In recent years there has been a development in tomato breeding, in which breeders want to add some 'old-fashioned' full tomato taste to the new varieties. At Axia Vegetable Seeds, they aim for tasty, deep-red fruits with dark red flesh and characteristic green internal gel.
A complete productline, of 35 gram to around 180 gram is now ready for introduction, according to William van der Riet, Business Initiator of the breeding company. "With this new line, we add something extra to the mainstream segments, in which these varieties stand out because of the attractive appearance and premium quality."
Brix and color increase taste sensation
The deep-red tomatoes stand out with a high brix value, particularly for the larger tomato varieties. "Even for large TOV, we achieve a brix higher than 5. That is a distinguishing feature. In the cocktail segments, we even reach brix values of 8."
A high brix value is not the only remarkable property, and also not the most important one per se, according to William. "All varieties in this line have very tasty tomatoes with a good balance between sweet and sour and a slightly herbal aftertaste. Furthermore the appearance is important. The deep red slighthly flat fruits perhaps really stand out most for the consumer. It gives a healthy, tasty quality perception and it increases the taste perception."
Variety names | Segments | Pruning | Av. fruit weight |
HTL 180 4362 | Small beef | 4-5 | 160-180 gr. |
HTL 200 8969 | TOV | 5 | 130-140 gr. |
HTL 170 9520 | TOV | 5-6 | 90-100 gr. |
HTL 180 4263 | Cocktail | 6-7 | 60-70 gr. |
HTL 170 9540 | Cocktail | 7-8 | 45-55 gr. |
HTL 170 9514 | Cocktail | 7-8 | 35-40 gr. |
The above varieties are in demo with Axia this year
Growers are testing
In recent years, hard work has been done in Naaldwijk to develop the broad line. The product line is ready for introduction step by step. "The most important for us right now is that people know we have a beefsteak tomato, two varieties tomato-on-the-vine and three cocktail varieties with these properties. In the Netherlands, growers are also going to test it without lighting."
According to William, growers will see that the varieties can perfectly keep up with the usual varieties without the deep-red color. "It is important the varieties do not lose out on production, resistance, and keeping up with usual cultivation at growers. That the deep red varieties reminisce of the old-fashioned, full tomato taste, does not mean it is a step back to the production and resistance of the old days."
Axia's experience room has received an update.
Photogenic
The varieties are displayed at Axia in Naaldwijk in the renewed experience room. Buyers and growers can observe the difference with their own eyes. "The fruit is looking very good, and certainly the larger sizes draw attention with their slightly flatter fruit than usual lines. It gives the tomatoes a distinctive culinary appearance."
Axia will reveal name and trademark of the new line at a later stage.
For more information:
Axia Vegetable Seeds
www.axiaseeds.com
[email protected]
William van der Riet
[email protected]
+31 6 8220 2731