varieties. His breeding portfolio include cultivars that perform well in the face of various pressures, including race 3 Fusarium, geminiviruses, bacterial wilt, early blight and other foliar pathogens, as well as physiological stress tolerance.

Barineau received his Ph.D. in Horticulture from Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, in 1987. He joins Novartis effective August 31, 1998, and will be based at the Florida Novartis research facility, in Naples, Florida. "I’m looking forward to the challenge of helping Novartis Seeds become a major player in the fresh market tomato seed business," says Barineau.

Novartis estimates the North American tomato seed market at approximately $36 million, and the global market at $325 million. At retail, tomatoes are the number two produce item in the U.S., generating revenues of $4.7 billion, second only to potatoes. (Supermarket Business’s 50^th Annual Consumer Expenditures Study, September 1997).