Oxnard, California
June 15, 2000
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| U.S. farmers can now plant green-stemmed squash year-round
thanks to a new generation of hybrids with built-in disease protection.
Developed with biotechnology, the new plants from Asgrow Vegetable Seeds
can remain healthy against three plant viruses that routinely destroy as much
as 80% of U.S. squash crops during some seasons.
Currently, most growers plant yellow-stemmed types - also called precocious
yellow - during the fall and other high-disease times of year.
These plants
become infected by viruses like their green-stemmed cousins, but can mask
only some of the symptoms on the fruit - green streaks and other discoloration. Fruit quality and shape can vary greatly; and later in the
season often fall below USDA grades.
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Plant viruses routinely make
squash fruit unmarketable |
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Green-stemmed
fruit, which present a nice color contrast, are traditionally preferred by
produce buyers, according to Asgrow produce marketing expert
Leo Zanoni. "University studies have also shown that the green-stemmed
types are better suited for fresh-cut as well since they don't oxidize as fast."
Zanoni recalled that "the yellow-stem types were always considered a stop-gap solution until we [the seed industry] could develop resistant
hybrids. Unfortunately, after 30 years of trying, plant breeders have had
only limited success using traditional cross-pollination techniques." So at
the request of growers, Asgrow turned to biotechnology.
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Destiny III, introduced by Asgrow Vegetable Seeds, offers improved fruit
quality and appearance due to its disease protection developed through
biotechnology.
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"These plants are helping to solve an age-old problem," said Mike Sheets,
Asgrow product development manager, who evaluated the new squash for several
years. "Growers have produced more marketable-quality fruit during outbreaks
of virus disease than any product on the market," he reported. Some are
even experimenting with reducing their chemical pest control, which has been a
grower's only defense in the past.
According to Sheets, Asgrow's first two hybrids - Destiny III and Liberator
III - can remain healthy under heavy pressure from cucumber mosaic virus
(CMV), watermelon mosaic virus (WMV) and zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV). While the Asgrow plants are not a cure-all (there is a fourth
virus that affects squash), trial data confirms that they do offer growers a
level of disease control never before available, he said.
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"The genes we added to the squash plant improve the plant's defense against
virus by interfering with the virus' ability to reproduce itself," explained
Asgrow plant breeder Dr. David Groff. "The presence of the new traits precondition the plant to recognize these viruses so that when infection
does occur, the plant is ready to defend itself - much like a vaccination."
Nutritional quality, taste, texture are not affected, he noted.
The new products complement Asgrow's current line of virus-resistant hybrids
developed with biotechnology, which stave off two of the four plant viruses
that damage squash. These first-generation varieties have been planted
commercially since 1998 and have received rave reviews from growers, especially in the Southeast where a recent bad virus year wasted field
after field of traditional squash. However, in areas such as California and the
northeast, the third virus, CMV, is more of a problem; and so Asgrow put
considerable resources behind developing resistance to three viruses.
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Asgrow plant breeder Dr. David Groff has been working with biotechnology in
his research program for more than a decade. |
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| A yellow straightneck with a green stem, Liberator III can be grown
year-round due to its built-in disease protection to three plant virus.
Previous hybrids from Asgrow resist two viruses. |
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All of these products have been approved for consumer use by the USDA, FDA
and EPA, which regulate genetically modified products, as well as Health
Canada, an agency similar to the FDA. Approval to grow these products in
Canada is pending. Since the fruit are identical to traditional types, no
labeling is required in either country.
For more information about plant biotechnology, visit www.AsgrowVeg.com.
Asgrow Vegetable Seeds, a Seminis Inc. business, develops and markets over 1000 vegetable variety choices in 108 countries. Worldwide
headquarters are based in Oxnard, California. |
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Company news release
N2756 |
