A crowd gathered for the much-anticipated Short-Day Strawberry Field Day hosted by the University of California, Davis Strawberry Breeding Programme. The event, held in the heart of California’s strawberry-growing region, spotlighted two new short day varieties: UC Surfline and UC Monarch.
These latest innovations are the work of Professor Steve Knapp and his team at UC Davis, whose breeding efforts continue to shape the future of the short-day strawberry market. For years, this market has been led by older varieties like Fronteras, but newer contenders such as UCD Víctor have gained traction thanks to their high productivity, consistent quality, and excellent shelf life.
Now, UC Surfline and UC Monarch promise to further elevate industry standards – offering growers disease resistance, improved shelf life, and higher yields. UC Surfline is an early-season short-day variety that delivers firm fruit and high early yields, with harvests extending well into the season. It boasts impressive post-harvest qualities and strong resistance to key diseases. UC Monarch delivers not only early yields but also robust performance throughout the full season. Its fruit is firm, flavourful, and offers a long shelf life with enhanced aroma. It is well-suited for both mechanical harvest and substrate culture systems, making it an ideal choice for modern strawberry production.
Both are now licensed to nurseries internationally. While initial plant volumes are limited, production is ramping up to meet growing demand. These two new additions signal a bright future for the short-day segment, bringing innovation, resilience, and improved fruit quality to growers around the globe.
