Tozer Showcased Over 100 Innovative Vegetable Varieties at Dutch Field Trials 2025
Tozer successfully wrapped up another edition of its Dutch Field Trials, held from 23 to 25 September in Zwaagdijk-Oost, The Netherlands, as part of the annual Seed Meets Technology week. Over the three days, visitors from across the industry explored more than 100 innovative vegetable varieties on Tozer’s 1,300 m² trial plot, highlighting the company’s continuous commitment to plant breeding and innovation.
A Strong Focus on Celery and Parsnip
A leader in celery breeding, Tozer presented outstanding new varieties that drew significant attention. Mendel, a versatile dual-purpose variety, impressed visitors with its dark green leaves, high petiole count, uniform knuckles and strong race 2 fusarium resistance. Curie, another dual-purpose option, offered fast maturity, dark green foliage and high petiole numbers, making it ideal for multiple market needs.
Parsnip was another major highlight, with varieties like TZ 7508, known for its uniform shape, colour and suitability for pre-packing, and TZ 5152, valued for its consistent uniformity and canker tolerance for main to late season production.
Diversity Across Leek, Brassicas, Rocket and Coriander
Tozer also showcased strong performers among its leek portfolio. TZ 8380, a mid-early to main season leek with excellent shank quality, and TZ 8382, a main season leek combining good thrip tolerance with desirable leaf and shank characteristics, both demonstrated outstanding field performance across Europe.
In wild rocket, breeding efforts focused on improving bolting resistance, mildew tolerance and leaf serration. Visitors could observe both commercial varieties and promising new breeding material in the field.
New coriander varieties added even more diversity to the line-up. Flamenco, suited for winter production in warmer climates and popular in northern Europe for its dark-green, shiny leaves, and Rumba, performing well in cooler summer conditions, offered solutions for a range of growing environments.
UK-Bred Pumpkins and More
Pumpkin enthusiasts were particularly interested in Tozer’s range of varieties, especially Wicked and Zombie, the only UK-bred pumpkins available on the market.
Connecting with the Industry
Beyond the trial plots, the Dutch Field Trials also offered valuable networking opportunities. Visitors gathered during Tozer’s Happy Hour on 23 and 24 September, where they enjoyed conversations with the Tozer team and sampled the company’s signature celery gin and tonic.
“We were delighted to welcome so many visitors and share our latest innovations,” said Marcel Bloemendaal, Sales Director Northern Europe. “This year, we were particularly excited about the developments in celery, leek and kale, which continue to meet the demands of modern markets.”
Steve Winterbottom, Managing Director, added: “Our trials offered growers and industry professionals a unique opportunity to experience the quality, uniformity and versatility of our varieties first-hand. More importantly, they created the perfect setting for productive conversations about the future of our industry.”
For more information on Tozer and its innovative vegetable seed range, visit www.tozerseeds.com and follow Tozer on social media.
