The population of Gilroy, California expands each year as guests from all over the world arrive to attend the annual Novartis Seeds Pollinated Open Field Trials. Traditionally held the second week in August, this celebrated annual event has been hosted for the past 17 years by Novartis Seeds, Inc., Vegetables. This year, over 200 major seed dealers and growers from the U.S., Europe, Australia, Asia, Mexico, Central, and Latin America gathered at the company’s research center in Gilroy to attend the trials and associated social functions.

The three-day event began with the annual Pollinated Open golf tournament, and continued with trial viewing and a dealer award dinner at Fortino Winery. Seed companies with outstanding sales growth for Rogers® brand products in the 1997-98 business year were recognized by Rick Mitchell, Western Business Unit Manager. Receiving awards were Keithly-Williams Seeds, Summit Seeds Co., Sierra Seed Co., Santa Clara Seeds, Ahern International, Inc., Agroquimicos JAM, S.A. de C.V., F & F Seeds Mexicana, S.A. de C.V., Champion Seed Co., Lockhart Seeds, Inc., Cafesa, and Ag Seeds Unlimited.

The purpose of the Pollinated Open trial is twofold. It introduces dealers and growers to the company’s newest Rogers brand varieties, and provides a forum for the exchange of information between Novartis breeders and crop business managers and their customers.

"The Pollinated Open gives us the opportunity to hear first hand from the dealers and growers how our varieties are performing in the field," said Dr. Baldwin Miranda, Novartis tomato breeder. "The information we obtain from our customers during this event each year is invaluable, and plays a large part in directing our research efforts."

Highlighted in this year’s trials were new Rogers brand varieties particularly suited to Western U.S. and Mexican growing conditions.

Many guests were interested in the profit potential of GSS 0966, the first sweet corn hybrid to be marketed under the ATTRIBUTE™ insect-protected trademark. By significantly reducing the need for chemical insecticides to control European corn borer, corn earworm, and fall armyworm, this new introduction from Novartis Seeds, Inc. is an economical and environmentally responsible choice for growers. GSS 0966 is a yellow supersweet (sh2) variety that has produced an eight-inch ear consistently filled to the tip with 16 to 18 rows of tender, sweet kernels. Its handsome dark green husk and flags make an attractive crate display. GSS 0966 is widely adapted and has shown resistance to common rust (Rp), and tolerance to northern corn leaf blight and Stewart’s wilt. The insect-control protein found in ATTRIBUTE™ insect-protected hybrids is licensed from Monsanto Company under the YieldGard® insect- protected corn trademark.

Sol Real and Sol Dorado cantaloupe, two western shipper varieties with excellent potential for commercial fresh and fresh-cut markets, also captured their share of attention. These early-maturing varieties have delivered concentrated fruit sets of highly uniform fruit with small, tight cavities and thick, dark orange flesh high in sugars. Commercial and company trials indicate that Sol Real performs best in second-early to main season plantings under warmer conditions in the San JoaquinValley, the Desert Southwest, and Central America. Sol Dorado prefers the cool-to-warm or warm-to-cool conditions typical of the Desert Southwest during early-season spring or fall plantings.

Of interest to Mexican growers was a new dark green zucchini, Falcon. As a companion planting to Raven, another Rogers brand variety, Falcon has offered growers a high percentage of smooth, glossy fruit with good length-to-diameter ratios. Novartis trials indicate Falcon is generally smaller in diameter and about one inch longer than Raven at maturity.

The sale of American Sunmelon to Novartis aroused interest at the company’s watermelon trial where two watermelon hybrids—a new Allsweet-type and a seedless variety-- were highlighted.

Company trials of the Allsweet-type, RWM 8052 have demonstrated its adaptability to all major watermelon production areas. Similar to Fiesta in shape, this blocky hybrid has delivered consistent fruit shape and excellent internal quality. Its ability to produce uniformly-shaped, blocky 22 to 26 pound fruit even under stressful conditions, coupled with its excellent fruit set, created interest among both dealers and growers.

RWM 8073 is a new seedless, deep globe-shaped watermelon that boasts a number of notable characteristics. Novartis trials support this hybrid’s ability to deliver good germination and vigor. RWM 8073 is widely adapted and has consistently produced 14 to 19 pound, high quality fruit.

Highlights of the fresh market tomato trials included Zuley, and QualiT 21 and QualiT 23, two new hybrids that typically produce superior yields of uniform, large and extra-large fruit.

Novartis main-season trials in the San Joaquin Valley show QualiT 21 has consistently outperformed competitive mid-early to mid-season determinate varieties. It combines superior firmness, fruit size, and concentrated set with an excellent disease resistance package incorporating resistance to Verticillium wilt, Fusarium wilt races 1 and 2, tobacco mosaic virus, and nematodes, and tolerance to Stemphylium. For California growers, QualiT 21’s medium-to-large sized plant has performed best under bush culture through mid-August harvests. In Baja, QualiT 21 adapts readily to stake culture.

With a slightly smaller plant than QualiT 21, QualiT 23 typically delivers the same superior plant type, fruit cover, yield, and size when compared with competitor varieties. QualiT 23 has shown resistance to Verticillium wilt race 1, Fusarium wilt races 1 and 2, and tobacco mosaic virus. Adaptable to both short stake and bush culture, QualiT 23 has performed well for growers in the San Joaquin Valley when harvested from mid-August through the end of the season.

Mexican dealers and growers attending the trial expressed interest in Zuley, a blocky saladette hybrid tomato with a vigorous plant and unique disease resistance package. Adaptable to both stake and bush culture, Zuley has shown resistance to Verticillium race 1, Fusarium wilt races 1 and 2, tobacco mosaic virus, and bacterial speck. Maturing mid-to-late season, Zuley’s plant strength and vigor has historically resulted in good yields of large sized fruit throughout multiple pickings.

"The Pollinated Open field trials and the events surrounding it provide our breeders, crop business managers, area representatives, and managers with a unique opportunity to exchange information with our customers," said Mitchell. "It also allows us to express our appreciation and thanks to our dealers for their increased cooperation and business."