The reason new varieties of major crops need to be tested every year is because, like cars, new models are released every year.
Some new varieties give higher, or earlier, yields than the varieties of the last decade.
Many of the varieties sold in catalogs are purchased by farmers who assume they will use a regular spray program. The best farmers in the CNMI already follow this same procedure of trying new vegetable varieties. Many farmers purchase seed from the same places as used in this program. Seven tomato varieties were tested in trials planted at four locations during April and May of 2000 on Saipan and Rota. New King Kong from Known Yu Seeds in Taiwan also did well.