Vegetables by Bayer has launched a ‘Confidence On Every Level Campaign’ which aims to provide a trusted platform to inform customers on the latest research on tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV).
The campaign includes a new dedicated webpage within all local Vegetables by Bayer websites, providing information on the company’s ‘SHIELD’ seed health program and upcoming ToBRFV resistant innovative varieties.
“ToBRFV is a viral disease impacting tomato plants that is spreading rapidly around the world,” says Leslie Teo, Global Issues & Public Affairs Lead at Vegetables by Bayer.
“As an R&D leader, Vegetables by Bayer works on all levels to provide long-term solutions for growers, marketers and consumers. Consistent performance and excellent fruit quality, taste and yield potential are the baseline for our research.”
Bayer adds that their ToBRFV resistant tomatoes are selected from established varieties with confirmed quality traits. The portfolio of resistant varieties already includes Strabini, Ferreira, Novero and Caramelino, with more varieties in the pipeline.
‘Throughout the trialing phase, only varieties that meet our stringent standards after testing under realistic growing conditions will be considered for the market,’ the company added in a statement. ‘As part of our ToBRFV mitigation program, in 2023, Vegetables by Bayer invested in a new 2,000 sq. m. quarantine glasshouse at Wageningen in the Netherlands. Selected new varieties from our trials will undergo Bayer’s rigorous testing and trailing program, while 0ur seed health program SHIELD – a set of rigorous and extensive protocols that support seed health and quality testing – is all set in place to support our production process.’