Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Hazera – the Tomatoes of Tomorrow

source: http://www.israelagri.com/?CategoryID=404&ArticleID=1083

 

Interview with Hazera’s Global Tomato Product Manager Yaron Giras

Yaron Giras (Enlarge)

Most of us remember going to the supermarket as children and seeing one type of tomato in the vegetable aisle. In many places in Europe and the U.S. those days are long gone.  And one of the companies responsible for this change is Hazera.

“Today if you walk into a supermarket in Holland or California, you will probably find 15-20 types of tomatoes on display,” says Yaron Giras, Global Tomato Product Manager at Hazera.

Hazera is a global leader in the seed industry, and holds 10% of the global market of fresh tomato seeds.  The company markets a variety of other vegetable seeds, but tomatoes are their specialty, and make up over 25% of the company’s business. The company is the leader in the Israeli tomato market and a very strong player in the markets in the Mexico, USA Spain, China, Turkey and Greece especially. 

Hazera invests extensively in research & development of new varieties of tomatoes.  According to Giras, the company invests over 15% of its revenue in R&D every year, and maintains many breeding teams, different breeding programs and dozens of researchers, all dedicated to bringing consumers the tastiest tomatoes possible.

So what are the latest trends, what is the market looking for in new breeds of tomatoes?  “The story is all about taste,” says Giras.  “The market is very focused on making the new varieties of tomatoes as tasty as possible.  Customers' demands are at the heart of everything we do. Today the concept of food from a customer perspective has changed. Food is no longer just an existential need, but a quality of life, leisure and entertainment. There is also a desire for variety – in colors, shapes and sizes – the desire to be different and stand out on the supermarket shelf.”

Another trend is the growing mini plum tomato variety (also known as grape or snack tomatoes), which is the small, more oval shaped tomato. This type of tomato is one of Hazera’s strongest and growing categories.
Hazera is expanding its reach beyond dominant markets, most recently into Africa, especially Ethiopia, Kenya and Zimbabwe.  According to Giras, the African market is growing and moving from open pollination varieties to hybrid tomatoes varieties, which are more consistent and have more resistant, high yield, and which are already dominant in the America and Europe.

On the R&D front, Hazera has recently debuted three new tomato varieties – Maggie and Goutine, two new tasty tomatoes, and the new Whitney cherry tomato variety.  “We bred these new tomatoes for the best possible taste, as per the market’s demands. The reactions to these new varieties has been wonderful,” concludes Giras. “We look forward to seeing these new varieties succeed in the world, and to bringing more and better varieties to consumers through our ongoing R&D activities.”

Hazera is part of the international Limagrain Group. Hazera is a worldwide leader in the breeding, development, production and marketing of hybrid vegetable seed varieties, characterized by advanced research & development, marketing throughout the world, and agro-technical support. The company, which was established more than 75 years ago, constantly develops new products that address market needs and are marketed via 12 subsidiaries and distributed in more than100 markets worldwide. Limagrain is an international agribusiness corporation. The corporation is composed of 2000 framers in the center of France. Limagrain is the fourth largest seed company in the world, and the second largest in the field of vegetable seeds, with an annual turnover estimated to total about 2 billion Euros.

Agritech 2015 focuses on post-harvest systems | ISRAEL21c

19th annual Agritech International Agricultural Exhibition & Conference in Tel Aviv shows off creative solutions for sustainable agriculture



Agritech 2015 focuses on post-harvest systems | ISRAEL21c

$10,000 fine wasting California's water

Residents and businesses could soon face that threat after Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday unveiled legislation that would increase potential penalties on the most flagrant water scofflaws and allow cities, counties and water districts to issue fines without having to go to court.

