For growers who have enjoyed the on-farm performance of bell pepper hybrid PS 09942815, Seminis^® has a variety to rival its success. Antebellum, a hybrid, green, sweet pepper, is a second generation variety with similar X10R^® resistance but earlier setting patterns and more concentrated fruit set. Simply put, Antebellum is a good variety for a grower who is interested in an early harvest with a high concentration of fruit and excellent resistance to bacterial leaf spot. The variety also has high resistance to Tobacco mosaic virus and an intermediate resistance to Tomato spotted wilt virus.

While developing this product, Seminis pepper breeder Scott Milligan said the goal was to create better productivity and disease resistance than existing varieties. “Antebellum solves some of the problems pepper growers in the southeastern U.S. have struggled with,” said Milligan. “We wanted it to have early maturity, more effective resistance to bacterial leaf spot and a high productivity. It really is a triple threat when it comes to pepper varieties.”

X10R is a trademark of Seminis and refers to the plant’s ability to resist all known races of bacterial leaf spot, including race 6 and race 10 which are becoming more prevalent in southeast pepper growing regions. For growers in Georgia and now Florida, X10R is a must have to provide broad resistance to bacterial leaf spot. Resistance to races 6 and 10 is not currently available in competitor hybrids. Once symptoms of bacterial leaf spot are present, the disease can be difficult to control. Symptoms typically appear as water-soaked areas, later enlarging and turning dark-brown to black with a pale tan center. Lesions on the upper leaf surface will often appear slightly sunken and those on the lower leaf will be slightly raised.

Antebellum builds on the success of PS 09942815 and with 73-75 days relative to maturity, the variety produces a higher yield potential for its first harvest. The fruit also offers an outstanding deep green color and smoothness, ideal for the end consumer. The fruit has a length to diameter ratio of 1.10 creating a deep, blocky shape. From an aesthetics standpoint this creates a better, prettier pepper and the shape also lends itself well to colder growing conditions. Cold weather causes fruit to get shorter and flatter, but with a deeper size the fruit will not completely flatten out. This can be beneficial in the cool Florida mid-winter growing season as well. The deep shape allows the fruit to shorten slightly, but still retain a normal good shape at harvest. With Antebellum pepper growers always have the yield potential, shape and resistance you desire.

HR = High Resistance

The ability of a plant variety to highly restrict the activities of a specific pathogen or insect pest and/or to restrict the symptoms and signs of a disease, when compared to susceptible varieties. Varieties with high resistance may exhibit some symptoms when specified pathogen or pest pressure is severe. New and/or atypical strains of the specific pathogen or pest may overcome the resistance.

IR = Intermediate Resistance

The ability of a plant variety to restrict the growth and development of the specified pest or pathogen, but may exhibit greater range of symptoms compared to varieties with high resistance. Intermediate Resistant plant varieties will show less severe symptoms or damage than susceptible plant varieties when grown under similar environmental conditions and/or pest or pathogen pressure.