From February 10 to 23, the Campo de Cartagena region of Murcia, Spain, will be the meeting place for producers, crop technicians, and other professionals from the leafy vegetable sector worldwide. International seed companies will open the doors of their experimental farms to show their latest developments in lettuce and other leafy vegetables for the fresh market and the processing industry.
"In February, the region of Murcia will be the global center of innovation for lettuce, celery, cabbage, and spinach crops, among others. The sector is eagerly awaiting the latest varieties and opportunities that seed companies offer for the coming season. One could even say that the Silicon Valley of the lettuce sector is in the Campo de Cartagena," stated Mariano Zapata, president of Proexport, the association of fruit and vegetable producers and exporters in Murcia.
Towns such as El Albujón, La Aparecida, and Torre Pacheco are home to the test fields of renowned seed companies such as Enza Zaden, Syngenta, Ramiro Arnedo, Tozer, Rijk Zwaan, Meridiem Seeds, BASF, HM Clause and Bejo. "It is no coincidence that they have settled here. Not only does the region have an ideal climate to grow leafy vegetables but the southeast of Spain is a global leader in technological innovation, development, and sustainable cultivation."
According to Proexport, seed companies and growers in the region work together and invest heavily in research and innovation every year. This leads to more efficient cultivation with higher quality and better yields.
Resistances and other developments
The seed companies will present their innovations in the Demo Days Salads Spain 2025 (Syngenta), 2025 Open Days (Tozer Seeds), Lettuce Week (Ramiro Arnedo), Nunhems Demo Salds 2025 (BASF) or Discovery Field Days Winter Edition 2025 (Enza Zaden).
This year, most seed houses will focus on varieties with improved resistance to diseases, especially against mildew and Fusarium in lettuce, two major threats to the crop.
"We are also focusing on post-harvest shelf life. We are discussing how to measure the shelf life of our products and introducing new lettuce varieties that allow for more efficient processing," stated Alba Redondo of Enza Zaden.
"We are proud to present our new lettuce and spinach varieties with improved resistance to the rapidly spreading new mildew variants. We are also presenting a new product line created using different genetic combinations to ensure robust varieties that can meet the challenges of the future," stated Dario Antonante, leafy crop specialist at Syngenta.
Ramiro Arnedo will present its new lettuce varieties and four new pre-commercial celery varieties that will allow producers to grow the crop all year round in different colors and sizes, stated Jesus Bayano, the company's lettuce product manager.
In turn, Tozer Iberica will present "four new varieties of kale and lettuce, which stand out for their production, color, and yield. The innovations in this product have excellent quality and are adapted to clients' needs. In addition, Tozer is presenting a new variety of celery for both the stick and pre-pack segments," stated Carmen Sánchez, Head of Communication and Logistics for Tozer Iberica.
Although growers and seed companies work together all year round, this event offers the opportunity to meet in person. "We believe in working closely with our customers, from field to plate. In addition to agronomic expertise, we offer market and consumer information, so that they remain at the forefront of innovation," stated Carlos del Espino, Account Manager at BASF Nunhems.
For more information:
Proexport
www.proexport.es