The harvest of Nova Siri Genetics (NSG) strawberry cultivars grown in the main Mediterranean Basin production areas started a few weeks ago. The use of NSG varieties records a further 15% increase for the 2024/25 season compared to the previous one, reaching 150 million plants produced, distributed as follows: 39% in Spain, 52% in Italy, and 9% in other Mediterranean production areas.
In particular, in Italy, the varieties used by producers in the southern regions grew by 12%, reaching 78 million. In Spain, specifically in the Huelva province, 58 million plants of NSG strawberry cultivars are being cultivated this season, marking a 16% growth compared to the previous year.
NSG 203 - Marimbella® is the earliest variety, representing 47% of the breeding program's cultivars distributed for the 2024/25 season. It is followed by Melissa with 20% and NSG 207-Gioelita® with 13%. NSG 465 – Rossetta® has achieved great success, reaching 12% of the total, with 17 million plants distributed for the 2024/25 season, just four years after its launch. The remaining share is represented by other varieties and cultivars still in the experimental phase.
NSG 203 - Marimbella®
“The success of our varieties,” says Carmela Suriano, EMEA Director of the company, “is the result of research focused on production needs and different market segments. The strength of Marimbella®, for example, lies in its earliness and productivity starting from the autumn/winter months. Its bright red color and uniform shape, which are maintained even under low temperatures, make it one of the most appreciated varieties among producers in the Mediterranean areas.”
The production of this variety with rooted tips began as early as November in Spain, Italy, Greece, Morocco, and Albania. For fresh plants, the first harvests occurred in the last days of December.
The NSG 465 – Rossetta® cultivar is noteworthy. With 17 million plants propagated in 2024, it confirms its enormous growth potential in the premium price segment, thanks to the beauty of its fruits in terms of shape and color, as well as their flavor and aroma, combined with a high shelf life. Harvesting of this cultivar will also begin by the end of January and continue until the end of May.
NSG 465 – Rossetta®
The numerous positive feedback received from nursery and producer partners ensures that NSG continuously works on researching strawberry and berries cultivars that are increasingly innovative and meet current needs from various supply chain stakeholders.
Activities conducted in the experimental fields at the research and experimentation center in Policoro (MT) are the heart of the company's breeding and research efforts.
“This year, approximately 25,000 selections of strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries at various development stages are present,” says Nicola Tufaro, NSG's geneticist. “We aim to identify future cultivars among them. Alongside these, the experimental fields of our nursery and producer partners within the NSG Network, located in different areas of the Mediterranean Basin and other temperate-climate strawberry-growing regions worldwide, are also essential. Thanks to these, we can analyze the performance of our advanced selections on a broader scale and their adaptability to different soil and climatic conditions, terrains, and planting types.”
NSG experimental fields
NSG is also organizing its traditional open day at the Policoro research and experimentation center, which will be held again this spring. In the coming weeks, the company will share all necessary information for participation with interested supply chain players.
Source: NSG
