Seminis® Capsicum Guide
Seminis Capsicum Guide ®
www.seminis.com.au
Every day for 150 years, Seminis has worked to empower our growers by improving the vegetables they grow and providing solutions to their toughest challenges. Today we are the world’s largest developer and marketer of vegetable seeds. But reaching this milestone hasn’t been an easy journey. It’s a painstaking process that requires patience and the belief that every generation can be better than the last.
At Seminis, we’re constantly thinking of the next generation. Not just the next generation of seeds, but the next generation of growers and families all over the world.
Breeder Spotlight – Brian Just Brian Just is Seminis’ capsicum breeder based in Felda, Florida, USA. He breeds specifically for the Australian market. Brian shares plenty of similarities with Australian capsicum growers, including the luxury of wearing shorts in winter and an infinite knowledge of everything to do with capsicums. Tell us about your role with Seminis. I have been with Seminis and Monsanto for eleven years. I actually went to university with the expectation of going on to medicine, but I quickly realised I didn’t want to be indoors. I enjoyed working with plants, and studied genetics – that led to graduate assistantships in different plant breeding programs and eventually a role with Monsanto. I breed for the Western US market, the Australian open-field market, as well as the Mexican open-field and greenhouse markets. There is no “normal” day in my role. Sometimes I am in the field looking at experimental varieties and breeding lines, other days I am planning: a breeder has to have a long term, medium term, and short term plan and it takes a lot creative thinking time to do it well. How have Australian growers influenced the varieties that are now coming to market? I breed capsicums specifically for the Australian market. When I visit Australia I go straight to Queensland with our Technology Development and sales team to visit growers. Grower interaction and feedback is absolutely critical. You learn the most when you are in the field with the grower looking at material. Australian growers know exactly what they want. The demands are challenging, yet very satisfying to work on. Growers want a similar plant type and disease package to those grown in
Florida, but they require the red fruit quality typically found in greenhouse varieties. When I am not in Australia the local Seminis team does a fantastic job at keeping me abreast of trials, providing constant guidance about the current and future direction of the program. This interaction has been absolutely key to our success. How long does it take for a capsicum variety to reach Australian growers? It takes three to four years to develop the parent lines, and then another four years trialing before it can become commercial. For example, Maximinus, our most recent launch, was first created in 2011 and the parent lines were developed several years before that. This intense trialing process gives our team an understanding of the benefits and limitations of each product and allows them to make the best recommendations possible to growers. What can growers expect to see from breeders in ten years’ time? There will be advancement in disease resistance and an improvement in yield, fruit uniformity and plant type. Early maturity is also a breeding target – growers like the concept because it saves money and harvesting costs. There will also be an increase in specialty varieties, such as mini-peppers. After capsicum, what is your favourite vegetable and why? I have always liked the flavor and crunch of carrots. I did part of my graduate research on carrots and have many fond memories of carrot breeding. But I really can’t go past a nice, well-shaped, red capsicum!
