Italy | Innovations

Bayer CropScience: Breeding advances in the processing tomato industry

Combining new product developments with sustainability and crop expertise to add value to the tomato supply chain.

6/11/2014

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At the 11th World Processing Tomato Congress which was held from June 8 to 11 in Sirmione, Italy, Bayer CropScience presented its broad portfolio of products and solutions that support the success and sustainability of the processing tomato industry. Experts from the company showcased recent product innovations and breeding advances that underline its role as one of the leading providers of tomato solutions.

The World Processing Tomato Congress takes place every two years and provides a unique opportunity for the processing industry, growers and scientists from around the globe to share information and uncover vital new knowledge. This year’s congress was hosted under the theme ‘From the field to the consumer plate: Working together to shape the future for processed tomato products’, and focused on approaches that connect the key players in the tomato value chain and meet consumer needs. 

Genetics and integrated crop protection approaches to address the increasing demand for sustainable solutions 

Bayer CropScience’s strategic approach is based on providing tailored solutions for processing tomatoes. “Tomato growers strive to get the very best from their fields and fulfill the requirements of the supply chain,” said Joachim Schneider, Head of Vegetable Seeds. “We can help them meet that demand with our innovations in seeds and effective chemical and biological crop protection products, and by providing expertise and services that are tailored to the needs of tomato growers.”

The vegetable seed business of Bayer CropScience is a global specialist in vegetable genetics and personalized services offered under the product brand name Nunhems™ The company is a leading provider of tomato varieties and is committed to further investment in conventional tomato breeding to offer market-specific genetic solutions and increase the sustainability of tomato growing. Current breeding targets include higher yields and natural resistances against fungal diseases, pests and nematodes. A further focus is on processor sustainability and efficiency with rising levels of quality attributes while reducing losses and waste.

The cold-break paste and peel/dice variety Nun 6366 was introduced in 2004 and has been an industry standard for many years in California. Progressive innovation in natural resistances – a large benefit to sustainability – is a cornerstone of our variety development strategy. Recent examples with added disease resistances are Nun 6404 (introduced in 2012) and Nun 6407 (2013), both of which are resistant to Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus.

Effective crop protection solutions also play a significant role in tackling the various challenges involved in the production of high-quality tomatoes. With the combination of innovative and efficient chemical products and biological solutions in tailored, integrated spray plans, Bayer CropScience offers growers a powerful tool that allows effective control of pests and diseases, improves resistance management and facilitates global trade. Constantly innovating, Bayer CropScience continually introduces new crop protection solutions. Recent product innovations that promote sustainable tomato cropping include the insecticide Movento™, the fungicide Luna™ as well as the biological solutions Serenade™ (fungicide/bactericide) and the nematicide BioAct™.

Offering expertise and personalized specialist support to the farmer and throughout the food chain

To assist growers on a daily basis, Bayer CropScience can call upon a global network of agronomists around the world to provide expertise in agricultural practices. This way, the company helps ensure that standards in tomato production remain high and are further improved. Dedicated tomato teams with unique knowledge of different growing regions provide tailored agronomic support, training on safe use and good agricultural practices to local growers and support them in the development of specialist know-how to better serve the needs of the value chain.

In order to fully understand and anticipate consumer demands and industry needs, Bayer CropScience also works closely together with every part of the supply chain. This is reflected in the development of customer-focused, high-quality tomato varieties with exactly the right blend of traits and characteristics to create the best value for the products and concepts in the tomato industry. 

In its Food Chain Partnership business initiatives, Bayer CropScience brings together growers, traders, processors and retailers. Building on the company’s profound knowledge of crops, the common goal of the Food Chain Partnership projects is to improve yields and harvest quality, helping to drive a productivity and efficiency increase based on sustainable agricultural principles for the benefit of all partners involved.