Last week, Syngenta held a tomato open day at their Dutch demo greenhouse in Monster. The Swiss breeder is known for their varieties in the snack segment. This year they revealed more varieties than ever in other segments. Here are some of the highlights.
Buvena has returned again and the quality of the seed is good. Frank van Antwerpen of Syngenta is pleased with this variety: "The combination of beautiful red color, ribbing and the labor-technical favorable aspect makes this variety interesting. With a generative control of the crop, very good results can be obtained." The variety has an IR mildew resistance and has an average fruit weight that is 25-30g heavier than the standard variety, and even more in the lighted cultivation.
T814425 is a new mid-range TOV. This is the first of the two newcomers in this segment. "With its weight of 120-135 grams and a production that is 5 to 8 percent higher than the standard variety, it is doing very well," so Frank tells us. It is a strong variety, has a good setting and maintains its weight during the season. T814425 makes a lot of trusses. Syngenta expects to conduct many more tests under lighting.
The second newcomer in the TOV middle segment is T814293. This is a more open crop and comes in production earlier than the T814425. T814293 generates slightly less kilos, but the brix value is slightly higher. Frank: "This way we have something for everyone in our assortment."
The T311411 has gotten a name already: Romindo. This loose plum tomato is fleshy. Due to the larger proportion of dry matter, this tomato will be suitable for many purposes. Frank: "For taste, it's better than an average beef tomato." Romindo is strong against blossom and rot, is heavy and has a good red color. Syngenta expects this year to expand the acreage further.
Nebula came out on top from the test according to the taste model in Wageningen. In England, a grower obtained a brix value of 11.5. In the demo greenhouse, the brix value is 9.5. Hence in cultivation, this tomato can be highly influenced.
Funtelle is a loose snack tomato from Syngenta. This has all resistance to false and real mildew. Productivity is remarkable. The score is about 10% higher than Sweetelle. The tomatoes are also a bit heavier. Average weight is 11.5-12 grams.
Dubbo is a mini San Marzano type. This one is especially suitable as a snack or in a salad. The bunch is beautifully connected; 11-12 tomatoes on a vine of about 20 grams each. The fruit is distinctive by the bottle shape. Dubbo is strong against blossom and rot and has beautiful green parts. The attachment is also strong.
The Lullaby is a micro cherry TOV weighing 7 - 8 grams. In Spain, this is a commercial variety. Frank: "We expect it to have a promising future in the Netherlands too."
For more information:
Syngenta Seeds
Frank van Antwerpen
+31(0)6 51 23 55 15
Peter Geerts
+32 4-75 31 59 99
Peter Colbers
+31(0)6 12 70 93 64