Seminis capsicum varieties
Maximinus Our newest Seminis variety has been bred with grower productivity in mind. Maximinus matures 15–20 days earlier than other varieties, demonstrating a speedy colour change from green to red. With a greater percentage of fruit able to be harvested in the first cycle, it provides a high recovery percentage of first grade fruit and has the potential to reduce harvest costs. The plant produces a fruit which is uniform in shape, has bacterial leaf spot Race 1–5 resistance and is suited to warm production time slots. FEATURES Earliness:
Very early
Colour:
Green to red
Length:
9cm
Width:
9cm
Resistance:
HR Xcv 1–5 Tm:0
PEPPERS · 5
SV9699PB SV9699PB can withstand the heat of the Australian climate. This new capsicum variety has a plant structure that is highly adaptable to hot weather production providing protection to the fruit from lodging and sunburn. The plant also produces high yields, excellent quality and uniform shaped fruit to help growers increase income potential. This early maturing variety has the added benefit of being resistant to bacterial leaf spot (Xcv) Race 1–5. FEATURES Earliness:
Early
Colour:
Green to red
Length:
10cm
Width:
10cm
Resistance:
HR Xcv 0–5 Tm:0
Warlock Warlock is the market leader for blocky capsicum production in Australia for good reasons. It produces consistent heavy green to dark red fruit and has very thick walls. FEATURES Earliness:
Mid to late
Colour:
Green to red
Length:
10cm
Width:
10cm
Resistance:
HR Xcv:1–3, PVY:O, Tm:0
6 · PEPPERS
SV6947PB SV6947PB is suitable for summer and early autumn production in Central and North Queensland, and summer and winter production in Western Australia (Perth and Carnarvon regions respectively). It has a medium robust plant, with good foliage cover that produces firm, green-deep glossy red fruit. SV6947PB is resistant to Bacterial Spot race 1–5 and TSWV. FEATURES Earliness:
Early
Colour:
Green to deep glossy red
Length:
10cm
Width:
9cm
Resistance:
HR Xcv:1–5/Tm:0, IR TSWV
Hugo A trusted favourite in Central Queensland, Hugo is a cold-to-hot set capsicum ideal for the Bundaberg spring production. It sets a very large uniform blocky shape fruit and can be picked green or red. FEATURES Earliness:
Mid maturing
Colour:
Green to red
Length:
10cm
Width:
10cm
Resistance:
HR Tm:0–3
PEPPERS · 7
Plato Plato is an extra large firm blocky fruit, which produces a high yield. It is a medium to large plant with excellent cover and is suitable for cooler production areas. FEATURES Earliness:
Mid to late maturing
Colour:
Green to red
Length:
11cm
Width:
10cm
Resistance:
HR Xcv:0–3/PVY:0/Tm:0, IR TSWV
8 · PLANTING CALENDAR
Planting Calendar PRODUCT
JAN
NORTH QUEENSLAND
MAXIMINUS
SV6947PB
SV9699PB
WARLOCK
CENTRAL QUEENSLAND
HUGO
MAXIMINUS
SV6947PB
SV9699PB
WARLOCK
SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND Lockyer Valley
PLATO
WARLOCK
Stanthorpe
PLATO
WARLOCK
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
PLANTING CALENDAR · 9
PRODUCT
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
VICTORIA
PLATO
SV6947PB
NEW SOUTH WALES
PLATO
WARLOCK
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
PLATO
SV6947PB
WARLOCK
Seeding
Transplanting
Harvesting
Contacts For more information visit www.seminis.com.au or contact your local representative REGIONAL BUSINESS MANAGERS DARREN WOOD Australian Seminis Sales Manager 0428 673 802 [email protected]
SCOTT HUMPHREYS Regional Business Manager South East Queensland 0438 169 157 [email protected]
JOSIP BALINT Regional Business Manager De Ruiter & South Australia 0400 377 333 [email protected]
SANDRA VERLAAT Regional Business Manager Western Australia 0408 875 917 [email protected]
MARK DUNNING Regional Business Manager New South Wales 0429 120 305 [email protected]
CARLOS RAMIREZ Regional Business Manager Victoria & Tasmania 0437 821 581 [email protected]
ANDREW HANSEN Regional Business Manager North Queensland 0488 316 837 [email protected]
UNA WOODHOUSE Business Development & Central Queensland Business Manager 0429 196 615 [email protected]
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CAROL WALKER Technology Development Lead, Vegetables 0409 472 898 [email protected]
DAVID CAMPBELL Technology Development Specialist 0400 304 766 [email protected]
Monsanto Customer Service
Monsanto Australia
Ph: 1800 364 846 Fax: 1800 892 066 Email: [email protected]
Head Office: Level 12, 600 St Kilda Road, Melbourne VIC 3004 Post: PO Box 6051, St Kilda Road Central, VIC 8008 Phone: 1800 069 569 Fax: 03 9522 6122 www.monsanto.com.au
Monsanto Australia, Head Office: 12/600 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004 Post: PO Box 6051, St. Kilda Road Central, VIC 8008. Phone: 1800 069 569 Fax: 03 9522 6122
www.seminis.com.au
www.seminis.com.au
Every day for 150 years, Seminis has worked to empower our growers by improving the vegetables they grow and providing solutions to their toughest challenges. Today we are the world’s largest developer and marketer of vegetable seeds. But reaching this milestone hasn’t been an easy journey. It’s a painstaking process that requires patience and the belief that every generation can be better than the last.
