In the world of improvement, being able to anticipate changes quickly is a requirement. It’s an art to always remain one step ahead of the market. Seed breeding station Pop Vriend Seeds, a ‘hands on’ expert, knows there isn’t a one-size-fits-all variety within bean and spinach crops that would have the same results in all supply areas. “A variety of markets requires a customer-specific approach,” says sales manager Ferdi Veenstra.
According to Frank van Kampen, agriculturalist and bean specialist for Pop Vriend Seeds, it’s important to be able to supply a custom-made product for each market and within each segment. “That’s our strength as well,” he says. “The African fresh market naturally requires a different type of bean than Belgian industry. You have to be prepared for that. Because we’re a family company, we can change gear very quickly. Customers very much appreciate that.”
Challenges in disease resistance
In the more than 40 years the breeding station has been active in beans, developments within this product group haven’t been standing still, particularly in the field of harvest certainty. Issues regarding disease resistance monopolise the conversation ate the moment. “Sclerotinia resistance is a hot item now. One variety is more resistant to it than another one. For now we’ll have to wait for the arrival of a commercial variety that’s 100 per cent resistant to it.” Frank therefore sees this as one of the most important challenges for the future. Within the resistance against Halo Blight and Bean Common Mosaic Virus, some successes have already been achieved, for that matter. “We’ll be able to make do with the varieties resistant to these diseases for now.”
Using more varieties tied to a particular area
As a consequence of global climate change the weather conditions in supply areas are becoming more extreme. Because of that, the market pays more and more attention to varieties that are tied to a particular area and that have specific and essential characteristics, each tuned to local production circumstances. “You can already notice that in France or Belgium. You need a variety in those countries that can withstand periods of severe drought and long-lasting rain, both during sowing and during the production cycle. A certain stress tolerance is very important. Therein lies another major challenge. Particularly when you’re devoted to maintain yields in seasons with less favourable weather conditions as well.” With this, Frank hints that the trade is also emphatically looking for bean varieties that guarantee more continuity.
Sales manager Ferdi Veenstra, also working for Pop Vriend Seeds, has seen many developments for beans happening particularly in the fresh market. “Our customers from various parts of the world each have their own specific requirements. For example, the fresh market in the US has more demand for very dark beans with a good shelf life, while the Western European market is more interested in medium-green varieties. Colour is very important. Besides that, the choice of variety is of the utmost importance – it has to suit the soil type used. As an agriculturalist, you have to keep local (production) circumstances in mind, and you have to anticipate them well.”
More uniform bean varieties
The company from Andijk, the Netherlands, focuses on growers for the global fresh market and the frozen and tinned industry. Looking back at their own seed improvement history, the bean specialist has seen that product is much more uniform nowadays. Frank: “Plant types stay upright much more, they’re firmer and can be harvested at the same time more often. Much has been gained in that field. Comparing past varieties with current ones, you see major differences. That has also had its effect on industry. Being devoted to beans that are uniform and that can be harvested separately from each other saves a lot in mechanical actions. Handling becomes much faster this way, and you can create an optimal matching of volume and processing capacity.”
Spinach varieties shorter life cycle
While bean varieties could ‘last’ ten to twenty years in practice, that’s not a matter-of-course for spinach crops. “It’s a rat race compared to beans. With spinach, you can be behind the times with your new variety after just six months.” Colleague agriculturalist Jan de Visser, also a spinach specialist, identifies with Frank’s findings. Downy mildew in particular causes a constant cat and mouse game. “The life cycle of many spinach varieties is shorter as a rule. Once resistance is broken, you’ll have to start all over again to breed in a new resistance,” he adds.
Jan nuances: “That’s also due to production cycles. Particularly within the production of baby leaf. That means sowing and harvesting within one month. That way, you’ll have multiple productions within one year, and you’ll therefore have more chances for the resistance to break. Moreover, the production is often concentrated For example, in California and Arizona, many fields are near each other. Once downy mildew strikes, it’ll spread like wildfire.”
Disease resistance an important spearhead
Jan says spinach from seed production can only be grown in areas that have long days, such as Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands. “Within spinach production, trade is dependent on a fairly limited production area. In the counter season, that is ‘absorbed’ to a limited extent in the Southern Hemisphere, in countries such as Chile and New Zealand, but comparatively growers there only have small volumes.”
Because of the restrictions within the production area, hardly any or no diversions to alternative production areas can be made if the situation requires it. That’s why breeding stations are now fully devoted to disease resistance. Jan: “Without a resistant crop against mildew, you just won’t stand a chance.” Pop Vriend Seeds has introduced varieties with an extensive resistance pattern. This now also includes fysio Pfs:16, which was named quite recently. Because of this, the breeding station manages to join in on the American market quite well. In Europe, fysio 1 to 15 still suffice for now.
However, not much is possible regarding disease prevention within spinach in Europe. Jan: “Particularly in crops with short growing periods, such as baby leaf, not much is available in crop protection for leafy vegetables for the fresh market. It’s therefore obvious that it’s favourable environmentally-wise and for the growers to use resistant varieties as much as possible. That’s supported by the fact that half the baby leaf production area is organic in the US.”
Ferdi also expects demand for disease resistant varieties to continue for now. “Many firms plead for a decreased use of pesticides. Supermarkets are also contributing to this shift. They have more requirements than in the past to remain far below the MRLs. Because of that, the ball is now in the court of the improvement sector.”