News & Events

Enthusiasm for Seminis Pickle Genetics Travels Fast

Seminis knows that improved yields equal success for pickle growers and has focused its efforts toward that target. With each new hybrid cross, Seminis pickling cucumber breeder, Dr. Nischit Shetty, is introducing new varieties with increased yield potential.

Building on multiple years of success with Vlaspik, Seminis has introduced three high-yielding pickling cucumbers, Journey, Expedition, and most recently, Excursion.

The first in the series is Journey, a real performer in commercial trials that out-yields Vlaspik. Exceeding Journey's yield potential is Expedition, which has quickly gained a fan base due to its excellent adaptability and high net return to the grower.

"Vlaspik has been the flagship pickling cucumber variety for over a decade," said Blake Johnson, Seminis sales representative. "Expedition has successfully surpassed that market in a matter of two short years. I have never seen any variety experience that level of success in such a short period of time. It goes without saying, I've had a lot of positive feedback from processors and growers alike."

In Texas, a major production area for cucumbers, growers who traditionally produced Vlaspik are now finding higher yields and greater financial success with Expedition.

"Expedition has worked out very well for us in Texas," says Jim Noltner, vice president of Texas operations for Hartung Brothers. "We were using Vlaspik and now all our growers want to produce is Expedition."

Near Uvalde, the Hartung Brothers' production of Expedition has consistently yielded 40-50 bushels more per acre than their standard variety.

"In Texas, early and late, we're 100 percent Expedition, spring and fall this year," Noltner said. "That's not always smart to do, but it tells you that it's working exceptionally compared to anything else."

For Best Maid Products based in Forth Worth, Expedition has proven to be a very good variety. In their productions, they've noted an improvement in yield over Vlaspik. Jason Ruhland, fieldman and operations manager, reports that Best Maid's Expedition acreage will increase next year.

"Its aggressive vegetative growth, coupled with the fact that it performs in adverse conditions, makes Expedition suitable for west Texas," Ruhland said.

At Allied Acres in Alma, Mich., grower Jerry Clark first tried Expedition two years ago and was very impressed. The yield potential of Expedition, combined with its fruit quality and attachment, really caught Clark's attention.

"I've been raising machine harvest cucumbers since 1969," Clark said. "I've seen a lot of varieties come and go and Expedition is one of the most impressive ones I've seen."

Allied Acres currently produces about 630 acres of pickling cucumbers and Clark plans to increase his Expedition acreage in the coming year.

The newest member of the Seminis pickling cucumber line-up is Excursion (EX 04501043). Based on five years of preliminary trial data, Excursion has the potential to transport growers to an even higher level of success.

"Early indications in the Midwest show that Excursion has potential to produce very high yields, of very high quality fruit on dry land and under irrigation," says Ric Pugsley, Seminis sales representative. "I think this versatility could give it a solid slot in pickle programs throughout the Midwest."

Seminis continues to lead the way for the pickle industry as it develops new varieties with solid performance in the field and in the processing plant. By investing heavily in research and extensive trialing, Seminis is providing the industry with new varieties that give growers an improved return on their investment.