The University of California, Davis, has released five new strawberry varieties in the United States that are resistant to soil borne Fusarium wilt, as well as having high yields and improved fruit quality.
UC Eclipse, UC Golden Gate, UC Keystone, UC Monarch and UC Surfline are available for sale to California nurseries, with the state supplying around 88% of US strawberries.
Fusarium wilt is one of the most common reasons for crop loss and death, and yet 55% to 59% of cultivars planted in the state since 2014 have not been resistant, according to UC Davis research. This is the first release from the UC Davis Strawberry Breeding Program where all the cultivars have Fusarium wilt resistance. They are designed to replace susceptible varieties such as Monterey.
Monarch was also developed specifically as a prototype for mechanical harvesting — another first out of the breeding program, which dates to the 1930s and has released 72 patented cultivars over the decades.
“These provide the same yield or better and they are Fusarium resistant,” said Steve Knapp, a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences and director of the UC Davis Strawberry Breeding Program. “They have a better collection of traits. They’re superior.”
He added that the program tries to “encourage people to consider things like disease resistance,” and routinely invites growers and other experts to events showcasing research breakthroughs and improved cultivars.
The new strawberry varieties each have improved flavour and characteristics that allow for near year-round growing around California. Some of the cultivars are adapted for production in the southern part of the state while others do well under the long daylight hours of summer along the coast.