SOUTH PACIFIC SEEDS ICEBERG INTRODUCTIONS

As many iceberg growers will be aware, South Pacific Seeds have been working intensively over the past 9 months on an entirely new programme to bring to market.

New genetics from four separate breeding programmes has resulted in an impressive trialling schedule which has given rise to what we believe is the best cool season schedule we have ever had. Four new varieties have been commercialised for the 2021 season for harvest - from early Autumn through until late Spring/early Summer - giving grower’s reassurance of continued productivity. The various breeding programmes we are drawing off each have their own strengths, which fits nicely in to the range of requirements growers have in various areas of the country over this period.

While the past Winter/Spring period was quite warm and dry (in general), trials were spread widely so as to cover as many different soil types and micro climates as possible. Specific characteristics have been identified as a minimum requirement depending on end use; for instance: frame size and type (for bagged or fresh/loose market), environmental conditions (frost tolerance in mid-Winter and bolting tolerance in Spring) and disease pressure (with screening for anthracnose and mildew being paramount). At SPS we aim to carry on our tradition of strength in the iceberg sector and look forward to sharing our new material with our growers.