Bayer launches TY-tolerant tomato, addressing one of the main tomato viruses

Bayer has announced the release of ComandanTY tomato in the Brazilian market, which is the first that is tolerant to TY (Tospovirus, from the Bunyaviridae family), one of the major viruses affecting tomatoes.

Plants infected with Tospovirus

"Combined with pest management, this variety served as an alternative to combat whitefly infestation in the crops," stated Bayer's horticulture and fruit segment.

Additionally, the multinational company claimed that ComandanTY exhibited "good adaptability in rainy periods, high fruiting, improved fruit quality, and resistance to cracking."

"The development of innovative solutions for horticulture is a result of the approximately 2.8 billion euros invested globally by the company each year in research and development (R&D) for various crops," said Daniela Augustinho, Marketing Manager at Seminis – Bayer's brand for horticulture in Brazil.

She emphasized that these efforts aligned with Bayer's commitment to addressing hunger and supporting "more efficient and sustainable food production, in line with our vision of 'Health for All, Hunger for None.'"

Augustinho asserted that one of Bayer's top priorities was to "concretely act against food insecurity."

"As a company, our goals for 2030 are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement," she assured.

According to the Marketing Manager of Seminis, the portfolio was designed to "provide solutions that reinforce this commitment, improving the lives of both producers and consumers."

Augustinho also revealed another release, TigerGrey zucchini, designed for year-round production according to each region and season.

"It is an extremely vigorous material, attractive for trade, showing excellent fruit coloration and uniformity at harvest. With excellent resistance to powdery mildew – one of the main diseases of the crop – it also has intermediate resistance to WMV (Watermelon mosaic virus) and ZYMV (Zucchini yellow mosaic virus)," she explained.

Bayer operates in over 20 crops with approximately 120 vegetable varieties sold in Brazil.

Apart from ComandanTY Tomato and TigerGrey Zucchini, the Seminis brand has experienced a period of intense releases in recent years with significant impact in the field.

In 2023, in the crop protection area, Bayer also introduced the label extension of Verango Prime (Fluopyram) to the market. Launched last year for effective and long-lasting control of nematodes and black spot (Alternaria grandis) in potatoes, from this year onwards, the nematicide was prescribed for new crops such as carrots, beets, melons, watermelons, bananas, tomatoes, and guavas.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)