At Seminis, we’re constantly thinking of the next generation. Not just the next generation of seeds, but the next generation of growers and families all over the world.
Breeder Spotlight – Brian Just Brian Just is Seminis’ capsicum breeder based in Felda, Florida, USA. He breeds specifically for the Australian market. Brian shares plenty of similarities with Australian capsicum growers, including the luxury of wearing shorts in winter and an infinite knowledge of everything to do with capsicums. Tell us about your role with Seminis. I have been with Seminis and Monsanto for eleven years. I actually went to university with the expectation of going on to medicine, but I quickly realised I didn’t want to be indoors. I enjoyed working with plants, and studied genetics – that led to graduate assistantships in different plant breeding programs and eventually a role with Monsanto. I breed for the Western US market, the Australian open-field market, as well as the Mexican open-field and greenhouse markets. There is no “normal” day in my role. Sometimes I am in the field looking at experimental varieties and breeding lines, other days I am planning: a breeder has to have a long term, medium term, and short term plan and it takes a lot creative thinking time to do it well. How have Australian growers influenced the varieties that are now coming to market? I breed capsicums specifically for the Australian market. When I visit Australia I go straight to Queensland with our Technology Development and sales team to visit growers. Grower interaction and feedback is absolutely critical. You learn the most when you are in the field with the grower looking at material. Australian growers know exactly what they want. The demands are challenging, yet very satisfying to work on. Growers want a similar plant type and disease package to those grown in
Florida, but they require the red fruit quality typically found in greenhouse varieties. When I am not in Australia the local Seminis team does a fantastic job at keeping me abreast of trials, providing constant guidance about the current and future direction of the program. This interaction has been absolutely key to our success. How long does it take for a capsicum variety to reach Australian growers? It takes three to four years to develop the parent lines, and then another four years trialing before it can become commercial. For example, Maximinus, our most recent launch, was first created in 2011 and the parent lines were developed several years before that. This intense trialing process gives our team an understanding of the benefits and limitations of each product and allows them to make the best recommendations possible to growers. What can growers expect to see from breeders in ten years’ time? There will be advancement in disease resistance and an improvement in yield, fruit uniformity and plant type. Early maturity is also a breeding target – growers like the concept because it saves money and harvesting costs. There will also be an increase in specialty varieties, such as mini-peppers. After capsicum, what is your favourite vegetable and why? I have always liked the flavor and crunch of carrots. I did part of my graduate research on carrots and have many fond memories of carrot breeding. But I really can’t go past a nice, well-shaped, red capsicum!
