USA: Four New Baby Plum Tomatoes with ToBRFV Resistance
15 December 2023, US: The solution for Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) in baby plum tomatoes has arrived. Syngenta is launching four new varieties with genetic resistance that offer high yield potential and maintain the quality and taste growers and consumers have come to expect.
“The rugose virus, a tobamovirus, is impacting all tomatoes—but especially the cluster markets such as snacking tomatoes,” said Stéphane Le Caro, Syngenta Vegetable Seeds Portfolio Lead for Indeterminate Tomato, Passive Greenhouse. “Syngenta has an answer for that premium market.”
These new varieties give growers options for control in a market where quality and consistency are paramount. Syngenta found resistance that protects yield potential, still defends the plants against other key diseases, and maintains taste and quality characteristics.
New Baby Plum Variety Information
Baby plums (sometimes called oval, grape, or mini cluster), are an important part of consumer plates and grower operations. With new ToBRFV resistance, growers can protect their investment and their harvest.
“We know our customers need resistance to ToBRFV virus, but also other resistances that can be alone or mixed altogether,” Le Caro explained. “I’m considering especially tomato mosaic virus, which give symptoms very close to the tobamovirus, so we need to combine all of these in any new variety we deliver.”
The new varieties are Crystelle, Emyelle, Sicybelle, and Adorelle. Each includes:
- ToBRFV resistance created using traditional breeding techniques, combined with data technologies for faster innovations.
- Resistance to other diseases: tomato mosaic virus, tomato yellow leaf curl, Meloidogyne arenaria, Meloidogyne incognita, and Meloidogyne javanica.
- Suited to growing in active and passive greenhouse production.
- Homogeneous fruit size on plants.
- High yield potential for growers.
Each new variety undergoes rigorous testing in labs, greenhouses, and real-world settings. Only the best of the best tomato types make it to growers’ greenhouses.
“We won’t launch an incomplete product that simply has ToBRFV resistance and lacking everything else,” said Ernesto Hagelsieb, Americas’ Portfolio Manager, Tomato. “Our products bring the important qualities we’d expect, with ToBRFV resistance on top of it all.”
ToBRFV Resistance and Still Great Tasting Tomatoes
Disease resistance alone isn’t enough. Syngenta is dedicated to protecting the flavor profiles consumers have come to know and love and the production levels everyone counts on. With the right resistances and flavor profile, growers can meet consumers’ high expectations for flavor and reliably deliver products to retailers who need consistent and predictable supplies to fill their shelves.
“As we continue to add new varieties to our lineup, we’re making sure they still taste great,” said Ruud Kaagman, Syngenta Global Crop Unit Head, Tomato. “Consumers love the taste of our tomatoes and choose them when they go to the grocery store, so with the introductions of new resistant varieties we want to make sure that growers can continue to deliver what consumers expect.”
Continued Research for New Solutions Against ToBRFV
The researchers at Syngenta are continuing to work on converting resistance into more varieties and types of tomatoes. In addition, the experts are committed to ongoing research into new solutions against ToBRFV as the virus continues to evolve.
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