NGB, AAS award Terry Berke with Breeders’ Cup Award
National Garden Bureau (NGB) and All-America Selections (AAS) recently announced that Terry Berke, retired hot pepper breeder from Bayer/Seminis, has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 AAS Breeders’ Cup Award.
This award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to horticulture through their plant breeding innovations. The AAS Breeders’ Cup Award was established 22 years ago to honor breeders whose groundbreaking work has led to the development of new cultivars that have had a profound impact on the industry.
If you’ve ever felt the slow-burn of a perfectly balanced habanero or enjoyed the rich, smoky depth of a gourmet mole, there is a very good chance you have Berke to thank. Often referred to as one of the most prolific pepper breeders in the industry, Berke’s career at Seminis (and later Bayer) has been defined by a rare ability to bridge the gap between commercial efficiency and home-garden flavor.
For decades, Berke served as a lead pepper breeder at Seminis Vegetable Seeds, continuing his work after the company was acquired by Bayer Crop Science. Berke’s peers and coworkers, Tyler Ash and Pieter Westerbeek, explained that while many breeders focus strictly on yield or disease resistance for commercial shipping, Berke became famous for his “dual-track” success. He developed varieties that could withstand the rigors of large-scale farming while maintaining the nuanced flavor profiles and unique shapes that home gardeners crave.
His work wasn’t just about heat; it was about reliability. Berke’s breeding programs stabilized many of the pepper types we now take for granted in the produce aisle, ensuring that a “Habanero” or a “Cayenne” looked and tasted consistent every time it was planted.
Photo courtesy of NGB.
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