Two New Tomato Varieties
The new Syngenta/Zeraim Gedera tomato varieties give producers improved virus resistance and excellent yields. When tomatoes are grown commercially the viruses, tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) and tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), can cause serious yield losses to a producer’s crop, irrespective if the crop is in an open field, greenhouse or net-houses.
To help control or minimize the impact caused by these diseases, Syngenta/Zeraim Gedera’s innovative tomato varieties, Jimbo* and Staffie*, are key assets of a producer’s strategic crop management program because variety selection is the most economical way of preventing annual losses caused by these destructive diseases.
Together with the built in resistance offered by Jimbo and Staffie, controlling white fly, aphids and thrips is also an essential part of a producer’s integrated pest management program (IPM). It is very important for a tomato grower to find the best variety that will work for him under his crop- and IPM management, growing conditions and fertilizer program.
Most producers choose a variety that offers strong plants with good continuity and plant health, a long growing cycle, a very good virus resistance, large sized fruit, high yields and with very good shiny fruit colour in both the mature and turning stages.
Similarly the Food Chain seeks varieties that have a uniform fruit shape, size and colour and are good looking tomatoes with a firm fruit, strong fruit skin and no green shoulders.
The end-consumer wants the producer and Food Chain to supply a tomato that has a shiny attractive red colour with an internal flesh of good quality and with a long shelf-life.
The outstanding features of Jimbo* and Staffie* offer a producer the solution that meets all the needs of growers, distributors, food chain marketers and consumers in one consolidated package.
The multi-virus resistant variety Jimbo* is a great solution for growing tomatoes in areas where TSWV and TYLCV are a big problem and Staffie* is a great solution for growing tomatoes in areas where TYLCV is a big problem.
Jimbo*
It is a multi-virus resistant variety with a good large sized fruit, weighing 180-200 grams and it offers high yields. It has very good leaf coverage and vigour. A great additional feature is that Jimbo* is highly resistant to the virus TSWV and has outstanding intermediate resistance to the virus TYLCV. Jimbo* is probably the best long growing cycle tomato plant currently available in the marketplace for example: development under high and low temperatures, plus strong plant growth habit. It is resistant to: Verticillium (V), Fusarium wilt (Fol 1-2), Fusarium crown and root rot (For), Tomato Mosaic (ToMV), TSWV, TYLCV intermediate resistance (IR) and Root knot (Mi) (IR).
Staffie*
It is a homogenous, large sized tomato, weighing 180-200 grams and is a high quality product. The Staffie* variety provides high yields and maintains excellent fruit size to the end of the growth cycle. Staffie* is a very attractive looking shiny fruit and fruit truss formation makes it one of the first choices for any producer. Staffie* tomatoes are firm and have an outstanding shelf life. It has good development under high temperatures. Staffie* has an excellent intermediate resistance to the virus TYLCV and is a great solution for growing tomatoes in areas where TYLCV is a big problem. It is resistant to: V, Fol 1-2, For, ToMV, TYLCV(IR) and Mi(IR).
