Tomato capital of the Don - a joint project
Agrofirm SEMCO-JUNIOR and agricultural firms Nirit Seeds (Israel).

     This season we have proposed a large number of novelties tomatoes, which we first offer growers on the Don. Most of them are represented in a joint project between our company and the seed company "Nirit Seeds" (Israel). In late July, was organized to view the demonstration greenhouses in the village Krivyanskaya, which are grown promising hybrids of tomato breeding of different companies, including Israeli. Our colleagues in the company's "Nirit Seeds" Catherine Becker and Boaz Kaplan were able to place to find out the specifics of growing tomatoes in this region of Russia, to compare their hybrids with the products of other companies and make necessary conclusions on the need for changes in the selection process in order to obtain hybrids tomato, which could compete successfully in the greenhouses of the Don.

     For us also it was important to review progress, assess the specificity of each hybrid, its response to the growing conditions in this southern region and the dynamics of the impact of harvest. We understand that the main criterion - an early harvest friendly, and this is a major competitive feature of any hybrid. At the same time developed an interest in expanding choice.In a demonstration greenhouse, we were able to see more than 20 hybrids, differing in form, color and size. We are more interested in large-fruited and beef-tomatoes, which are most in demand. In this group, we evaluated two new items - Gilgal F1 and Malika F1. In plants, each of them the first inflorescence were laid after 7 leaf, start dates ripening of Malika F1 had a week earlier.
     But at the same vegetable growers say that the plants of this hybrid have been much longer. And indeed, in some greenhouses distance between brushes was 30-35 cm. Most likely cause is a high density planting of plants - up to 4.5 units/m². In the demonstration greenhouses in the Moscow region and in the Dniester region between the brushes were from 18 (3 plants/m²) to 25 cm. This figure is significantly smaller in the hybrid Gilgal F1, the distance between his wrists 12-14 cm Compact and shortness of indeterminate tomato for growing in lowgreenhouses Krivyanskaya village, so we can safely recommend this hybrid for the Rostov region in the 1 st and 2 nd speed vegetable crops. Early and large-fruited, great bright colors of fruits - all of these features will take the hybrids Gilgal F1 rightful place in the greenhouses of the southern region. It should only take into account that this hybrid, demanding a high level of mineral nutrition, then it can realize its potential.If you violate the conditions of cultivation in the hottest time of the fruit can crack that in some places, farmers notice. To avoid this, should abandon the watering in the evening and did not reduce the concentration of the nutrient solution. In addition, it is necessary to feed the plants heavily with fertilizers containing potassium, at maturity, which would give the fruits of stability and excellent color. Malika F1 on earliness than Gilgal F1 approximately 7-10 days, than liked in the Rostov region, where it is grown in this season on the area over 1 ha. We believe that this is a promising hybrid, only when landing must strictly adhere to the norm - not more than 3 plants/m².

     Our program cherry tomatoes developing quite successfully. For hybrids that have won recognition growers (Cherry Ira f1, Cherry Myo F1, Cherry Kira F1), this year added two new: and Cherry Likopa F1, Cherry Lisa F1. Both have a grape shape, but the first - a dark-red color, with a high content of lycopene and sugars, and the second - orange, sweet with a rich tomato flavor. The test results showed high fruit inception in hot conditions this year, early maturation, weak cracking and good marketability. The fruits of the hybrid Cherry Likopa F1 can be removed as short clusters, and single fruit, the hybrid Cherry Lisa F1 better remove single fruit. Slightly larger than cherry tomatoes, cocktail tomatoes. In this group, we offer a hybrid Forte Mare F1, with round red fruit with a mass of 40-50 g. The fruits are in compact racemes of 6-8 pieces, do not come off in transit, stored up to 40 days without loss of marketability. Some larger clusters tomatoes Vitador F1 and Drive F1. Very nice and smooth clusters, resistant to fruit cracking, high marketability and productivity offered hope for the success of these hybrids as a simple gardeners and farmers. Some interest was the new with the form of fruit in the form of a plum. Provisional title of the tomato - Manon F1. The fruits of this hybrid mass exceeding 150 g, intense red color, in short bunches of 3-5 fruits that ripen almost simultaneously, so can be removed and placed on the market as cluster tomatoes.
     Among all the tested specimens, perhaps, the earliest was the hybrid Dioranzh F1. The fruits of the hybrids have the orange color, round, flat, weighing over 100 grams, slightly cracked and have a very good taste. We believe that this hybrid has a great future as a gardeners and farmers.
     My colleagues from Israel visited planting tomatoes in the demonstration greenhouses with Lyudmila Ivanovna and George Afanasievich Stradanchenkovyh and Tatyana and Valentina Aksenova, which grow as our hybrids, and a collection of hybrids of other companies, in order to evaluate the merits of each hybrid industrial scale.
According to our partners from the village Krivyanskaya operating and financial results in 2010 exceeded the results of the previous year. The emergence of a new generation of hybrids will in the next season to offer wholesale customers in the emerging market tomato extended range. It is not possible to do business only in the traditional large-fruited tomatoes!

General Director of JSC "Semco-Junior" Y.B. Alexseev
Managing technological service A.K. Akhatov