Enza Zaden responds to business challenges with their portfolios in melon, watermelon, and pumpkin. Last week, the company hosted their annual Melon and Pumpkin House Fair, presenting their newest portfolios in melon, watermelon, and pumpkin.
The company not only develops different varieties but also focuses on portfolios that help businesses tackle future challenges, from extreme climate changes to water and resource shortages. Their breeding efforts aim to address these issues while meeting market and consumer demands. This includes developing resistant portfolios that guarantee high yield, as well as considering taste and shelf life to ensure added value for all players in the supply chain.
Melons: consistency for consumers
Enza Zaden's melon portfolio continues to grow across all major types. Emphasizing the importance of flavor, taste, and texture to meet consumer expectations, their breeding program targets disease resistance, specifically common issues like aphids and powdery mildew. Resistant portfolios promote more sustainable farming as well as less residues products to consumers. Additionally, Enza Zaden ensure its programs maintain quality during transport and have an extended shelf life, while retaining freshness and taste. They presented Orangelup, a cantaloupe variety with an intense orange flesh color, amazing taste, excellent shelf life, and resistance to powdery mildew and aphids.
To address one of the biggest issues in the sector, Enza Zaden is constanlty working towards traits that can help reduce labor costs: en example, varieties that show easy settings, great field holding ability, and clear harvesting indicators. This reduces the number of harvesting moments and, consequently, labor costs. Hardiness is also a trait that is progressively incorporating into their programs.
Watermelons: expanding market presence
Enza Zaden is entering the watermelon market in Europe, already being a significant player in the US market with the star variety Cracker Jack. Notable varieties include Tyrion, Saniara, and Rio Grande—all seedless.
Pumpkins: leading in red and expanding butternut portfolio
As the market leader in red pumpkin in Northern Europe with the star varieties Orange Summer and Flexi Kuri, Enza Zaden also has a large portfolio in butternut varieties.
This year's star varieties include Vaiana, a butternut that stands out for its internal quality, intense flesh color, and Waltham shape, together with a higher net yield. In other segments, Spellcast is a new variety resembling a Kent type with the organoleptic characteristics of a butternut.
Enza Zaden also provides solutions for current challenges in pumpkin cultivation. In the butternut program, two varieties, Vaiana and Eliana, are notable for their grouped ripening, which reduces harvesting moments and labor costs. In the red pumpkin segment, Flexi Kuri is adapted for mechanical harvest, further increasing production efficiency.
Continual Investment in Innovation
Enza Zaden is constantly investing in innovation. The next opportunity to see their newest portfolios will be in September during their annual Discovery Field Days in Holland, France, and Germany.
For more information:
Enza Zaden
www.enzazaden.com/news-and-events/events