An open-day event was held jointly by Progene Seed and Southern Seed, aimed at showing support to the operators in the industry. It was an eventful morning, made up of comparisons and curiosity on the part of the professionals from the sector based on a date variety that has been popular for several years now.
A strong attendance at the joint Southern Seed and Progene Seed Open Day
Vincenzo Cassibba led the way, speaking on the Datterì tomato. "If the eye is the first sense with which we almost always identify the reality we perceive, our Datterì F1 cherry tomato strikes us precisely because of its appealing aesthetic aspect."
Vincenzo Cassibba
"The berry has characteristic dimples that, together with its bright, deep red color, make for a tempting invitation to eat it. What's next is the flavor that confirms the expectation, with a perfect acid/sugar balance."
The Date F1 berry with its characteristic dimples, an eye-catching feature that is highly valued by the supply chain. Click here to see the photo gallery of the event
Casibba's words reveal how much he takes pride in his efforts to develop a high-quality date variety, but if a breeder's heart cannot be ruled, the tomato supply chain must meet tangible standards. Let's see what they are.
Boxed dates
"From an agronomic and organoleptic perspective, Datterì F1 meets exactly the needs of both the production and consumption sectors without leaving out that of the intermediate stages, such as logistics," says Cassibba. "It is easy to grow, it has excellent yields, and it is good to eat. The Brix grade is always high in the fruit. The excellent LSL protects traders from spoilage en route and on the counters."
Dates on the plant. The upper stems prove the bountifulness in yields of this variety. Click here to see the photo gallery of the event
"This hybrid," explained the geneticist, "can be bred in both long and short cycles, both in soil and above ground. Finally, the extended growing seasons, the wide spectrum of resistance to phytopathologies of this tomato, together with the above-mentioned characteristics, make Datterì F1 a beloved and sought-after variety."
Staff present at the event
Datterì F1 presents itself with well-defined morphological characteristics such as the rusticity of the plant, which is easy to manage, as it has a good vegetative vigor; its indeterminate growth has a good leaf coverage. Long, regular clusters are also present in the upper stages, with strong rachis and well-distributed berries. The flesh is firm, crisp, and tasty and has an average weight ranging between around 16-18 g. Resistances: HR: Fol 1-2; ToMV; IR: TYLCV; Ma, Mi, Mj
For more information:
Southern Seed Srl
Via Carlo Alberto, 124 
97019 Vittoria (RG)
Tel.: +39 0932 861054
[email protected]
www.southernseed.it
Progene Seed s.s.a.
Tel.: +39 0932871409 
[email protected]
www.progeneseed.com