Page 24 - AWA Vol.41-No.5. 1

SeedS & PLANtStoCK

New lettuce varieties offer extra certainty

for organic growers

rganic growers can depend on Rijk Zwaan’s latest lettuce varieties that have a comprehensive package of Bremia resis-
Otances and are robust in stressful conditions. All the newcomers, along with the rest of the range for the organic market,
are presented in a new leaflet. Client Manager David Pape highlights some of the most exciting new varieties for him and his
customers in southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Faction RZ Rawonder RZ

Impressive green batavia temperatures above 30°C and night temperatures above 20°C.
Faction RZ is a new green batavia lettuce with complete Bremia Moreover, it is strong against bolting and also resistant to Fusarium
resistances, which makes it very interesting for organic growers. Fol:1,4. This variety gives growers the possibility to keep on pro-
“Although it’s still in its first commercial season, this open-field va- ducing, even in high temperatures,” states David.
riety is already quite impressive. It can be grown from spring to All-round and crispy small cos
autumn, it has crispy leaves and a closed flat bottom, and it’s strong The small cos called Rawonder RZ lives up to its name, because
against bolting and tipburn,” David explains. it truly is a real wonder according to David: “First of all, it has not
only the complete Bremia resistances but also the important Fu-
sarium resistances Fol:1,4 and robustness against bacterial dis-
eases. Secondly, it’s an all-round and flexible variety that can be
Green butterhead with growing power
grown in spring, summer and autumn. Thirdly, the leaves have a
He is also very enthusiastic about Transpero RZ, a new green nice, crunchy texture that consumers like because of the long shelf
butterhead suited for spring and autumn. “It shows strong grow- life.”
ing power in these seasons. There is a lot of demand for this full
Bremia-resistant variety,” he continues. “It stands out thanks to its
shiny green colour and bigger size, plus its perfect head-to-leaves Iceberg with strong root system
ratio. The Fusarium resistance is also an advantage, because this is Standanas RZ is a new big and strong iceberg for the warmer
becoming a bigger problem.” summer periods. “This variety is slow bolting, has a strong root
Green butterhead for hot summers system and a long harvest window. It is also really strong against
Abellina RZ is another new green butterhead with complete brown ribs and tipburn. Even when there’s a lack of nutrition, the
plant still produces a big, nicely filled head. Although it lacks one
Bremia resistances. It is especially suitable for summer plantings. Bremia resistance, it has a natural and strong robustness against
“This variety is strong in hot and stressful conditions, such as day this physio,” David explains.
Full Bremia-resistant green and red oak leaf
The green oak leaf variety Kiley RZ is definitely another highlight
for the organic market, David states: “It has a complete package
of Bremia resistances and can be grown from the first until the last
planting. That makes Kiley a super-flexible all-rounder. And be-
cause of the wonderful base, no leaves are wasted.”
The red oak leaf Dakarai RZ is another new variety with full Bre-
mia resistances. “Moreover, this has the Fusarium resistance Fol:4
and is a flexible and reliable variety without any problems,” he
adds.
Full Bremia-resistant green and red Salanova
In the Salanova® range, Rijk Zwaan’s one-cut-ready lettuce con-
cept that is an interesting niche for organic growers, David is keen
to mention the new green Exira RZ and the double red Lumirex RZ.
“We introduced them both this year. They have full Bremia resis-
tances and are slow bolting, vigorous and uniform.”
Lumirex RZ
Circle 30 on enquiry card
22 Vol. 41 No. 5