Haelen, The Netherlands
November 12, 2008
With
the introduction of its ‘next generation’ varieties,
Nunhems has undertaken an
important step towards further optimizing leek hybrids. This new
series will improve crops throughout the seasons thanks to
better uniformity, longer storability, high shaft density and
stronger resistance against diseases and pests. The first
hybrids - Megaton for spring and summer and Belton for autumn -
are already available on the market. Thanks to superior quality
and high reliability for the customer, Nunhems’ ‘next
generation’ is well on the way to setting a new standard in the
worldwide leek market.
“The ‘next generation’ is clearly a result of our proximity to
the customer. Within the leek team we combine market knowledge
with crop development skills and operational expertise for
higher yield and better quality,” says Kathleen Dejaeghere,
Nunhems’ crop sales manager for leek. Next to Megaton and
Belton, the company plans to introduce a whole new assortment
for the leek market until 2009. The early new Megaton reduces
the risk on bolting. The introduction of two new varieties for
autumn and a new variety for winter is a step ahead regarding
quality and uniformity. All new varieties will contribute
significantly to a better crop result.
Nunhems was the first to market leek hybrids in 1995. Product
developments and improvements have continued ever since.
Meanwhile, threats for the crop strongly increased: Fungi,
insects and bacteria keep causing problems from a cultivation
and breeding perspective. One of the biggest threats for crops
is Pseudomonas syringae. “There is still not much to do against
this bacterium from a cultivation perspective. The more an
important task for the vegetable seed companies to come up with
a sustainable solution and Nunhems has done just that. The
varieties of the ‘new generation’ offer a higher level of
resistance against this elusive bacterium,” comments Dejaeghere.
In addition to the excellent characteristics, a better cleaning
capacity adds to the comfort of the customer.
Nunhems, Bayer CropScience’s vegetable seed business, is a
global specialist in vegetable seeds and sharing products,
concepts and expertise with the professional horticultural
production industry and supply chain. Its portfolio includes
leading varieties and brands in crops such as leek, onion,
carrot, melon, cucumber, tomato, watermelon, lettuce, pepper and
chicory witloof. With annual sales of EUR 208 million in 2007,
Nunhems is amongst the world’s leading vegetable seed companies
with an extensive range of 28 species and some 2,500 varieties.
With more than 1,300 people Nunhems is present in all major
vegetable production areas in the world.
Bayer CropScience AG, a subsidiary of Bayer AG with annual sales
of about EUR 5.8 billion (2007), is one of the world’s leading
innovative crop science companies in the areas of crop
protection, non-agricultural pest control, seeds and plant
biotechnology. The company offers an outstanding range of
products and extensive service backup for modern, sustainable
agriculture and for non-agricultural applications. Bayer
CropScience has a global workforce of about 17,800 and is
represented in more than 120 countries. |
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