Unique frost tolerance
The 2011 NIAB Variety Cup has been awarded to the Nickerson-Zwaan carrot variety Eskimo F1, bred by Vilmorin, in recognition of its unique frost tolerance and resulting commercial impact. The award acknowledges varieties that have made a major contribution to crop productivity and can be drawn from the entire spectrum of horticultural, ornamental and agricultural crops. NIAB TAG’s Bruce Napier explained that when Eskimo F1 was commercially launched in 2003 it represented a step forward in carrot breeding with its frost tolerance, which has since contributed to improved quality, yield and pack-out results from open-field situations late into the winter. Uncovered crops of Eskimo F1 did particularly well in 2010 surviving the early, hard frosts in November. John De Soyza, Range Manager at Nickerson-Zwaan UK Ltd: “Congratulations to our team who were involved in bringing the variety to the market. It has truly been a joint effort between our sister breeding company Vilmorin, who had the foresight to begin introducing frost tolerance into hybrid carrots some 20 years ago, and the product development and commercial teams who worked so well together to launch the variety.”
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