Seminis capsicum varieties
Maximinus Our newest Seminis variety has been bred with grower productivity in mind. Maximinus matures 15–20 days earlier than other varieties, demonstrating a speedy colour change from green to red. With a greater percentage of fruit able to be harvested in the first cycle, it provides a high recovery percentage of first grade fruit and has the potential to reduce harvest costs. The plant produces a fruit which is uniform in shape, has bacterial leaf spot Race 1–5 resistance and is suited to warm production time slots. FEATURES Earliness:
Very early
Colour:
Green to red
Length:
9cm
Width:
9cm
Resistance:
HR Xcv 1–5 Tm:0
PEPPERS · 5
SV9699PB SV9699PB can withstand the heat of the Australian climate. This new capsicum variety has a plant structure that is highly adaptable to hot weather production providing protection to the fruit from lodging and sunburn. The plant also produces high yields, excellent quality and uniform shaped fruit to help growers increase income potential. This early maturing variety has the added benefit of being resistant to bacterial leaf spot (Xcv) Race 1–5. FEATURES Earliness:
Early
Colour:
Green to red
Length:
10cm
Width:
10cm
Resistance:
HR Xcv 0–5 Tm:0
Warlock Warlock is the market leader for blocky capsicum production in Australia for good reasons. It produces consistent heavy green to dark red fruit and has very thick walls. FEATURES Earliness:
Mid to late
Colour:
Green to red
Length:
10cm
Width:
10cm
Resistance:
HR Xcv:1–3, PVY:O, Tm:0
6 · PEPPERS
SV6947PB SV6947PB is suitable for summer and early autumn production in Central and North Queensland, and summer and winter production in Western Australia (Perth and Carnarvon regions respectively). It has a medium robust plant, with good foliage cover that produces firm, green-deep glossy red fruit. SV6947PB is resistant to Bacterial Spot race 1–5 and TSWV. FEATURES Earliness:
Early
Colour:
Green to deep glossy red
Length:
10cm
Width:
9cm
Resistance:
HR Xcv:1–5/Tm:0, IR TSWV
Hugo A trusted favourite in Central Queensland, Hugo is a cold-to-hot set capsicum ideal for the Bundaberg spring production. It sets a very large uniform blocky shape fruit and can be picked green or red. FEATURES Earliness:
Mid maturing
Colour:
Green to red
Length:
10cm
Width:
10cm
Resistance:
HR Tm:0–3
PEPPERS · 7
Plato Plato is an extra large firm blocky fruit, which produces a high yield. It is a medium to large plant with excellent cover and is suitable for cooler production areas. FEATURES Earliness:
Mid to late maturing
Colour:
Green to red
Length:
11cm
Width:
10cm
Resistance:
HR Xcv:0–3/PVY:0/Tm:0, IR TSWV
8 · PLANTING CALENDAR
Planting Calendar PRODUCT
JAN
NORTH QUEENSLAND
MAXIMINUS
SV6947PB
SV9699PB
WARLOCK
CENTRAL QUEENSLAND
HUGO
MAXIMINUS
SV6947PB
SV9699PB
WARLOCK
SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND Lockyer Valley
PLATO
WARLOCK
Stanthorpe
PLATO
WARLOCK
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
PLANTING CALENDAR · 9
PRODUCT
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
VICTORIA
PLATO
SV6947PB
NEW SOUTH WALES
PLATO
WARLOCK
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
PLATO
SV6947PB
WARLOCK
Seeding
Transplanting
Harvesting
Contacts For more information visit www.seminis.com.au or contact your local representative REGIONAL BUSINESS MANAGERS DARREN WOOD Australian Seminis Sales Manager 0428 673 802 [email protected]
SCOTT HUMPHREYS Regional Business Manager South East Queensland 0438 169 157 [email protected]
JOSIP BALINT Regional Business Manager De Ruiter & South Australia 0400 377 333 [email protected]
SANDRA VERLAAT Regional Business Manager Western Australia 0408 875 917 [email protected]
MARK DUNNING Regional Business Manager New South Wales 0429 120 305 [email protected]
CARLOS RAMIREZ Regional Business Manager Victoria & Tasmania 0437 821 581 [email protected]
ANDREW HANSEN Regional Business Manager North Queensland 0488 316 837 [email protected]
UNA WOODHOUSE Business Development & Central Queensland Business Manager 0429 196 615 [email protected]
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CAROL WALKER Technology Development Lead, Vegetables 0409 472 898 [email protected]
DAVID CAMPBELL Technology Development Specialist 0400 304 766 [email protected]
Monsanto Customer Service
Monsanto Australia
Ph: 1800 364 846 Fax: 1800 892 066 Email: [email protected]
Head Office: Level 12, 600 St Kilda Road, Melbourne VIC 3004 Post: PO Box 6051, St Kilda Road Central, VIC 8008 Phone: 1800 069 569 Fax: 03 9522 6122 www.monsanto.com.au
Monsanto Australia, Head Office: 12/600 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004 Post: PO Box 6051, St. Kilda Road Central, VIC 8008. Phone: 1800 069 569 Fax: 03 9522 6122
www.seminis.com.au
