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Seminis showcases strong watermelon portfolio at Florida field day


USA
June 2, 2014

Seminis hosted produce managers at a watermelon field day this week to give them insight into the newest watermelon varieties being grown by farmers.

Seminis® welcomes produce managers from retailers to its watermelon field day in Plant City, Fla., today and tomorrow to get a close look at varieties for the traditional market, specialty watermelon varieties and ultra-firm flesh varieties for the fresh-cut business.

One highlight of the 45-60 count category is SV0241WA watermelon hybrid. Melon “count” refers to the number of melons that can fit in a bin.

“While it may be smaller, the total number of pounds harvested truly makes up for it,” said Seminis sales representative Nathan Decker. “It has the potential to consistently set large numbers of fruit, and the quality has been great.”

SV8298WA watermelon hybrid is featured in the 36-45 count range. “This has been the most consistent variety we have seen, and it has what I would call the whole package,” explained Decker. “It has a great plant that offers excellent fruit coverage, has the potential to set a very high number of 36-45 count fruit and has traits that help SV8298WA withstand many types of field-related stress. Hands down, this is one of the most farmer-friendly watermelons that both looks and cuts great.”

WM 8317 watermelon hybrid is of particular interest to growers who are looking for something unique that is early and has a high yield potential. “WM8317 has a unique green exterior rind with a bright red center and has the potential to produce a high amount of 36-45 count fruit,” said Decker.

“One of the most interesting products to come out of our watermelon breeding program is our ultra-firm flesh SV2812WA watermelon hybrid,” explained Decker. “With this variety we can help solve the retailers’ worst nightmare: shrinkage. This variety has shown the ability to hold its texture, flavor and quality for an extended amount of time – either on the shelf or in a bin. It really is the best of both worlds for the fresh-cut market.”

The ultimate goal of Seminis’ ultra-firm flesh watermelon products is to find a balance between good palatability and firmness. Decker believes SV2812WA has successfully achieved that balance between firmness, good texture and sweet taste. “Retailers would like it because of the low purge, and it is pleasing to consumers because of the sweet taste,” said Decker.

In addition to the product demonstrations, field day attendees are learning about the 5-7 year process of bringing those products to market. First, breeders cross varieties, and select about 20 of them from the first stage of trials. Then, the field research team plants the second round of trials in diverse commercial locations and collects the data for the breeders. This process helps determine which varieties go to the next set of trials. At this next phase, the field research team takes the three or four new varieties for larger-scale testing, which involves comparing them with the field variety that the grower is using. If the yield and general characteristic of the new varieties are better than the grower’s variety, those are considered for commercial advancement.

About Monsanto Vegetable Seeds Division

Monsanto Company’s Vegetable Seeds Division is focused on innovation to improve the quality and productivity of vegetables grown from our seeds. Monsanto invests in research and development and uses the latest technology not only to deliver the best products to the consumer, but also to provide yield and value to the customer, the grower, and to their customers, the chain partners. Monsanto's Vegetable Seeds Division is represented through Seminis® and De Ruiter® seed brands. For more information about Seminis®, visit www.seminis.com.

Monsanto and Vine Design® is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Seminis® is a registered trademark of Seminis Vegetable Seeds, Inc. De Ruiter® is a registered trademark of Monsanto Invest N.V. ©2014 Seminis Vegetable Seeds, Inc.



More news from:
    . Bayer Vegetable Seeds
    . Seminis Vegetable Seeds, Inc


Published: June 2, 2014

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