Breakthrough Vegetable Varieties from the 2020 Trials
Although most seed companies ended up closing their vegetable trials to outsiders, they’re still introducing new crop varieties. Here are some of the highlights you will want to check out!
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'Artemis' from PanAmerican Seed
The Breakthrough: 'Artemis' is a tomato variety that is resistant to both foliar and root zone diseases common in high tunnel production. This is PanAmerican Seed’s first tomato variety that fits this spec.
Why it Matters: 'Artemis' is an early-maturing, indeterminate, red cherry tomato with resistance to leaf mold, nematode and tobacco mosaic virus. 'Artemis' shows resistance to these diseases without sacrificing taste. This variety is very sweet with a remarkably pleasant texture.
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BSS2542 from Syngenta
The Breakthrough: 'BSS2542' is a new bicolor shipper corn developed for the Southeastern shippers to the sweet corn market. It is industry leading in disease resistance with the added benefits of broad adaptability and consistent performance across main shipper corn markets and seasons.
Why it Matters: This variety has all the important traits necessary for a market leading variety: strong disease resistance, great ear size and shape for crating, strong stable yields and a longer harvest window.
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'Davinci' from HM.CLAUSE
The Breakthrough: Roma tomato for the Southeast U.S. market that will bring tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) resistances to the market. In addition to TYLCV, Davinci will also bring to the market Fusarium(3), nematode, and Stemphylium resistance, to name a few.
Why it Matters: 'Davinci' allows growers to have a successful crop. Throughout the trialing and development of this new tomato variety, 'Davinci' has been noted to mature earlier than other commercial standards, has extended yield in a second pick, and brings great crimson red fruit color and high quality to the market.
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'Fantail' spinach from Rijk Zwaan USA
The Breakthrough: 'Fantail' has a wide level disease resistance: Downy mildew and the leaf spot diseases, Stemphylium, Colletotrichum, Cladosporium, Fusarium.
Why It Matters: 'Fantail' is a good example of a workhorse variety. It may not be the strongest in any one given disease, but it has a good level of resistance across the board. This is not easy in spinach breeding. Spinach is a crop that has many challenges in the fungal disease area.
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'Haeckero F1' from Hazera
The Breakthrough: This variety has downy mildew resistance.
Why It Matters: Downy mildew can be a devastating disease occurring in many parts of the world. It can become severe when the weather is relative cool and moist. Although the disease can be controlled with fungicides, genetic disease resistant varieties give the grower the optimal ability to control this disease.
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'Stacy' from Hazera Seeds Inc.
The Breakthrough: This variety of cherry/grape tomato has Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) resistance.
Why It Matters: TSWV is a devastating disease affecting an extensive region of the U.S. In those areas where the disease is present, a genetically resistant variety will make the difference. 'Stacy' has it all: resistance, fruit quality and yield.
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STM2255 from Sakata Seeds
The Breakthrough: This variety is a unique combination of multiple-virus-resistance (TSWV, TYLCV) with a soilborne pathogen resistance (Fusarium crown and root rot, caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici), making it valuable for organic growers and growers using reduced chemical applications. In addition to these resistances, it has exceptional fruit quality (extra large fruit sizing, dark red, high flavor) and high yields that the market demands.
Why It Matters: This variety’s flexibility, adaptability, and quality makes it a great choice for smaller growers looked for a premium flavor tomato for roadside/farm markets, and larger growers who produce in multiple areas looking for a consistent, broadly adapted, premium branded product.
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'Tarpon' from Seminis Vegetable Seed
The Breakthrough: This is the first hybrid bell pepper in the market that combines intermediate resistance to Phytophthora blight, high resistance to races 0-10 of Bacterial leaf spot and high fruit quality.
Why it Matters: Unlike anything else on the market right now, Tarpon features a disease package of X10R and Phytophthora. In testing, the Seminis team has seen improvements over current commercial products in the Phytophthora performance field. These improvements also include quality and yield over the first variety, Seminis’ 'Playmaker.'
View all
'Artemis' from PanAmerican Seed
BSS2542 from Syngenta
'Davinci' from HM.CLAUSE
'Fantail' spinach from Rijk Zwaan USA
'Haeckero F1' from Hazera
'Stacy' from Hazera Seeds Inc.
STM2255 from Sakata Seeds
'Tarpon' from Seminis Vegetable Seed
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Carol Miller is Editor of American Vegetable Grower. See all author stories here.