b"are other exciting colors and types in thedriver in the crop. Breeding for niche pipeline.SOME NEW OFFERINGS markets can be a challenge in the business Johnnys recently released a kabochasense. Introducing novel colors is great but squash called Marmalade, and BreederThe Black Beauty tomato (www.rareseeds.com/ if they still only end up as less than 5% of Lindsay Wyatt says its bright coral color isblack-beauty-tomato) has extreme anthocyaninthe total market value, it becomes a chal-unusual in longer-storing kabocha squash.expression, resulting in a solid blue-black exteriorlenge to get a return on the investment.Over the past two years, weve alsoFalconer notes that keeping the broad released kabocha squash that are pinkand blue-purple and red flesh tones. diversity in the vegetable germplasm, (Winter Blush) and sea green (SweetStrawberry Popcorn corn (www.rareseeds.com/ including genes relating to outer rind and Jade), she says. All of these are fairlystrawberry-popcorn) has small ears of dark reddish- inner flesh colors, is good for breeding, as unique in the market and their eye-catch- brown that resemble large strawberries. well as for the consumer.ing appearance is a major asset. Weve also been exploring the wide range ofThe Turkish Orange eggplant is an African speciesTrendscolor potential in winter squash. (the purple and white varieties are Asian) with aIn terms of whats new with colored However, Giroux cautions that a fewbright orange color, a rich, non-bitter flavor andselection, medleys are big right now. categories of novel-colored vegetablesa round shape. (parkseed.com/turkish-orange- You see it in radish, carrot, cherry dont taste great raw and consumerstomato, peppers and others, says therefore need to be educated abouteggplant-seeds/p/52680-PK-P1/) Falconer. These are basically mixes of dif-that. Some of the purple carrots, forThe Chocolate Beauty sweet pepper has a solidferent colors in the same vegetable pack.example, should be roasted or sauteed tobrown color (https://www.edenbrothers.com/ Giroux agrees. bring out their best flavor. products/chocolate-beauty-sweet-pepper- There is very strong demand not just for new colors but for the most diverse Breeding Challenges seeds?clickId=4214644899) colors possible in any given crop, she Of course, vegetables and fruit with nov- Purple asparagus is sweeter and milder than greensays. Carrots are a perfect example. They elty colors and color patterns still needand white varieties. are almost like flowers. Not just different to be competitive and have the currentcolors but shades of colors are now desir-market prerequisites. www.johnnyseeds.com/vegetables/asparagus/ able. And another trend is multi colors in Returning to butternut squash anderasmus-f1-asparagus-seed-4643.html one individual vegetable or fruit, and/or pumpkins as an example, Daley explainsstriping. Were seeing this in vegetables that there are particular market stand- www.westcoastseeds.com/products/purple- like peppers, tomatoes and melons. ards shaped by the consumer that largelyasparagus-crowns Rijk Zwaan is currently in the process dictate the appearance of the product inTricolor Bean Blend plants produce purple, goldof launching some novel watermelon vari-terms of shape, external color and internaland classic green beans on the same plant. www. eties with unique color and rind patterns.quality standards. Gueguen adds that colored tomatoes Disease resistance and other agro- westcoastseeds.com/products/tricolor-bean-blendand leafy greens may have had the most nomic traits are also obviously critical. InThe Pulsar Pink carrot has a rosy hue success in the market because diversity of 1977, a team of agronomists from a Newwww.seedsbydesign.com/seed/Carrot-Pulsar-Pinkcolors was also combined with different Zealand firm called Zespri imported kiwishapes and sizes compared to the regular seeds from China, a different species thanThe Anne Yellow Raspberry is a patented newand traditional products. For example, conventional green kiwi. After years ofsummer-and-fall bearing golden raspberry grape and cherry tomatoes in various selection, a line was created with yellow(www.willisorchards.com/product/anne-yellow- colors and in lettuce, Batavia and red oak flesh in 1992.raspberry-plant#.Y5ixF3bMJEZ) with a golden- leaves are currently popular. However, cultivation of the yellowRijk Zwaan recently introduced a red variety didnt grow significantly due to itsorange color. vein arugula, which won the Best Product high susceptibility to bacteriosis, espe- Promo award for the second year in a row cially canker (also called Pseudomonasat the U.S. Foodservice Conference.syringae pv. actinidiae or PSA). Indeed, anThere is high demand across theWhile we dont know what new colors outbreak of PSA caused significant lossesboard, says Falconer. I'd say its hardmay be arriving on the market in years to Zespris ZespriGold between 2010to think of a vegetable without demandto come, the appetite for more is likely and 2013. Zespri developed a new PSA- for unique colors. Lettuce, spinach,to stay very strong among consumers. resistant variety called Zesy002. watermelon, peppers, cauliflower, car- Novelty is a product characteristic that rots, radish, melons, beets, tomatoes, youalways attracts interest.Demand name it. And those in the industry love color Demand remains high for coloredBut Falconer also cautions that eventoo. For her part, Giroux would like to produce and it would seem that all newwith the new demand for different colors,have three to five colors in every crop product launches are going to meet withat the end of the day [the novel products]type that Johnnys offers. market success. are often a specialty and not the mainIt would be my dream, she says.SW54/ SEEDWORLD.COMFEBRUARY 2023"