NEW AUSSIE TOMATO - A WINNING TRIFECTA
Published Monday, 13 August, 2007 at 01:03 PM
Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries
The Honourable Tim Mulherin
Smooth, firm curves, great flavour, and intense colour—the world’s most popular fruit, and arguably one of the sexiest, is about to become even more popular with a new home-grown variety available soon.
Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Tim Mulherin said a new gourmet tomato variety bred by scientists at the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries would be spicing up salads across the country in the not-too-distant future.
The new tomato, marketed under the name of Trifecta by horticulture giant Syngenta, enhances the qualities that caused the French to call tomatoes pomme d’amour or ‘the apple of love’.
Mr Mulherin used the Trifecta as part of his ingredients as he competed alongside Premier Peter Beattie at the Brisbane Exhibition today in the Agforce Celebrity Cook Off.
“Trifecta is an exceptionally firm tomato with great internal gel qualities, so they are perfect for dicing or slicing in your favourite salad,” Mr Mulherin said.
“The fruit have a smooth, regular round shape and an intense shiny red skin. They are also a good size, meaning that are equally at home on the plate or a burger.
“They also taste great, so Trifecta is a great bet to liven up any dish.”
Trifecta is also a winner for tomato growers, having been bred in Queensland for Queensland growing conditions.
“Trifecta came out of the Department’s breeding program in Bowen, but it is certainly suitable for production in coastal areas in Queensland, such as in tomato districts Bowen and Bundaberg, and also at Gatton,” Mr Mulherin said.
Trifecta is resistant to several fungal diseases, including all Australian occurring strains of Fusarium wilt - a serious horticultural disease that affects tomatoes - and intermediate resistance to powdery mildew.
“A big plus for growers is the consistent larger size of fruit that matures later in the crop, which means that a higher proportion of the yield is marketable. Many varieties do not perform well for fruit size, but Trifecta performs well in this area,” Mr Mulherin said.
Trifecta will be a real boost to Queensland’s tomato industry, which is worth about $165 million a year and is the main producer of fresh market tomatoes in Australia.
Tomato trivia
• Botanically speaking, tomatoes are a fruit, although they are often categorised as a vegetable.
• Tomatoes were first cultivated in South America by the Aztecs and Incas around 700 AD before being introduced to Europe in the 16th century.
• In 2004–05, Queensland produced around 85,800 tonnes of tomatoes, which is about 21% of Australian production and 56 percent of its value.
Media: 32396530
Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Tim Mulherin said a new gourmet tomato variety bred by scientists at the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries would be spicing up salads across the country in the not-too-distant future.
The new tomato, marketed under the name of Trifecta by horticulture giant Syngenta, enhances the qualities that caused the French to call tomatoes pomme d’amour or ‘the apple of love’.
Mr Mulherin used the Trifecta as part of his ingredients as he competed alongside Premier Peter Beattie at the Brisbane Exhibition today in the Agforce Celebrity Cook Off.
“Trifecta is an exceptionally firm tomato with great internal gel qualities, so they are perfect for dicing or slicing in your favourite salad,” Mr Mulherin said.
“The fruit have a smooth, regular round shape and an intense shiny red skin. They are also a good size, meaning that are equally at home on the plate or a burger.
“They also taste great, so Trifecta is a great bet to liven up any dish.”
Trifecta is also a winner for tomato growers, having been bred in Queensland for Queensland growing conditions.
“Trifecta came out of the Department’s breeding program in Bowen, but it is certainly suitable for production in coastal areas in Queensland, such as in tomato districts Bowen and Bundaberg, and also at Gatton,” Mr Mulherin said.
Trifecta is resistant to several fungal diseases, including all Australian occurring strains of Fusarium wilt - a serious horticultural disease that affects tomatoes - and intermediate resistance to powdery mildew.
“A big plus for growers is the consistent larger size of fruit that matures later in the crop, which means that a higher proportion of the yield is marketable. Many varieties do not perform well for fruit size, but Trifecta performs well in this area,” Mr Mulherin said.
Trifecta will be a real boost to Queensland’s tomato industry, which is worth about $165 million a year and is the main producer of fresh market tomatoes in Australia.
Tomato trivia
• Botanically speaking, tomatoes are a fruit, although they are often categorised as a vegetable.
• Tomatoes were first cultivated in South America by the Aztecs and Incas around 700 AD before being introduced to Europe in the 16th century.
• In 2004–05, Queensland produced around 85,800 tonnes of tomatoes, which is about 21% of Australian production and 56 percent of its value.
Media: 32396530