Bayer has announced the launch of Baya Solara, the first commercial strawberry variety under its De Ruiter brand, marking a key step in the company’s strategic expansion into the strawberry sector.
The launch follows Bayer’s 2023 acquisition of strawberry assets from UK-based NIAB and reinforces its commitment to delivering innovative solutions for protected culture growers, in a market where year-round demand for strawberries continues to exceed supply.
Baya Solara is a June-bearing variety developed for high productivity and strong disease resistance, particularly against Phytophthora cactorum, without compromising fruit quality.
According to Bayer, the variety is specifically positioned to serve Northern Europe’s rapidly growing protected cropping sector, offering growers new opportunities through improved reliability and performance.
Focus on quality and resistance
The variety is characterized by large, uniform fruits designed to reduce post-harvest darkening, meeting increasing consumer and retail expectations for high-quality strawberries.
Baya Solara also delivers a pleasant sweetness with a balanced sugar-acid ratio and shows enhanced resistance to key diseases, supporting the long-term sustainability of strawberry production.
Baya Solara will be available to growers in the UK, Germany and the Benelux countries and is the first June-bearer launched commercially since the NIAB acquisition.
It complements Bayer’s existing strawberry portfolio, which includes Malling™ Ace and Malling™ Centenary, within Bayer’s broader Vegetable Seeds business that supports growers worldwide with a wide range of crop varieties tailored to global consumer preferences.
Text and image source: www.bayer.com
