"We look for that stand-out product in every growing cycle"

It is almost the end of May. That means that, at Eminent Seeds in the Netherlands, the first crops are almost ready. At the beginning of June, all the experimental plants in the greenhouses will be cleared out. This is to make way for the cultivation of the next generation and crossbreeds. Of course, seeds with be collected from the best of the experimental plants first. Kevin Valk, Junior Breeder at Eminent Seeds, says, "Breeding is the art of disposal."

Kevin Valk among the experimental baby block bell pepper plants

The greenhouses are located in Markuslaan in the Duch town of Wateringen. They house a wide range of bell pepper, pepper and tomato specialities. In every crop, Kevin and the Eminent Seeds team are on the lookout for new colours, taste, shapes and sizes. They are especially looking for that one product that stands out. "Breeding costs a lot of time and money. A lot of plant generations pass by before you find that one variety we can take to market."

Breeding by design
There are experimental plants from the in-house breeding team among the plants in the greenhouse. There are also experimental seeds from outside sources. These will be studied after they have grown. Experiments are also done based on clients' needs. "When a client comes to us with an idea, we are happy to help", says Kevin. "We like to see if the new variety has potential. It is, however, important to have patience. There is no use cultivating to follow a fad."

The second crop of experimental bell peppers has been sown

Value of use research

Attention is also given to production and resistance. This is beside the focus on colour, taste, shape and size. Kevin says, "We are the only breeder that cultivates specialities. We are, therefore, GSPP certified. That means we have to comply with strict hygiene demands. This enables us to deliver clean, safe seeds."

Eminent Seeds' greenhouse is divided into three sections. In the first, are the tomato breeding plants. These include versions of the world's smallest tomato, the Tomberry. Kevin can be found mainly in the second section. Here are the bell pepper and pepper breeding plants. He specialises in these. The third section gets used for user value research.

Eminent Seeds breeds various kinds of peppers, including the Habanero Red F1

Predictions

A database is kept of all the crossbreeds and experiments in the greenhouses. All the particulars needed to find a new variety's origin are recorded here. "The more information we have, the better we can ultimately predict how a plant will develop after it has been crossbred", says Kevin. "The more predictable the cultivation, the quicker we can develop a new variety."

Besides the run-of-the-mill vegetable colours, like yellow and red, experiments are also done with vegetables with unusual colours. Every country has its colour preferences. Kevin says, "In Turkey, mint green is popular. On the other hand, white is the colour in Hungary. It is a challenge for us to get people to eat brown vegetables. People need to get used to this colour. Brown vegetables taste good."

Exceptional product

The end of the first cultivation cycle is in sight. Now, this breeder's favourite time is about to start. "It is precisely now that you can see if the crossing you made turns out as expected. That one exceptional product of the year - that's why we do this", concludes Kevin.

For more information:
Eminent
www.eminentholland.com

info@eminentseeds.nl