Seed specialist says its tomatoes combine high resistance with flavour, highlighting its new ToBRFV-resistant Anizalla RZ variety
Rijk Zwaan has highlighted that growers gain early access to the newest resistant tomato varieties by working in partnership with the Netherlands-based seed company.
This was of strategic importance to growers, the group said, as it helped them meet retailers’ needs and add value for consumers.
One example is Anizalla RZ, the new ToBRFV-resistant mini-plum truss variety that is already being grown commercially for sale in Germany and the UK.
“We care about bringing varieties to the retail market that add value for consumers in terms of flavour and visual appeal,” said Maarten van der Leeden, client manager sales at Rijk Zwaan.
“The demand for resistant varieties is very high from professional growers, of course, but they don’t want to comprise on taste or production performance.
“That’s why our breeders have developed a very good range of tomato varieties that not only have Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) resistance, but also have a great flavour,” he explained.
”All these varieties are suitable for both lit and unlit crops in northern Europe, supporting year-round availability.”
Anizalla RZ was already being grown commercially on a relatively large scale for sale in Germany and the UK, the group confirmed.
“The blocky-shaped mini plum truss tomato category is an important segment for retailers in Germany and the UK,” van der Leeden continued.
“We care about supporting growers’ success by ensuring the continuity of product availability, and ToBRFV resistance based on Rugose Defense enables us to achieve that.
”By introducing this variety, we’re helping them meet the needs of their existing retail customers and chain partners in those regions,” he said
Van der Leeden emphasised that, by working in partnership with Rijk Zwaan, growers gained early access to its newest resistant varieties.
”But we also care about bringing varieties to the retail market that add value for consumers in terms of flavour and visual appeal,” he commented.
Anizalla RZ was a good example of this, according to Florian Prins, chain manager at Harvest House, a growers’ cooperative that has an important position in cultivating and distributing crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers and sweet peppers in Europe.
“We measure the brix of all our tomato varieties on a daily basis,” said Prins. “When it comes to taste, Anizalla RZ is one of the best performing varieties we grow. In fact, its Brix value occasionally even exceeds 10.”
Rijk Zwaan will be introducing Anizalla RZ plus several other new ToBRFV-resistant varieties at this year’s Fruit Logistica in Berlin.
“Other newcomers are several mini cherry truss tomatoes that are both delicious and very attractive, making them ideal for premium positioning, like Necluda RZ, as well as our new cocktail truss tomato Sandroso RZ,” noted van der Leeden.
“Meanwhile, Mondicia RZ is a tasty and resistant variety for the midsized segment that is also grown organically,” he said. ”This new variety combines appealing consumer characteristics with an excellent shelf life and – for this fruit size – an excellent taste.
”These new additions have significantly expanded our existing range, which also includes Prospano RZ in the premium fine truss tomato category.”