"As this drought stretches on, we'll continue to do whatever is necessary to help communities save more water," Brown said after meeting with California mayors, including San Jose's Sam Liccardo and Oakland's Libby Schaaf.



http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_28005922/gov-jerry-brown-proposes-10-000-fines-water

Beijing examine strawberries containing pesticide

Beijing Municipal Bureau of Agriculture launched a special investigation on Monday over reports of pesticide-contaminated strawberries.
The bureau sent a team to Changping district, the major strawberry cultivation base in Beijing, to check for restricted or banned pesticides, said a bureau spokesperson.
Should any products not adhere to standards they will be withdrawn from the market, the spokesperson said.
The investigation follows a report by state broadcaster CCTV, which found harmful pesticide residue in all eight strawberry samples it tested.
Source: www.wantchinatimes.com



Beijing examine strawberries containing pesticide

Monday, April 13, 2015

Irrigation Pressure Regulation

 

Our team has traveled all over the USA and across the globe, and noticed two strange things when it comes to pressure regulation: some growers will tell you that it’s the best way to save water and energy, while others will claim it’s nothing but a waste of time and money unless you have sloped fields.

Senninger has been highlighting the importance of pressure regulation for years, but regulating system pressure has never been as important as it is now with heavy drought conditions and diminishing aquifer levels in numerous regions.

That’s why we’ve created a quick pressure regulation FAQ list to help explain not just how a regulator works, but why they’re needed and how you can tell if yours is working.

How does a pressure regulator work?

The basic function of a pressure regulator is to limit excessive and varying inlet pressures to a constant outlet pressure. This is done to maintain the desired performance of a sprinkling device.

Pressure regulators accomplish this by automatically modulating their area of opening. By changing the area of opening as upstream pressures fluctuate, pressure loss through the regulator changes proportionally. This allows them to maintain the downstream pressure at a relative constant.

Why do I need pressure regulators?

No matter what type of irrigation system you have, correct system pressure is essential for optimum distribution uniformity and proper flow through emitters. Crops need the right amount of water at the right time and pressure regulators ensure this need is met.

Sprinklers are made to operate within a specific range of flows and pressures. They’ll maintain their application pattern and adequate droplet size as long as they can operate under normal conditions. If these conditions are altered, their application pattern will be affected and you could easily run into uniformity issues, over or under watering, and irregular crop growth.

What causes pressure deviations?

Every irrigation system will experience some sort of pressure fluctuation. The most common reasons for pressure fluctuations include:

  • Elevation changes in a field
  • Pressure loss through pipe fittings
  • End guns cycling on and off
  • Cycling of various irrigation zones and valves

Do I need a pressure regulator with flat land?

Yes! Your system pressure can change due to too the various causes listed above and more. Elevation is just one of the many things that cause pressure fluctuations.

No matter what degree of elevation you have, controlling flow and pressure is essential for systems operating at lower pressures. For example, if a system operating at 30 psi (2.07 bar) experiences a 6 psi (0.41 bar) pressure variation, that will result in a 10% flow variation. That flow variation can adversely impact sprinkler performance and ultimately affect your yields.

How does pressure affect my flow rate?

The operating pressure of an irrigation system always affects the flow rate. Higher pressures increase flow along any pipe. As that flow increases, water velocity increases as well. This results in pressure decreasing downstream due to friction loss. When water is rushing through a pipe at high velocities, the interior walls of the pipe create friction against it, which causes pressure loss.

How long does a pressure regulator last?

Senninger pressure regulators are built using high-impact engineering grade thermoplastics and are 100% water-tested at our facilities. However, like sprinklers, they do not last forever. Irrigators are encouraged to check their pressure regulators at least every three years.

Factors that can shorten a pressure regulator’s lifespan include:

  • Unflushed chemicals in the pipeline
  • Suspended abrasive materials in the water
  • Long operating hours
  • Water hammer

How can I tell if a pressure regulator is bad?

Issues such as dry spots near the head, overwatering in a doughnut shaped pattern, uneven crop growth and streaking in the field, and misting are all common signs of pressure regulator malfunctions. Using yield maps and even aerial imaging may prove helpful in identifying issues.

By Nicole Alvarez, Technical Writer for Senninger Irrigation, Inc.

http://www.farmershotline.com/stories/irrigation-pressure-regulation