WHILE the fields of lush vegetables were near picture perfect for the Victorian Vegetable Innovation Days (VicVID), it didn't just happen by chance.
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Weather and disease pressures challenged the companies with displays who put forward their best varieties.
The event was held on the Butler Market Gardens Catani farm, one of about 14 properties it now operates from, covering some 121 hectares (300 acres).
Butler Market Gardens chief executive officer Rick Butler said part of the vegetable breeding process was about getting varieties that exhibited better disease and pest resistance.
"Pest and disease control is always something that we are conscious of," he told ABC radio.
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"This field day and this site is helping us as growers to decide what are the best varieties to grow."
Elders agronomist Connor Steel, Pakenham, was involved with growing the field trials.
"It had its challenges when it started to get a bit wet up towards autumn," Mr Steel said.
"So we were seeing a fair bit of disease pressure whether it's downy mildew or white blister in brassicas or some bacterial blight in the parsley or some damping off. There were plenty of challenges but that's farming."
Biosecurity measures were in place at the field days including footbaths for visitors to sterilise their footwear upon entry.
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