With visitors from over 45 countries, Syngenta could count on a lot of international interest during Fields of Innovation 2024. For the fresh market, Syngenta introduced a striking innovation in the vegetable section: white Romanesco. They were also able to complement their onion varieties with the introduction of Allurion, a new red onion. In addition to innovations, there was of course a lot of focus on robust varieties that are more resistant to more extreme weather conditions, diseases, and insect pests.
Syngenta is proud of its high-resistance lettuce varieties. The company has been investing for years in powdery mildew-resistant varieties, enabling growers to secure their yields. However, the Bremia fungus continues to evolve, and a new strain (41) was recently identified. "Powdery mildew poses a significant challenge in the lettuce market, but we have demonstrated that our lettuce varieties are resistant to the new isolate," explains Brigitte Millenaar from Syngenta.
In the onion sector, Syngenta offers a wide range of varieties suitable for all climatic conditions, but one type is still missing. Brigitte announced that they have successfully commercialized this variety: the red onion for cultivation in Northwest Europe, called Allurion. "Our first Rijnsburger red onion. With its deep dark red color, strong root system, and medium storage capacity, this variety is highly versatile."
Red and yellow Rijnsburg onion; Allurion on the left, Promotion on the right
Cauliflower
A success story for Syngenta is Clarina, a tuber-resistant cauliflower variety that has already produced more than a billion cauliflowers. Syngenta has continued to invest in cauliflower, offering a package of cauliflower varieties aimed at a long harvest season with a stable supply of uniform cauliflower heads.
Part of this includes colorful cauliflower varieties. "This allows growers to choose from more distinctive products with visual appeal to retailers. It also offers added value through branding and marketing opportunities." Syngenta previously developed this in-house for iStem, a cauliflower rose concept that was one of the highlights in the field this year.
Unfortunately, Syngenta was also unable to showcase their new pride, the white tower cauliflower, in the field. "This is a unique, visually striking variety in our portfolio that attracts the attention of retailers and consumers. For growers, it offers additional winter/early spring harvest, crop diversity, and white Romanesco promotes biodiversity," Brigitte said.
In addition to seed breeding, Syngenta focuses on optimal seed starts through Syngenta Seedcare. By treating seeds, they prepare them for optimal germination and plant growth. Syngenta employs sustainable techniques with eco-friendly alternatives to ensure the health of both the crops and the ecosystem, explain Ties Berkers, Crop Advisor for Vegetables, and Karin Plat, Marketing Specialist for Syngenta Crop Protection.
Syngenta continues to innovate and is actively seeking new employees to advance these developments. During the Fields of Innovation event, students from various fields were welcomed to gain an in-depth understanding of what Syngenta has to offer.
For more information:
Brigitte Millenaar
Vegetables Seeds Marketing
Mobile +31 (0)6 306 216 93
[email protected]
www.syngenta.com