PRESS RELEASE
La Ménitré, FRANCE - 2 October 2023
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III INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON CARROT AND OTHER APIACEAEVILMORIN-MIKADO FORTIFIES ITS POSITION
AS GLOBAL CARROT LEADERAs gold sponsor of the International Symposium on Carrot and other Apiaceae, theseed company Vilmorin-Mikado is actively contributing to this third edition to present
its Carrot expertise on the latest evolutions of the industry, as well as its global carrot
range. Entitled “A taste of things to come”, this event is gathering the experts of thespecies in York, England, from 2 to 5 October 2023.
Vilmorin-Mikado, Gold sponsor of the 3rd Symposium
As the world leader in carrot with one third of carrot seeds sold worldwide, VilmorinMikado is sponsoring the third International Carrot Symposium. “After sponsoring
the first two editions of this symposium, we are very happy to renew our support tothis global event dedicated to Carrots and innovation. It is a pleasure to be back tothis event to highlight our worldwide carrot range as well as our expertise as Global
Carrot Experts” announces Amélie THERIEZ, Global Carrot Marketing Manager. For
the occasion, Vilmorin-Mikado invited its clients, producers, and distributors from 14countries.

Amélie THERIEZ© Vilmorin-Mikado

Three Carrot experts Vilmorin-Mikado for the scientific sessions
How are we adapting to climate change? How can artificial intelligence help to provide quantitativeand reliable data to select new varieties?... Several topical issues are at the center of discussions
today, with one permanent goal: create new carrot varieties even better adapted to the environment
and to the customer needs. To share its expertise during the symposium, Vilmorin-Mikado ismobilizing its Carrot experts to animate three scientific sessions on its most recent findings on
climate change, genetics, and computer vision with smartphones:•Envirotyping and climate change | Juliette CHEVALIER, Vilmorin-Mikado Carrot prebreeder, explains how envirotyping, that describes the environmental conditions impacting
plant development, can help to mitigate the impact of climate change on carrot. Identifying andmeasuring stress the crop must cope with is a precious tool for Vilmorin-Mikado to create
performing resilient carrot varieties.

•Carrot Genetics | Stéphanie ARNOUX, Vilmorin-Mikado Carrot geneticist, describes how
she develops high-density genetic map to facilitate the breeding and improve carrot crops. Thismap can provide a better understanding and identify the genetic basis of interesting agronomic
traits to breed more efficiently the future carrot varieties with improved yield, disease
resistance, stress tolerance, etc.

•Computer vision | Cindy TORRES, Vilmorin-Mikado Project Manager in Artificial Vision,
explains computer vision for carrot roots on smartphone images taken during crop evaluation.
It helps evaluating tricky characters that can be hard to judge just by looking at them, invisible
or difficult to access by eye, difficult or painful to perform in the field or time-consuming for
Quality Control and Breeding teams.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Laura GARNIER, Media Relations ManagerTel. : +33 (0)7 86 21 57 07 - medias@vilmorinmikado.com - newsroom

Vilmorin-Mikado - Route du Manoir - 49250 La Ménitré - FrancePRESS RELEASE
La Ménitré, FRANCE - 2 October 2023
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A complete and dynamic worldwide carrot range
Reinforcing its position of world carrot leader, Vilmorin-Mikado is taking
the opportunity to present part of its complete and dynamic global
carrot range during the British Carrot Growers Association (BCGA)
demonstration day on October 5th. A range of 6 carrot types - thebroadest range in the world - with more colors and sustainable
solutions for all markets of the carrot chain. For this special
occasion, Vilmorin-Mikado is showcasing more than half of its highquality range with four major novelties since the last edition:••••

New Berlikum carrot ALTIPLANO F1: Commercial carrots for
Colored carrots©
Vilmorin-Mikado
Central America with very high uniformity, big improvement inroot quality and marketable yields.
New Chantenay carrot MVC 607 F1 in development with leaf blight tolerance, goodenlargement, smoothness, and better root color.
New colored carrot VAC 144 F1 for fresh markets with good resistance to bolting and an
intense purple color (Nantes type).
TERAPUR, an innovative and agroecological plant solution for the European market to combat
the nematode Heterodera carotae. Acting like a trap crop resistant to this nematode,TERAPUR encourages cysts to hatch, and traps larvae present in the soil. By blocking thenematode cycle, TERAPUR prevents the formation of new cysts.

Several growers and experts testify.
A carrot range distributed by Hazera in Northern Europe
With a wide range of varieties adapted to every locality, Northern Europe is a key market for VilmorinMikado whose carrot range is distributed by Hazera under the commercial brand Vilmorin in theUnited Kingdom, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Poland. It should be
noted that, in Northern Europe, Vilmorin-Mikado best-selling variety isOctavo F1. This Nantes carrot has excellent characteristics: disease
resistance (cavity spot, Alternaria, powdery mildew), soil and cold storage,
frost resistance, good resistance to root breakage, homogeneity, andgood root quality, resulting in excellent yields. Its germplasm offers
Octavo F1 © Vilmorin-Mikado solutions to environmental problems, including climate change.
***For more information about the symposium: carrotsymposium.com
About Vilmorin-Mikado
Vilmorin-Mikado is a Franco-Japanese seed producer that has specialized in creating, producing, and selling vegetable seeds forprofessionals since 1743. As a responsible partner in the vegetable food chain, Vilmorin-Mikado is committed to helping better nourish
people everywhere. Our wide range of unique, original seeds is distributed on five continents in more than 100 countries. Vilmorin-Mikado
has more than 1,000 employees and recorded sales of €230 million in 2022-2023, of which 15% was entirely devoted to research. World
leader in carrots and witloof chicory, Vilmorin-Mikado is also a major player in salads, tomatoes, sweet peppers, kabocha squashes,
daikon radishes and bunching onions. Nearly three centuries ago, Vilmorin-Mikado’s founders began our Tree Seeds work, which actively
contributes to rebuilding sustainable forests. www.vilmorinmikado.com - #VilmorinMikado
Vilmorin-Mikado is part of Limagrain, an agricultural cooperative and an international seed group owned by French farmers. Limagrain
breeds, produces, and distributes field seeds, vegetable seeds and agri-food products. Focused on the genetic progress of plants,
Limagrain is the fourth largest seed group worldwide. www.limagrain.com - #Limagrain
MEDIA CONTACT:Laura GARNIER, Media Relations ManagerTel. : +33 (0)7 86 21 57 07 - medias@vilmorinmikado.com - newsroom

Vilmorin-Mikado - Route du Manoir - 49250 La Ménitré - France