•
PARSNIP TRIALS
•
THE
VEGETABLE
FARMER •
JANUARY 2017
be sown early to late producing a
firm root resistant to bruising,” he
said.
“Our new contender −Warrior
(TZ9043) − is very early and
vigorous while beingwhiter and
carries its weight slightly better
down the root. Warrior is proving
very popular in commercial trials
in Europe, Australia, New Zealand
and North America. We will be
moving forwardwith it in the next
12-18months.”
The VCS trial also featured
Albion, slightly whiter than Javelin
and according to Daniel proving
particularly popular in Germany
and Scandinavia.
“Our in-house breeding
programme is focusing on traits
includingwhiter roots, improved
weight distribution and firmness -
giving resistance to bruising,” said
Daniel.
Hazera Seeds UK
Helping to bring the UK season
forward, Victor is a new early
variety fromHazera’s UK based
breeding programme. “Very good
from early sowings it generates
good bulk and yields earlier than
usual reference varieties,” said
Hazera’s John de Soyza. “With a
superior shape, it is less bulby, has
a smooth skin and amore regular
shallow crown that is easy to
clean. It’s also firm so doesn’t
bruise easily.”
Offering similar maturity to
Javelin, Vulcan is Hazera’s new
early main crop variety harvested
from September onwards to early
June. Viper is the third new
introduction and later maturing.
According to John de Soyza it
offers another level of shape and
skin smoothness – claims borne
out in this year’s VCS trial results.
“We’ve tested Victor, Vulcan
and Viper for late season harvest
with reference to regrowth and all
are very tolerant,” said John.
“Regrowth results in corky, bitter
and unpalatable roots.
“All three are now fully
commercial and seed quality is
very good. Germination rates are
good – post disinfection and pre
priming all our seed has reached
between 80-90% after 10-14
days. Meanwhile, feedback from
pack houses is goodwith very low
wastage levels.”
Elsoms
With an established UK-based
parsnip breeding programme,
Elsoms’ growing portfolio includes
Panorama. Launched five years
ago, this vigorous high yielding
maincrop early mid season variety
is gaining in popularity.
“Highly reliable, Panorama
produces very well filled roots
which are not so tapered,” said
Elsoms’ Martin Strickson. “It offers
good general disease resistance
compared to older varieties and,
with a non-recessed crown, is a
robust variety strong against
bruising.”
With early maturity, dual-
purpose variety Palace produces a
good yield. Grown extensively
over the past 20 years, particularly
in East Anglia, it remains one of
the standards.
Launched five years ago, late
storing variety Pearl is very slow to
regrow in the spring. “Harvested
fromMarch through toMay/June,
Pearl offers growers the
opportunity tomeet demand for
fresh parsnips almost year round
from the end of June to early June
the following year,” saidMartin.
“Its value as a late crop variety
−with a good level of disease
resistance, high degree of
uniformity and attractive root
weight distribution−means it is
becoming increasingly popular
with growers. It’s also very
uniform and the colour is good.”
Looking to the future, Elsoms’
vegetable breeder Richard Tudor
said the parsnip programme is
looking at canker resistance and
root whiteness, alongside
standard traits including yield,
weight down the root, crown
depth and season extension. To
support this, Elsoms has invested
in a PhD study looking at root
colour and disease resistance from
a genetic viewpoint. “We are two
to three years away from
launching six new hybrids andwill
start evaluating in grower trials
this year,” said Richard.
Meanwhile Elsoms is making
significant investment in new seed
treatments and increasing overall
capacity together with new seed
storage facilities.
Pro-Veg Seeds
In contrast to the other
companies, Pro-Veg Seeds’ plots
contained varieties bred outside
the UK – Tusk and Bielas. Bred in
Australia, Tusk is the higher
yielder. According to Barrie Smith
this versatile variety is suited to a
wide range of soil types and has a
nutty flavour. “Tusk produces
medium length, smooth and
tapered roots withwell rounded
shoulders and a shallow crown,”
24
German parsnipgrowing
As with other vegetables, there is an increasing trend towards
pre-pack parsnips. Retailers are increasingly looking for
smoother, whiter andmore cylindrical (rather than bulby) roots.
Outside the UK, parsnip consumption is increasing particularly
in Germany, Netherlands, France, Australia and Canada.
One of several overseas visitors to the VCS event, Reinhardt
Carsten− from Palatinater in SWGermany − has been
growing parsnips for some ten years. Starting in a small way,
he currently grows 20ha for the freshmarket supplying
predominantly regional German supermarkets.
“Until recently parsnipwas a niche product for the German
organics market, but lately it is generatingwider appeal,” said
Reinhardt. “We grow Countess, Javelin and Gladiator in ridges
− as on heavier soils this produces a better shape root.
German retailers want a 3-4cm girth, sowe sow at higher
densities compared to UK growers. We harvest from the end of
June through to end of February. Unlike the UK, we lift and
cold store the crop.”
Daniel Fait with Javelin – Tozer’s
market leading variety.
John de Soyzawith new early variety Victor – one of three promising new
introductions fromHazera. Victor has a superior shape, a smooth skin and is
also firm so doesn’t bruise easily, he says.
Elsoms plant breeder Richard Tudor with Panorama and Pearl. Pearl, is
becoming increasingly popular with growers and offers the opportunity to
extend the UK parsnip season almost year round, he says.
