Brand Label

Shield your cucumber crops with For Defense

Rijk Zwaan's For Defense cucumber varieties have intermediate resistance (IR) against the Fusarium menace. Fusarium oxysporum f. sp has long been a concern for cucumber producers globally, wreaking havoc on yields and fruit quality. For Defense, offers growers a robust solution, ensuring reliable defense against Fusarium and a boost in both productivity and quality for your cucumber cultivation.

Harvest the benefits of For Defense

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Stable production

No unpleasant surprise of dying plants due to Fusarium.

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Better fruit quality

Healthy plants secure production, give less waste and a good fruit quality.

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Reduced need for crop protection agents

Resulting in better working conditions and saving costs.

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Trials prove the performance of For Defense

There is a big difference between the effects in cucumber plants with Fusarium resistance and those without. In trials, a comparison between Rijk Zwaan’s resistant varieties and susceptible varieties in a greenhouse with infected soil produced very clear results.

Discover the difference with our For Defense varieties!

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumber is a fungus found in soil and substrates that attacks the root system and is difficult to eradicate. Growers who choose to work with Fusarium-resistant cucumber varieties can be sure of stable production and fruit quality.

Fusarium in susceptible varieties

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumber is a fungus found in soil and substrates that attacks the root system and is difficult to eradicate. As a soil and substrate fungus, Fusarium affects the root system. At first, Fusarium causes just a few leaves to wilt slightly. However, the wilting becomes more progressive a couple of days after the initial infection. The fungus damages stems as well as leaves, and plants are no longer able to recover. As a result, they become a potential source of infection for other plants.

Minimising the risk of spread

Although Rijk Zwaan’s For Defense varieties are resistant against Fusarium, there is no guarantee of 100% protection. Therefore, it is essential to maintain good workplace hygiene in order to minimise the spread of the fungus.

growers

From sleepless nights to peace of mind

Since Fusarium poses significant challenges and is a serious threat to cucumber growers, Greek cucumber grower Marinos Epitropakis has adopted the For Defense variety Forada RZ: 'This variety now enables me to harvest high-quality fruits in a region where non-grafted cultivation is a risk.'

More information?

Contact Heleen van Rijn-Wassenaar or Celine Firet to find our more about our For Defense cucumber varieties.

For more information, please contact:
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For more information, please contact:
Heleen van Rijn-Wassenaar
Specialist Marketing Pepper & Cucumber
For more information, please contact:
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For more information, please contact:
Celine Firet
Specialist Marketing Pepper & Cucumber