April 11, 2023
When you buy a tomato with ToBRFV resistance, you anticipate it will solve problems, but if the new variety doesn’t contain the other disease resistances you’ve come to expect, a disease that was once easily controlled with genetics could decimate your crop. Whether its leaf curl, or ToBRFV, you need a disease package that gives you resistance to all key disease threats – not just the newest one.
Don’t compromise plant health with varieties that don’t contain a full package of disease resistance. Syngenta is diligent in developing the right ToBRFV resistance that also contains a complete package of resistances and adaptability to suit grower needs – without sacrificing the flavor consumers expect.
“At the end of the day, we need to offer growers good commercial yield with good fruit quality,” says Stéphane Le Caro, Syngenta Portfolio Lead for Indeterminate Tomato, Passive Greenhouse. “For this reason, we are testing a lot of varieties to find the right fit.”
At Syngenta Vegetable Seeds, researchers continue studying and discovering new modes of action for resistance against ToBRFV, and they’re doing so with the big picture in mind. This year alone, 17 unique varieties are in trialing including cluster, mini plum, and saladette types.
“We know our customers need resistance to ToBRFV virus, but also others that can be alone or mixed altogether,” Le Caro explained. “I’m considering especially pepino virus, tomato spot virus, which give symptoms very close to the tobamovirus, so we need to combine all of these in any new variety we deliver.”
Yield and fruit quality are still paramount – even in a world where brown rugose threatens tomato production.
ToBRFV Resistance and Still Great Tasting Tomatoes
Disease resistance alone isn’t enough. Consumers have high expectations when it comes to flavor, and Syngenta is dedicated to protecting the flavor profiles consumers have come to know and love.
“As we continue to add new varieties to our lineup, we’re making sure they still taste great,” said Ruud Kaagman, Syngenta Global Crop Unit Head, Tomato. “Consumers love the taste of our tomatoes and choose them when they go to the grocery store, so with the introductions of new resistant varieties we want to make sure that growers can continue to deliver what consumers expect.”
Syngenta delivers ToBRFV resistance without compromising other key disease resistances or the taste shoppers love.
Research on ToBRFV Resistance is Ongoing
The researchers at Syngenta are taking the resistance we currently have on the market and introgressing it into new varieties and new kinds of tomatoes. As these experts continue researching new solutions, they’re committed to a stair-step approach to ToBRFV resistance, with each new mode of action discovered bringing a higher level of resistance than the last. The reason is simple: viruses evolve.
“We know the virus is changing and it can cause a lot of damage, especially in yield, impacting the plant and changing its behavior,” said Rik Lootens, Syngenta Portfolio Lead for Tomato and Blocky Pepper, Active Greenhouse and High-Tech Production. “Viruses are unpredictable and hard to control. It’s our goal to go as fast as possible to bring new resistances to the market.
“We have resistance and have had it for several years – since 2020. But we’re continuing to research many new varieties in the beef segments but also in mini cluster, saladette, beef cluster, and more,” he continued.
As research continues, visit to www.syngentavegetables.com/tobrfv for more information.
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