Athena

Stable yields of leaf celery

When growing leaf celery on a commercial scale, predictability is the key factor. The "Athena" variety from the Bejo breeding program is a classic leaf-type performer, allowing for precise seasonal planning. With a maturity period of 70–80 days, it is well-suited for successive planting schedules, enabling growers to meet market demand for fresh greens within a tight window.

Agronomic advantages

The primary challenge in celery production is its susceptibility to pathogens, which often necessitates significant expenditure on fungicides and insecticides. With "Athena," this burden is reduced due to its inherent genetic resistance. The plant shows strong resistance to downy mildew, allowing for a reduction in scheduled spray applications. Furthermore, the variety demonstrates high resistance to viral diseases, including celery mosaic virus and fusarium, which are common causes of crop loss in infested soils.

Operational features

• Efficiency: The leaf-type growth habit ensures uniformity, which significantly simplifies mechanized harvesting.
• Immunity: Resistance to viral mosaics minimizes the risk of product culling and waste.
• Dutch breeding: The genetic purity of Bejo seeds ensures consistent performance, eliminating "surprises" regarding height or maturity timing in the field.

For the farm manager, this translates into reduced production costs through savings on crop protection chemicals and more predictable logistics. When managed with proper agronomic practices, the variety exhibits high adaptability to various soil types, provided that adequate moisture levels—a fundamental requirement for this crop—are maintained.