Breeding is not just for the 'big boys'

Of course there are variations on that theme, Ard Ammerlaan adds immediately, but to take away the hint of mysticism somewhat, which sometimes seems to surround the breeding lab, it can be effective. Obviously that breeder has specific knowledge or else it will soon be over, but that does not mean that this activity must exclusively be reserved for the so-called big boys.

In any case, that is Ard’s opinion. In 2010 he founded his own breeding company, Prudac, an abbreviation for Production & Research for Urban Decoration and Consumption. He did that out of the blue, but not unprepared. He started at the horticultural school and worked continuously for years at various horticulture and breeding companies. When the internet became important, he got a brilliant idea for a web shop, but the bandwidth was not able to keep up with him. Because the Internet evolved so slowly, he had to give up the idea. And then came the idea of a breeding company of his own.

In the meantime Ard has a number of commercial vegetable varieties on the market. It was decided to focus on the pot patio plant market. That is not easy, Ard knows: the dynamics in this market is a separate story and perhaps the most defining characteristic is that it has developed strongly in recent years, but that is exactly what the challenge is. "I believe that this market potentially can become even very much bigger, with an added ornamental value. It's fun, picking your own tomatoes, and it's healthy. Moreover, if those tomatoes are really tasty and if you can keep picking them for some months in a row, then it certainly has a future."

But back to the beginning. If Syngenta or Rijk Zwaan introduces a new tomato, this is not only preceded by an extensive, long and costly research process, but it is also put on the market with extensive trial events and by many representatives. Ard now has a staff of 4 (two breeders and two for the remainder of the work) on the payroll. This allows Prudac in its niche to still serve the high quality requirements of the market.

At the same time, the market knows the Heartbreakers and the Ponchi, widely sold pot-tomato varieties for the Dutch consumer market. "What you need to research well is what you include exactly in the crossing program," Ard says. "That is how breeding started and that is essentially still the case. In about the middle of the last century, the first commercial breeders gathered field varieties - the then widely used varieties from the production of, for example, tomatoes, potatoes and beans - from different parts of the world. Combining these varieties can yield a variety with the strong properties of both. And what is it that you get? Something special that is resistant to plant diseases, something that does not exist yet. Prudac developed through intensive research, among other things, a tomato in the shape of a heart, a variety in which the fruits grow more on the outside then in the crop, a raisin tomato or a tomato that is frost resistant."

That is the power of breeding. A little bit of financial backing is also important though. You have to do tests, high quality seed has to be produced. Moreover, technical development is a continuous process. "We are a part of this", Ard confirms. "Prudac is also taking steps in new breeding methods that enable very accurate selection and high speed. We continue to strive to have the best variety in the world in our product segment. That is what we are building in order to expand our package with optimal varieties."

At the FlowerTrials, Prudac will present their existing assortment as well as a few introductions, mainly in the Ponchi, Heartbreakers and Pillar series at Green05 in Maasdijk.