Of particular importance within Seminis is the range of hybrid cabbage greens, which were bred in the Netherlands and then specifically trialed and selected in the UK to suit local climatic conditions. The range is unique in terms of quality improvements over the traditional open-pollinated varieties and has a registered trademark ñ Premier Greens.
Joining the already successful summer variety, Summergreen F1 and winter variety, Winter Special F1 in 2004 will be Evergreen F1, which matures slightly later than Summergreen, thereby assisting continuity, and Winter Supreme Plus F1. Apart from winter use, where this variety matures slightly later than Winter Special, Winter Supreme Plus has the unusual added benefit of being suitable for processing use when grown through the summer.
“The consumption of cabbage greens has increased significantly over the last few years,” says Parrott, “mainly because leafy greens are ideal when used in stir-fries, bringing intense green colour, crisp texture and pleasant taste to the mix. Taste is an important characteristic of the Premier Greens range, and all new varieties are assessed for taste, alongside agronomic traits like disease resistance and uniformity.”
A new concept ñ the savoyed cabbage green ñ will also feature in 2004. Already several multiples are very interested in the idea as a better-tasting alternative to traditional savoyed cabbage.
“Moving from brassicas to root crops, Seminis has a number of key varieties that undoubtedly will form part of the winter supplies to the multiples,” says Parrott.
The carrot variety Torro F1 yields uniform, strong roots with excellent taste. Torro is a flexible variety that can be grown from the early covered crops right through to main crop maturity, and can be used for later maturity if sown later. “This variety has been commended by growers for its clean, upright foliage, improved colour and skin finish, offering a real alternative to the old market leader” ñ says Duncan Griffiths, product sales specialist, Northern UK.
Alongside Torro, Seminis is introducing a sweet yellow carrot, called Honey Snack and pure red variety called Nutri-Red. The yellow carrot has a bright attractive colour that runs right through the carrot, rather than the odd looking outer colour and orange core of some coloured carrots in the market and is especially useful when sliced or cubed and added to a mixed pack.
“Nutri-red is a revolutionary carrot with a high-lycopene content, which not only gives it a beautiful deep red colour but also has been proven to fight against free radicals more effectively than other carotenoids. Compounds such as lycopene have are reported to have a preventative and repressive action against life-threatening diseases such as cancer. The high levels of lycopene found in Nutri-Red are comparable to levels found in tomatoes. The variety is already of major interest in the USA and Europe, where the production of lycopene-rich carrot juice is a commercial reality. Several large food processors in the UK are testing the variety for similar purposes,” Parrott explains.
Onions are also an important crop for Seminis in the UK. The new variety Tangito F1 follows the popular standard variety Barito F1 in maturity, combining early harvest maturity with long-term storage ability, two very important attributes when faced with the variable UK weather.
Maturing just after Tangito F1 comes Baldito F1, a variety that offers partial resistance to mildew. This variety, although new to the UK, has performed well in organic trials in the Netherlands.
“Root crops at Seminis would not be complete without the range of hybrid leek varieties, all aptly named after inventors and pioneers,” Parrott continues. “Two in particular to note are Davinci F1, a mid season variety offering good yields of firm leeks and upright, blue-green foliage and Edison F1. Edison is a late maturing hybrid, with dark erect foliage and, NIAB believe, tolerance to White Tip, a trait that Edison shares with Davinci. There are relatively few hybrids available to growers for late season (January/February harvest), which is perhaps why there is so much interest in the variety from the market.
“Seminis can help UK growers as they grow and procure across the world, providing technical support and local expertise, whether that be in Spain, Kenya or Mexico, but the home market is never forgotten and winter vegetables will continue to form a key part of the variety range in years to come,” he concludes.
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