2000 STRAWBERRY CULTIVAR UPDATE
T.E. Crocker1 and Craig Chandler2.
1University of Florida, Dept. Horticultural Sciences,
Gainesville. 2University
of Florida, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center-Dover
'EARLIBRITE' STRAWBERRY
There is a need in west central Florida and other winter strawberry production areas for an early ripening cultivar to replace or be an alternative to 'Sweet Charlie'. 'Sweet Charlie' has benefited the Florida strawberry industry through its relatively high production of fruit early in the season, when market prices are generally high. But the average size of 'Sweet Charlie' fruit is small, and the texture of its fruit is often soft, making shipment and shelf life of 'Sweet Charlie' problematic. 'Earlibrite' strawberry has produced high early-season (December through February) yields of large, flavorful fruit at the University of Florida's Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Dover (GCREC-Dover) and in three commercial fields in west-central Florida. It is recommended for trial in areas with mild winter climates. The clone was named 'Earlibrite' because of its high early-season production of bright red fruit, and to honor Earl Albregts, a soil scientist who spent his entire professional career (1967-1996) at GCREC-Dover.
ORIGIN
'Earlibrite' originated from a 1993 cross between 'Rosa Linda' and FL 90-38. 'Rosa Linda', a 1996 release from the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, was used as a parent because of its high early-season yield potential and its desirable fruit shape. FL 90-38, a 1991 selection, was used as a parent primarily because of its ability to produce attractive fruit early in the season. The original plant of 'Earlibrite' was selected in 1993 from a field nursery at GCREC- Dover. 'Earlibrite', tested as selection FL 93-100, has been evaluated in replicated plot trials at Dover and in observational trials for several years at the University of Florida's Suwannee Valley Research and Education Center, Live Oak.
DESCRIPTION
'Earlibrite' is a short day cultivar. It has a more compact plant habit than 'Sweet Charlie' or 'Camarosa', currently the standard strawberry cultivars grown in west-central Florida. The compact plant habit leads to the production of fruit that are exposed, and therefore easy to harvest. This exposure, however, also makes the fruit vulnerable to rain damage (i.e. cracking and cat-facing). Fruit of 'Earlibrite' tend to be very large. Marketable fruit of 'Earlibrite' had an average weight of over 20 grams in trials at GCREC-Dover. Large fruit size is an important breeding objective, and a key factor in the improvement of harvest efficiency. Primary fruit are often globose-conic in shape; whereas secondary and tertiary fruit are conic to wedge-shaped. External fruit color is a deep orange red; internal color is a light orange red. The calyx is generally medium in size and slightly recurved, a feature that may provide some structural resistance to Botrytis fruit rot (caused by Botrytis cinerea). Fruit of 'Earlibrite' are moderately firm and have a flavor intensity and sweetness comparable to 'Sweet Charlie' and 'Camarosa', as determined by a trained taste panel. 'Earlibrite' also has some of the aromatic qualities of its parent 'Rosa Linda'.
PERFORMANCE
'Earlibrite', in the replicated trials at GCREC-Dover, produced total yields not significantly different than those of 'Sweet Charlie' and 'Camarosa'. 'Earlibrite' grown in three commercial fields in the Dover/Plant City area during the 1999-2000 season produced early-season fruit yields comparable to those of 'Sweet Charlie'. 'Earlibrite' has also been an early producer of large fruit in the observational plots in north Florida, but in this location it generally lacks vigor and is less productive than 'Camarosa' and 'Chandler'.
'Earlibrite' is susceptible to anthracnose fruit rot (caused by Colletotrichum acutatum), but, in most years, this disease has not been a serious problem. We anticipate that growers in central Florida will finish harvesting 'Earlibrite' in early March, which is typically before environmental conditions are favorable for disease development. 'Earlibrite' appears to be less susceptible than 'Sweet Charlie' to Botrytis fruit rot and less susceptible than 'Camarosa' to powdery mildew (caused by Sphaerotheca macularis). 'Earlibrite' can, however, be severely affected by the twospotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae).
AVAILABILITY
The Florida Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences has applied for a U.S. plant patent on 'Earlibrite', and this cultivar has been uniquely characterized using a set of oligonucleotide DNA primers in RAPD analysis. 'Earlibrite' is licensed to the Florida Strawberry Growers Association by Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Inc. Information on nurseries sub-licensed to propagate 'Earlibrite' can be obtained from the Florida Strawberry Growers Association, P.O. Drawer 2550, Plant City, FL 33564.
'STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL' STRAWBERRY
Most of the strawberries produced in Florida are shipped fresh to locations throughout the eastern U.S. and Canada. Therefore, Florida growers need cultivars that produce fruit that are attractive and flavorful, and maintain these qualities during and after long-distance shipment. 'Strawberry Festival' strawberry has produced commercially acceptable yields of firm, attractive, and flavorful fruit in trials at the University of Florida's Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Dover (GCREC-Dover) and in two commercial fields in west central Florida. It is recommended for trial in areas where strawberries are grown in the annual hill plasticulture system. The clone was named 'Strawberry Festival' in recognition of the Florida Strawberry Festival7, an annual festival in Plant City that celebrates the abundant crop of fruit harvested in eastern Hillsborough County during late February and early March.
ORIGIN
'Strawberry Festival' originated from a 1995 cross between 'Rosa Linda' and 'Oso Grande'. 'Rosa Linda', a 1996 release from the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, was used as a parent because of its high early season yield potential and its desirable fruit shape. 'Oso Grande', a University of California cultivar, was used as a parent because of its ability to produce large, firm fruit. The original plant of 'Strawberry Festival' was selected in 1995 from a field nursery at GCREC-Dover. 'Strawberry Festival', tested as selection FL 95-41, has been evaluated in replicated plot trials at Dover and in observational trials for two years at the University of Florida's Suwannee Valley Research and Education Center, Live Oak.
DESCRIPTION AND PERFORMANCE
'Strawberry Festival' is a short day cultivar. It has a vigorous plant that tends to produce numerous runners if planted in early October in central Florida. The fruit is attached to long pedicels, and has a mean fruit weight similar to that of 'Sweet Charlie', currently one of the major cultivars grown in west central Florida. The fruit are mostly conic in shape. The external color of fully mature fruit is deep red and glossy; internal color is a bright red. The calyx is large and showy. Fruit of 'Strawberry Festival' have a very firm texture and excellent flavor. In trials at GCREC-Dover, and in two commercial fields in the Dover/Plant City area, 'Strawberry Festival' has had a fruiting pattern and yield similar to that of 'Camarosa'. 'Camarosa' is currently a major cultivar in Florida, California, and other annual hill growing areas. In the observational plots at Live Oak, 'Strawberry Festival' has been less vigorous and had lower fruit yields than 'Camarosa', but has been more vigorous and had higher fruit yields than 'Sweet Charlie' (Bob Hochmuth, personal communication). 'Strawberry Festival' is susceptible to anthracnose fruit rot (caused by Colletotrichum acutatum), Colletotrichum crown rot (caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporodies), and angular leaf spot (caused by Xanthomonas fragariae); therefore we recommend that fruit growers choose their transplant source carefully to avoid starting off their season with infected plants. 'Strawberry Festival' is less susceptible than 'Sweet Charlie' to Botrytis fruit rot (caused by Botrytis cinerea), and less susceptible than 'Camarosa' to powdery mildew (caused by Sphaerotheca macularis).
AVAILABILITY
The Florida Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences has applied for a U.S. plant patent on 'Strawberry Festival', and this cultivar has been uniquely characterized using a set of oligonucleotide DNA primers in RAPD analysis. 'Strawberry Festival' is licensed to the Florida Strawberry Growers Association by Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Inc. Information on nurseries sub-licensed to propagated 'Strawberry Festival' can be obtained from the Florida Strawberry Growers Association, P.O. Drawer 2550, Plant City, FL 33564.
In the advanced testing program 95-256 has looked good. 95-256 has the capability to produce very high early season yields when planted in early October. Its fruit is generally firm and attractive, but somewhat small and deep red. 96-114 is an offspring of 'Sweet Charlie'. The appearance of its fruit is similar to that of 'Sweet Charlie' but its fruit are typically very firm. Our biggest concern with this one, at the moment, is the fact that its fruit are sometimes difficult to snap off. 95-256 and 96-114 are currently being put through the heat treatment and meristem process to produce clean nursery stock. We will be looking at high elevation and northern latitude propagated plants of one more selection, 97-39, this season. This selection has produced consistently attractive fruit on bushes that have an open canopy and are easy to harvest.