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6 years ago

The Partnership no. 13

  • Text
  • Enza
  • Tomatoes
  • Partnership
  • Zaden
  • Tomato
  • Biodiversity
  • Melon
  • Varieties
  • Flavour
  • Consumer

State-of-the-art in

State-of-the-art in Tanzania Seed production at Enza Zaden is performed according to strict hygiene guidelines. Sometimes these are tailored to specific crop/pathogen combinations. For example, the GSPP protocol focuses specifically on clavibacter in tomato. The company is also investing by other means in technology and people, to ensure that seed is produced according to the highest standards. A good example of this is the production station in Tanzania, which recently underwent further expansion. 22 | The Partnership

Technology Seed production For Enza Zaden customers – growers and nurseries – healthy and high-quality starting materials are of the utmost importance. The lengthy process of achieving this starts during the setting up and further course of seed production. Particular attention is paid to diseases that can be transmitted to the crop via the seed. Well known examples of this include clavibacter and pepino in tomato, tobamo viruses in tomato and sweet pepper and CGMMV in Cucurbitaceae. Hygiene guidelines “The process of seed production includes many steps and actions,” explains Director Seed Production Manuel van Eijk. “Each of these steps and actions pose certain risks of disease transmission and spreading. We follow strict hygiene guidelines to minimise these risks. We use the GSPP protocol for tomato, sweet pepper, cucumber and melon, which was developed by France and the Netherlands in 2010 to prevent clavibacter infection and is now the global standard for seed production facilities and nurseries. This protocol, in combination with a number of additional measures, also reduces the risks for other pathogens and crops such as sweet pepper, cucumber and melon.” Good Seed and Plant Practices GSPP stands for Good Seed and Plant Practices. The protocol provides a detailed process description, risk analysis and description of measures required to prevent infections and disease transmission. Examples of such measures include quarantine areas for packaging and plant materials that have not been disinfected, hygiene sluices in critical areas for disinfection of shoes and hands, special work clothing, and equipment to clean and disinfect packaging and transportation equipment. Enza Zaden has been accredited for GSPP since 2010. The protocol stipulates an annual audit of the facilities where GSPP is implemented by an independent auditor. All facilities worldwide are inspected by the specialists from the Dutch quality service Naktuinbouw. Tanzania The production facility in Arusha, Tanzania, was set up in 2003 for the propagation of high-value crops. General Manager Wytze Salomons and Assistant General Manager Monique Salomons have been managing this facility since 2006 and describe what this currently involves. “Our main activity is the commercial seed production for tomato, sweet pepper, cucumber and melon,” explains the general manager. A small section of the company is dedicated to maintaining parent lines of these crops and producing seed for breeding purposes.” The Partnership | 23

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