Syngenta continues to expand its California pepper catalog with varieties designed to meet market demands. Covering the entire production cycle, the seed company remains the reference in the late segment, where it currently controls between 75% and 80% of the market in Almería.
“We always strive to develop varieties that provide real advantages for growers, ensuring production, quality, and resistance,” explains Alejandro Pascual, Product Development Specialist Pepper at Syngenta. This season, the company has introduced three new varieties during its field days: the yellow Kamado and Nordic, and the red Spartanos, which joins Balcanes.
Kamado and Nordic: Strong yellow offerings
The yellow California pepper varieties Kamado and Nordic reinforce the mid-late and late segments, respectively, offering high productivity, consistency, and comprehensive resistance (Tm3, spotted, nematodes, and powdery mildew).
Kamado is recommended for transplants between July 20 and 31. Aimed at cooperatives, it stands out for its high G-size uniformity and its ability to maintain stable production until the end of the season. Additionally, its firmness allows the fruit to remain on the plant without losing consistency.
Nordic, transplanted from August 1 to 15, has been developed for the export market, particularly for tricolor flowpacks, offering consistent size and excellent firmness, ensuring optimal fruit preservation.
Spartanos: The major new red variety
After several years without new releases in the red California pepper segment, Syngenta has made a bold move with Spartanos, which, according to Alejandro Pascual, “could even replace Saitama,” the company’s best-selling variety. Spartanos is designed for transplants from July 25 to August 15.
It offers a rare combination in the late segment: easy fruit setting and earliness. This unique mix allows growers to begin harvesting earlier without the fruit losing firmness. “Spartanos brings significant differences compared to the varieties we already have in our portfolio. We believe this variety will remain on the market for many years,” adds Pascual.
RELATED NEWS: Syngenta grows with its commitment against New Delhi
With uniform fruits, high quality, and strong regrowth, Spartanos is a highly competitive choice for growers and marketers. Alongside Spartanos, Syngenta continues its commitment to red California peppers with Balcanes, recommended for transplants from August 1 to 15. Balcanes stands out for its uniform fruit size from the beginning to the end of the season and high production levels.
Both Spartanos and Balcanes have been showcased during open field days in Almería over the past months, along with other Syngenta California pepper varieties.
