Pyrethrum is a member of the chrysanthemum family, originating in Dalmatia (now Croatia). It is a source of the natural insecticide, pyrethrin, which has been used for centuries in Dalmatia to control bedbugs, with no breakdown of resistance.

We would like to breed a pyrethrum cultivar that is a viable crop for production in Canada. The early stages will mainly select for climactic suitability, and as the breeding progresses we will look for traits like agronomic suitability and yield.