WOODLAND, CA - Happy National Watermelon Day, y’all! What better way to ring in this occasion than by celebrating one of Syngenta Vegetable Seeds’ newest varieties? The company developed its new Valor watermelon to help growers maximize profitability, and Syngenta has committed to donate a portion of the proceeds from every plant sold to American veterans’ organizations through the National Watermelon Association (NWA).
“It’s an honor to be part of a charitable initiative that supports American veterans while also supporting American farmers with high-quality varieties,” says John Reese Franklin, Syngenta’s Technical Sales Representative and a Veteran Sergeant in the U.S. Army. “I believe we have something special in this dynamic variety, and I look forward to seeing the donations Valor provides to American veterans’ organizations as well as the benefits for those who grow it, and ultimately, those who buy it.”
Set to be introduced in the 2022 growing season, this initiative is being funded by Syngenta’s Full Count® Plant Program, which provides Syngenta genetics to every major U.S. production region from preferred transplant producers.
According to a press release, Valor is a 79-day maturity watermelon with a firm flesh, blocky fruit shape, and a medium-dark green, pixelated rind. It has demonstrated good field holding ability, a higher fruit set, and offers various benefits, including intermediate resistance to Fusarium Wilt race 1 and Anthracnose race 1.
“Our work on disease resistance breeding and new variety development is helping growers maximize profitability,” says Javier Martinez-Cabrera, Head of the Americas at Syngenta. “In addition to Valor, we’ve recently introduced other innovative new varieties like SP-7, a non-harvestable pollenizer that can maximize yield of seedless watermelons, as well as traditional seeded pollinizers. This is just one more example of our focus on delivering unique varieties for growers.”
Valor follows Syngenta’s recent introduction of popular varieties like Powerhouse and Summerlicous seedless watermelons, featuring the appearance, flesh firmness, field-holding ability, and taste desired by retailers and consumers.
Maximizing the excitement of this launch, Syngenta is teaming up with NWA to support U.S. veterans. The two organizations share a rich history and a common goal of promoting U.S. watermelon growers and driving innovation within the industry, and Syngenta is a 2021 Platinum Sponsor of the NWA.
“The NWA is thrilled to team up with a valued industry partner like Syngenta to raise money for two national veterans’ organizations,” says Bob Morrissey, Executive Director, NWA. “Together, we can make an even bigger impact for those who have sacrificed so much for this country, and we couldn’t do it without the support of the watermelon growers who are at the heart of all we do.”
Cheers to this new variety and the worthy cause it supports.
