Seminis’ California pepper varieties have become consolidated in Murcia owing to their quality and behaviour as ecological crops.
The ecological pepper crop is growing fast in Murcia, particularly in the cooperatives, but it is also increasing in the markets, as it tends to differentiate from its main competitor, Holland (which cannot grow ecological crops due to the type of their glass greenhouses). Today, virtually 100% of the ecological crop grown in greenhouses in the area is focused on California peppers for export, with only a few remaining plots of Lamuya peppers left.
By variety, Bayer and its brand Seminis lead the yellow California pepper segment with Tallante, a consolidated material that offers very good features for ecological crops due to its strong root system, good setting in hot and cold weather, qualities that allow it to maintain a good size from start to finish, as it behaves well at different temperatures. Its strong plant, with medium-short internodes and resistances to Tm2 and spotted are some of its other agronomical characteristics, in addition to high production and yield, according to Juan Carlos Fernández Pérez, Key Account Manager at Bayer. The fruit have a very good size, mainly G-GG and they are very firm (an important aspect in their segment), as well as being an attractive yellow colour.
Another variety from Seminis’ California pepper range in Murcia that is worth mentioning is Ardanza, a red California pepper that stands out due to the quality of its fruit (G-GG), with an eye-catching colour, high resistance and good conservation. Unlike Tallante, Ardanza’s plant is stronger, with medium-long internodes, but in a similar way it adapts well to ecological growing, with resistance to Tm3 and spotted.
Alongside these materials, Seminis has new varieties under development for Murcia, which are currently in a pre-commercial phase, with resistance to nematodes and powdery mildew, maintaining the quality characterised by the range. The first results regarding the evolution of these developments will be released throughout the campaign, Juan Carlos Fernández advances.
