Labour concerns push Nunhems' vegetable breeding focus

Technology will play an important role in shaping the future of commodity lettuce, especially as labour shortages continue to grow.

Nunhems has introduced new typologies to adapt to current mechanical harvest technology.

NUN 6567 and 6193 are non-hearting cos varieties that produce a high number of leaves of similar size which can be marketed as a whole leaf, cut leaf or in a sleeve for fresh market.

These varieties have solid stems improving post-harvest shelf life and delivering a sweet taste experience when eaten.

Also introduced is Agros and NUN 8208, open hearted iceberg types with an upright growth habit that when harvested capture 90-95 per cent of the plant resulting in a more efficient growing system.

These varieties work exceptionally well at Higher densities, where yield have been found to double per square metre.

Multileaf lettuces planted at higher densities is another concept driven by sustainability.

The benefits include higher yields per metre and mechanical harvest leading to decreased labour costs.

These produce a greater yield per input used such as water, fertilisers and chemicals, making for a more sustainable system.

Varieties that impressed included NUN 9111, a coral type with a shiny olive-green colour, 9163 a high yielding green spiky type, NUN 9164 and cherry red coral/oak with good leaf volume and a small cut point and NUN 9120, a red spikey type, high yielding with good leaf separation and a small cut point.

Other highlights in the lettuce were NUN 6811, a new improved Thinker type in little gems, Winbee and NUN 6560 in the babycos.

Winbee is a dark green type with an upright habit and high uniformity best suited to cooler season production.

Crispol is a cosberg type offering crunchy spoon like leaves that can substitute pita bread or tacos and are great for appetizers.

In Icebergs Heleda is a Autumn variety with a robust frame producing large flat round heads.

It showed excellent uniformity and filled nicely allowing it to be used for the fresh and processing market. In trials, Heleda has shown a strong tolerance to frost.

NUNHEMS has been breeding in spinach for only a relatively short time, with its initial focus being on disease resistance and becoming a leader in the organic market.

In the last five years the focus has shifted to leaf shape, colour and thickness whilst maintaining its position as a leader in disease resistance.

Crater is warm shoulder variety that has an upright growing habit producing a very thick round oval leaf.

The colour is dark green and yield is very high. Crater has a uniform petiole length. This variety has race 1-17 resistance to downy mildew.

Sculptur is Nunhems new shoulder variety with a downy Mildew resistance of 1-17.

The leaf is very dark, oval round and is slightly savoyed. It has an upright growing habit and produces a very high yield.

Sculptur is a highly uniform variety and follows Crater in the transition between warm shoulder and cool shoulder.

Nunhems would like to thank the EGVID committee for their continued support in the presenting of the Field days.