“With snack tomato Dormaplum, we have an all-rounder in our hands,” says Wilfred Scheffers of Harmoniz Seeds. “The variety performs well on all fronts. The firm fruit with a nice bite ensures excellent shelf life (20+ days after harvest date), but it also makes the variety suitable for automation.” Moreover, its resistance to rugose is striking. “Even at higher temperatures and under other negative influences, such as PMV.”

At the Harmoniz Seeds demo on the Gantellaan in Honselersdijk, Netherlands, more than 50 varieties are currently on display. One of Wilfred’s favorites is the Dormaplum. “An all-rounder that can handle extreme conditions very well.”

The plants are vigorous and can tolerate a high load, creating advantages in other areas. “For example, by harvesting fully red trusses, which can then be emptied. That requires far less labor compared to picking individually,” Wilfred explains, adding that this will soon also be presented in an automated system.

Dormaplum makes it possible to keep a large stock of fresh fruit hanging on the plants, which creates more flexibility for peaks and dips in sales. “This allows better responses to promotions and campaigns from retail.”

However, before looking at these types of advantages, the key questions are about yield and taste. According to Wilfred, the yield keeps up with the current ‘mini plum’ varieties, even when harvesting fully ripe trusses. “Even then, the fruits do not crack, and the shelf life remains excellent. And because harvesting can be done fully red, the flavor is very good, and a brix level of 9 or higher is definitely achievable.”