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Canadian lettuce nominated for seed award

NEWS HIGHLIGHT

Canadian lettuce nominated for seed award
For the second year in
a row, the new Estival lettuce has been nominated for the Eastern Canada Seed
of the Year award.

November 3, 2009 – For the second year in
a row, the new Estival lettuce has been nominated for the Eastern Canada Seed
of the Year award, which will be presented at Toronto's Royal Agricultural
Winter Fair, from November 6 to 15, 2009.

This
innovation by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will undoubtedly make its mark
in Canadian horticultural markets, since this variety has the considerable
advantage of being resistant to rib discolouration and bolting. With the
Estival lettuce, leaves no longer turn brown. Thanks to
this alternative variety, horticulture producers will be able to eliminate
financial losses incurred during times when their lettuces go brown too quickly
and don’t sell as well. 

It
took 10 years of research to create this new variety, the fruit of the labours
of Dr. Sylvie Jenni, scientific researcher in physiology and genetic
improvement in vegetable production at the Horticulture Research and
Development Centre in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu.

Moreover,
seeds are now available. Coop Uniforce in Napierville, Montérégie, has been
selling Estival lettuce seeds since last spring, as well as those of another
variety created by Dr. Jenni and her team, Hochelaga lettuce.

Estival
and Hochelaga are varieties of head lettuce that are both resistant to rib
discolouration and bolting but created for different markets. The first is well
suited for processing and better meets American export standards. The second is
a more traditional type that is well suited for the local fresh market.