New Seminis bell peppers tailored to the Mexican market

By taking genetics from various breeding programs in Spain, Holland and the U.S., Monsanto has developed some very impressive new mid tech bell pepper varieties dedicated to the Mexican greenhouse industry. One of them is the new red greenhouse bell pepper 9908. We visited their mid tech trial greenhouse at the Expo Agroalimentaria Guanajuato in Mexico last month to see two new bell pepper varieties with a lot of potential.


The Seminis- DeRuiter mid tech demo greenhouse at the Expo Agroalimentaria in Mexico last month.

"The 9908 is a really good new variety that is forthcoming from our Mexican breeding program", explained Seminis' Eduardo Salcedo. "We have taken the best genetics from various breeding programs from Spain, and the U.S. From this material we developed this red pepper that is large in size, produces quality fruit and a very good production. The crop is TM3 resistant and has a very good vigor, it grows very strong. This good vigor is demanded by our growers as the crops are grown in unheated greenhouses, and the crop has to withstand a cold winter."

The 9908 is especially developed for the Mid tech cultivation in Mexico, hence Seminis is expecting a lot from it this year. The production potential is between 15 and 18 Kg per square meter. The variety was launched this year and the growers achieved great results in the first year. 

Between 15 and 20 percent of the Mexican growers are cultivating orange peppers. Even though there was no suitable genetic material available from breeding programs in Spain, Seminis did succeed to introduce an orange bell pepper that can seriously compete with the current offer. 

Salcedo: "We succeeded to introduce a new orange bell pepper that could meet the requirements for orange bell peppers in Mid Tech cultivation. Mexican growers demand a vigorous crop that has a good production in the winter period as well. Also the resistance is important. That is why the DRO719PB is a perfect variety for Mexican growers. It is a high tech variety from our North American breeding program that outperforms all of the current varieties offered in the low tech segment. The variety offers consistently large fruit throughout the entire season, even in hot summer conditions, and an extended shelf life. The US market favours this variety a lot.

The potential of the DR0719 PB in Mid Tech cultivation is expected to achieve a high production of at least 18 Kg per square meter. "The seed is priced higher than the seed of the competition, but a higher production and better quality can be achieved."

Seminis is planning to continue with its strategy to implement special genetics from other breeding program's into the Mexican market. "We have experienced great results with the red bell pepper 9908 this year. If this pepper proves to be successful the coming season as well, then we will increase the strategy to develop special varieties that are dedicated to the Mexican market", Salcedo concluded.


For more information on Seminis Seeds, please contact :

Seminis
Thijs Peekstok
thijs.peekstok@monsanto.com
www.seminis.com