Page 16 - AWA Vol.42-No3

hOrTICulTure

how we developed 18 ToBrFV hr resistant tomato varieties
in 7 years
transmission, it is very persistant and cation also describes why it is important
can make entire harvests unmarketable. to understand the working mechanism
For many tomato growers this became an behind the resistance to anticipate on the
agronomic challenge and an economic dynamics in which this virus evolves.
emergency.
Innovation that benefits tomato grow-
Our response: first high resistance ers
varieties
For tomato growers this achievement
We became the first seed company to provides practical protection. High resis-
When Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus introduce tomato varieties with high re-
(ToBRFV) began spreading through to- sistance to ToBRFV. By combining plant tance varieties allow production in areas
mato growing regions worldwide, grow- breeding expertise, advanced molecu- where ToBRFV presents a serious risk, re-
ers urgently needed a solution. At Enza lar technologies, and a dedicated team ducing the threat of crop losses.
Zaden, we responded by developing 18 effort, we developed 18 new varieties in The resistance mechanism works at the
high resistance tomato varieties from a record breaking seven year timeframe. plant level by means of a very specific
scratch in just seven years. Our team has recognition system. Upon recognition, a
now published the breeding methodol- The science behind the speed local cell death mechanism is triggered
ogy behind this achievement in the peer The paper Walter and his colleagues which eradicates virus particles in the
reviewed journal Breeding Science. recently published in Breeding Science plant. It is the only active clean-up system
ToBRFV: A serious threat to tomato describes the methodology behind this at the plant level known to reduce the vi-
growers worldwide accelerated breeding program. The pub- rus pressure. These insights directly sup-
lication provides insight into the tools and port growers around the world.
Tomato crops around the world are vul- methodologies used that made this prog-
nerable to viral diseases, but few have ress possible. Dedicated teamwork and craftsman-
spread as rapidly as ToBRFV. First iden- Modern breeding technologies such as ship
tified around 2015, the virus quickly This milestone was made possible by
reached major tomato producing regions marker assisted selection played an im- the dedication of breeders, scientists, and
portant role, allowing breeders to iden-
and threatened grower incomes.
tify and select resistance traits with much seed production and sales specialists
ToBRFV spreads through mechanical greater precision and speed. The publi- across Enza Zaden. Circle 18 on enquiry card

Ground-Breaking Zucchini with downy Mildew resistance
Squash producers, harvesters and even adapted specifically for the zucchini market
home gardeners know the tell-tale patchy in the U.S., centered on the eastern seaboard
signs of downy mildew. It’s the first sign that from Florida to New York.
the plant is about to perish, despite any and
all interventions. Among a sea of squash-af- Guillaume Menet, who leads the global
fecting viruses and diseases, it can be the squash breeding program at Syngenta, said
deadliest. “We have access to the right genetics and
a strong pipeline of varieties. Disease resis-
But one of Syngenta’s newest squash offer- tance is – and always has been – a top prior-
ings, Fortress, could change the game. It is the first ever squash ity for Syngenta.”
with downy mildew resistance. With ground-breaking resis-
tance, the plants can withstand the disease’s attacks. In fact, it With the consistent emergence of new diseases or new disease
even generates new growth after exposure to downy mildew. varieties, Syngenta has a team in place to ensure swift action,
and even pro-active planning. Commercial and trialing teams
“Fortress plants maintain quality and yield potential — and work with growers to identify new threats quickly and communi-
produce new growth — while other varieties can completely cate these up the chain to Syngenta’s team of breeders.
melt down to the ground,” said Les Padley, Squash Breeding
Project Lead at Syngenta Vegetable Seeds. “Here at Syngenta, we work closely with growers and dealers,”
Padley said. “When a key trait is identified, we work to find it in
In addition to downy mildew resistance, Fortress also includes our germplasm and add it to our commercial varieties to get
an elevated Syngenta disease package with intermediate resis- the growers the highest quality product we can. Our goal is the
tance to cucumber mosaic virus, watermelon mosaic virus, zuc- highest disease package, best fruit and plant characteristics.”
chini yellow mosaic virus, powdery mildew, and papaya ring-
spot virus. Padley’s most famous work may be Fortress, but he’s also re-
sponsible for many of the yellow squash varieties on sale in
“With these levels of resistance, growers can be assured that North America and was named by Growing Produce as one of
plants will maintain quality of the crops throughout the grow- the “8 rockstar vegetable breeders” in 2024.
ing season, harvesting consistently in the field with high-quality
fruits,” Padley said. “I just get excited seeing the varieties we create on the
shelves,” he said. “Knowing people can consume it, knowing
Fortress has an upright, strong structure that lends itself to easy
harvesting and its plants have high yield potential. Fortress is we’re providing local stores and the food supply.”
Circle 19 on enquiry card
14 Vol. 42 No. 3