Onions with better storage capacity and skin retention
Better storage and greater retention of the outer skin are two traits that best characterise the new onion varieties developed by Bayer CropScience, designed to meet the needs of all operators in the food chain. Large producers and marketers in Spain and Portugal have been the first to see them during the day out organised by the company on Wednesday in the town of Villarrobledo, Spain.
New features introduced by Nunhems substantially improve the marketing possibilities of onions in a longer season, through better storage after harvest. Specialists of Bayer CropScience Vegetable Seeds have managed to complement this key factor with a better preservation of the outer skin covering the bulb. The end result are varieties that maintain a high standard of quality for longer due to their exceptional post-harvest qualities, not to mention an attractive external appearance, with a bright and deep colour that facilitates product differentiation at the point of sale.
The NUN 7202 ONX F1 stands out for its long shelf life, with very uniform, single centre bulbs, as well as its hardness and very dark skin. With similar characteristics, the company has also launched the NUN 7004 ONX F1; a yellow onion with great potential for storage and an exceptional quality for the processing industry. As for white long day onions, the category where the Nunhems brand has market leadership, the newest variety is the NUN 8003 ONX F1, with very uniform bulbs in size and shape, very white outer layers and really good tolerance to bolting.
More resistance to pests
A great plant vigour is another feature presented by some of Nunhems' new onion varieties. In this sense, the most noteworthy is the NUN 7008 ONX F1, especially vigorous, late-maturing, with strong roots and erect foliage, which makes it very easy to manage the effects of pests such as thrips, and consequently to reduce the impact of the IYSV virus, transmitted by this insect. Another very vigorous variety is the NUN 7015 ONX F1, with a high percentage of single centres, and an attractive external colour combined with a great preservation of the skin.
Additionally, the NUN 7015 ONX F1 gains weight easily without deforming, "so we have a very promising variety for which we predict a huge commercial success because it combines the potential of Vaquero F1 in terms of shape and size with that of Utrero F1 when it comes to skin and preservation, all with the vigour that increases its resistance against pests," explains Francisco de la Cruz, an onion sales specialist at Bayer CropScience Vegetable Seeds.
Source: Fresh Plaza
Publication date: 9/1/2014