In week 24, growers, traders, retailers, and other chain partners gathered at Enza Zaden's House Fair in the Netherlands. Last year, this breeding company permanently opened its demo high-tech crops location at Duijvestijn Tomaten in Pijnacker. In addition to the 3,000 m2 lit and 6,000 m2 unlit tomato cultivation, Enza Zaden has a large presentation area where all its novelties were displayed.
Renée Klaver and Frank van der Spek
This year, guests from Asia, North America, Eastern Europe, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and the Benelux enthusiastically visited the House Fair. Many combined this with GreenTech. This year, the exclusive collection of Highly Resistant tomato varieties developed to combat the ToBRFV outbreak garnered much attention. The HREZ collection includes varieties of all major tomato types, including Roma, flesh, plum, cherry, snack, and vine tomatoes.
The test greenhouse at Duivestijn Tomaten
According to Tomato Crop Research Director Kees Konst, these HREZ varieties are special because their resistance is based on a single gene, which makes for easy initial, classic backcrossing in cultivated tomatoes. "We invest about 30% of our revenue in R&D every year, which includes our gene bank. This collection has now proven its value as we found the resistance in a wild tomato, thanks to the thousands of lines in our gene bank," he begins. "After the outbreak, we immediately rented additional spaces to fully focus on finding resistances. We succeeded quite quickly.
"Fortunately, this resistance isn't at the expense of the varieties' positive characteristics. However, we always stress to growers the importance of following proper phytosanitary measures."
500 hectares
"Our HREZ collection breakthrough will help combat the spread of ToBRFV, thus revolutionizing the tomato industry," adds Frank van der Spek, Tomato and Eggplant Sales Specialist. In the Benelux, there are now more than 500 hectares of these varieties; worldwide, 1,000.
"An extreme start. Usually, when we start with a new variety, it's a few rows at one grower. But, this time, many growers switched en masse. Where otherwise we introduce at most two to three new varieties per year, we've now introduced about 20 to the heated market in two years. Organizationally, that was hugely challenging for the entire company."
Renée and Frank again
Dirk Vreugdenhil and Joost van der Voort (QPI) and Cees van Dorst
Irrevocable change
The virus pressure has irrevocably changed the tomato supply in a short time. "The problems with ToBRFV aren't over yet. There, thus, remains huge interest in these HREZ varieties," Frank admits, comparing the outbreak to that of the Tomato Mosaic Virus (ToMV) in the mid-1980s. "The resistance found then lasted 50 years, but this virus broke it. So, all the new varieties we now launch should be ToBRFV-resistant."
Carmen Ampt with Marcel Biemans, Bart van Bael, and Annie Verheyen of Coöperatie Hoogstraten
Significant change for supply chain
Carmen Ampt, Produce Chain Specialist, says it recently became increasingly clear further up the chain that the tomato supply must change significantly. "They want to guarantee year-round availability and saw last year - with the empty shelves in the UK - that that's not always a given," she says.
"Fortunately, the chain also realizes that the world's changing rapidly. Many varieties are being introduced in a short time, and times are changing regarding energy prices. As a result, we're in much more direct contact with trading companies and supermarkets than, say, five years ago."
Vitalis organic range
Melon, cucumber, bell pepper, eggplant
Along with the tomatoes, Enza Zaden presented the latest melon, cucumber, bell pepper, and eggplant variety novelties. And its subsidiary, Vitalis', organic range. In recent years, its cucumber portfolio has been dramatically expanded, with Enza Zaden now having varieties available for every planting. Examples are Springfield, Dee Viate, and the most recent introduction, the Dee Pend, for summer and fall cultivation.
Cucumbers
Yellow block pepper
Regarding bell peppers, the new yellow block pepper, Levente, was highlighted. It was introduced to several growers last year. There are now over 100 hectares, making it the largest yellow variety in the Netherlands and Belgium. The red bell pepper variety Margrethe, too, received due attention.
"This variety starts coarsely and holds its weight well. Uniform plant material and stem equality characterize its start. The crop is open and grows smoothly, with great fruit quality and longer shelf life. Even at warm temperatures, this variety keeps growing well," concludes Cees van Dorst.
For more information:
Enza Zaden
Tel.: +31 (0) 228 350 100
Email: info@enzazaden.com
www.enzazaden.com