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A new variety of black cabbage breed by Tozer Seeds is winter hardy with darker, savoyed leaves.
Bejo’s Kossak kohlrabi is twice the size of other kohlrabi.
and thinking how do varieties react to purple lights in a greenhouse in Philadelphia.”
As is also the case for berries grown in substrate pots as soil-borne disease resis- tance needn’t be tested in varietal selections, cultivar development for indoor-produced veggies can eliminate tests needed for open field crops, and therefore expedite the process.
for stuffing and snacking, and size is very important.”
Processing and mechanical harvesting open the door to new varieties.
While improving the taste is top of mind for breeders today, this pursuit of flavor has not been to the neglect of farming consid- erations. It’s just that agriculture itself has changed significantly and is in the midst of a
rapid transformation.
Justin Davis of Sakata says the move to
indoor agriculture and vertical farms close to urban centers is changing the way plant breeders are making their selections.
“Before you’d be breeding for something that’s disease resistant and you’re thinking how is this going to react in Salinas, CA or Yuma, AZ,” he says. “Now we’re breeding
PHOTOS COURTESY OF TOZER SEEDS AND BEJO
PRODUCE BUSINESS / MAY 2019 / 31