Presenting the varieties -- Kazinga RZ, Kerio RZ and Limpopo RZ -- to farmers here yesterday, Rijk Zwaan business manager Edwin van der Klugt said the seeds had been named after African rivers, which were symbolic for the lifeblood on the continent.
Arusha. African farmers and beyond now have a reason to smile, thanks to Arusha-based Rijk Zwaan, one of the world’s largest vegetable breeding companies, for introducing into the market three new hybrid varieties of African eggplants.
Presenting the varieties -- Kazinga RZ, Kerio RZ and Limpopo RZ -- to farmers here yesterday, Rijk Zwaan business manager Edwin van der Klugt said the seeds had been named after African rivers, which were symbolic for the lifeblood on the continent.
African Eggplant, rich in calcium, iron and phosphorous as well as vitamins B1, B2, B5 and C, is a deciduous shrub from the family of solanaceae, is a highly branching plant, which can grow up to 6.6 feet in height across sub-Saharan Africa.
Widely known as mock tomato, ngogwe or nyanya chungu countrywide; the fruit with a size and shape of an egg is picked when it is green and is eaten as any other vegetables cooked into stew and sauces if not consumed raw.
Rijk Zwaan eggplant breeder Caroline Msoka said the seeds could fetch 76 tonnes per acre as opposed to barely 36 tonnes registered from traditional seeds, which were vulnerable to diseases.
“Unlike in open pollination, with crop breeding we can control the fertilisation process to maximise production, high shelf life, aroma, size, and resistance to diseases and pests,” Bertha Bagenyi, the firm’s Chinense Pepper breeder, explained.
Rijk Zwaan worked for eight years on the research and development of the African Eggplant hybrid varieties before releasing them this year for commercial basis.
Mr van de Klugt said the seeds were all characterised by other favourable features needed in the market chain such as firmness and taste. “Besides their efficiency in fighting micronutrient deficiencies, African Eggplant, as is the case with other vegetables, offer smallholders good opportunities for starting business,” he added.
“But growers will have to combine the high quality hybrid varieties with the right growing techniques, tailor-made to local circumstances,” cautioned Mr van der Klugt, stressing:
“That is why Rijk Zwaan has a demo station in Arusha and is building a team of crop advisors and product development specialists especially for East and West Africa.”
Rijk Zwaan Afriseme started breeding at its Arusha station in 2008 where hybrids for other African vegetable crops such as African Kale, Chinense Pepper and ‘determinate tomato’ have been developed.
In addition to breeding local African crops, Rijk Zwaan also uses the breeding station for evaluating its international assortment.
