"Kardia rootstock keeps our crop well balanced"
Duijvestijn has 14.5 hectares of greenhouse on which they cultivate plum-, pink cocktail- and loose round tomatoes. For the loose round tomatoes they have selected the varieties Arvento and Elanto. "In addition to sustainability, we also focus on quality," says production manager Ad van Adrichem. For the growers, taste, presentation and maintenance are key starting points. The company exports about half of the tomato harvest to England. "There, they ask for tomatoes which have a little more flavor. Elanto fits nicely into that segment. The breed has very good qualities. It actually combines a very high fruit quality with very good flavor. Give the variety proper attention and care and it is truly a tomato of top quality," says Van Adrichem.
The effect of a combination of rootstock and variety is difficult to estimate according to Van Adrichem. The Elanto has been cultivated for nine years at the company. The variety responds strongly to the degree of exposure to light, it is not easy to grow and therefore requires extra attention. The generativity of the breed is strong where the padding can decline. "We preferably grow on power and want to give the plant room for a big after summer sprint to produce more. The vigor of the rootstock Kardia keeps the plant well balanced."
Everything on Kardia
Three years ago Duijvestijn initiated trials with Elanto grafted on Kardia. That worked so well that the whole acreage with Elanto was put on the rootstock. "Kardia provides an excellent balanced growth and in recent years it improved our production," says Van Adrichem. "Throughout the season the crop looks strong and nicely balanced."
For more information:
Syngenta
Peter Geerts
Syngenta Crop Advisor Tomatoes North Europe
Email: [email protected]