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- Author or Editor: Craig K. Chandler x
The University of Florida strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa Duch. ex Rosier) breeding program has maintained a continuous breeding effort since 1968 to develop cultivars that are highly adapted to winter production in west-central Florida. To gain insight into breeding progress over time, two advanced selections (UF1 and UF2) and 10 released cultivars, from Florida Belle (1975) to Florida Radiance (2008), were compared for various fruit quality traits in a two-location field study during the 2009–2010 season. Fruit size varied dramatically from 30.8 g for ‘Elyana’ to 16.2 g for ‘Dover’ at Balm, FL, and from 28.3 g for UF2 to 16.6 g for ‘Dover’ at Dover, FL. A linear regression of fruit size on year of release revealed an average gain of 2.6 g per year since 1975 for the cultivars and selections tested (R 2 = 0.44). A similar analysis revealed a reduction over time in the proportion of cull fruit (R 2 = 0.30). Gains were apparent for the redness of the internal flesh, from a colorimeter a* value of 16.1 for ‘Florida Belle’ (1975) to 34.7 for ‘Carmine’ (2002) but were not sustained for later releases and selections. Although there were significant differences among genotypes for all chemical traits affecting flavor, there were no discernable patterns over time. There were wide month-to-month variations in individual sugars and organic acids, except for citric acid, which was stable across months and locations. The ratio of soluble solids content to titratable acidity ranged widely among genotypes, from a high of 15.7 for ‘Florida Belle’ in February at Dover, FL, to a low of 6.4 for ‘Winter Dawn’ in January at Balm, FL. The observed variability and trends in fruit quality traits will help guide future genetic studies and inform decisions about future breeding priorities and selection procedures.
In west–central Florida, strawberries (Fragaria ×ananassa Duch.) are harvested from early December to late March. The peak harvest occurs at the end of the season and lasts ≈1 month, usually from late February to mid-March. As the peak harvest progresses and temperatures increase, fruit become smaller and the soluble solids content (SSC) of fruit declines. The main objective of this study was to determine whether the progression of peak harvest results in a decline in SSC independent of temperature. In 2007 and 2008, recently opened flowers were tagged in the field on the first week into the peak bloom (WPB) and for 3 additional weeks thereafter. Three days after tagging, plants were transplanted to one of two constant temperature environments (15 or 22 °C). At maturity, the weight, SSC, and fruit development period (FDP) of tagged fruit were recorded. Fruit SSC was lower at the higher temperature (5.2% at 22 °C versus 6.5% at 15 °C) in both years. In 2007, SSC was not correlated with WPB, and in 2008, SSC was positively correlated with WPB at constant temperatures. In addition, the coefficient of determination (r 2) for a regression of SSC on mean temperature over the period 8 days before harvest was 0.73 for fruit harvested from fields between 2003 and 2009. These results indicate that rising temperature is a major factor responsible for the late-season decline of SSC in strawberry fruit in a subtropical production system.
Abstract
Five blueberry interspecific hybrids (3 tetraploids, 1 pentaploid, and 1 hexaploid) and 2 highbush (Vaccinium corymbosum L., 2n = 4x = 48) blueberry clones were crossed in all combinations. Seeds per pollination and seed germination were the criteria used to measure the success of these crosses. The tetraploid interspecific hybrids were fully cross-fertile with the highbush clones and with each other. The pentaploid and hexaploid interspecific hybrids were only partially cross-fertile with the highbush clones and with the tetraploid interspecific hybrids; nonetheless, they still produced an adequate amount of viable seed in most combinations. Significant reciprocal differences in crossability were detected for 4 of the 5 species hybrids.
Abstract
Experiments were conducted to examine strawberry (Fragaria × anannassa Duchesne) plant renovation practices, singly and in combination, for effects on vegetative growth of greenhouse-grown, potted strawberry plants. The major results of these experiments were as follows: a) most of the plants that were both defoliated and root-pruned after fruit harvest died; b) there was a negative linear relationship between the number of leaves removed and the number of new leaves and runners produced; c) root, leaf, and total plant dry weights were negatively correlated with the severity of root pruning; and d) soil addition after fruit harvest decreased the shoot : root ratio of multiple-crown plants, but had no effect on single-crown plants.
A tissue culture protocol was developed that increased the germination percentage and decreased the lag time to germination for strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) achenes. This technique involved cutting surface-sterilized achenes across the embryo axis then placing the shoot apex/radicle-containing sections on semisolid Murashige and Skoog medium lacking hormones. Cut achenes began germinating 5 days after culture and achieved maximum germination (97% to 100%) in less than 2 weeks, compared to whole achenes, which began to germinate 7 to 10 days after sowing and required more than 7 weeks for maximum germination (<50%). Enhanced germination of cut achenes was a general phenomenon since achenes from 231 hybrid crosses responded similarly. Following placement on culture medium, cut achenes could be stored up to 8 weeks at 4C then removed to 27C, where germination and seedling development occurred at percentages and rates comparable to freshly cut achenes. Achenes did not require stratification before cutting to exhibit increased germination. Nearly 100% of the achenes from freshly harvested red-ripe, pink and white strawberries germinated after cutting and culture, although cut achenes from white and pink berries germinated more slowly than those from red-ripe berries. Achenes from green berries, whether whole or cut, did not germinate. This method of “embryo rescue” could be used to generate more seedlings from poorly germinating hybrid crosses, would considerably decrease the time from sowing to seedling production compared to traditional means, and would produce seedlings of uniform age for subsequent field evaluation.
The use of locally grown transplants in Florida strawberry (Fragari×ananassa Duchesne) production has increased since the release of the cultivar Sweet Charlie by the University of Florida in 1992. Previous research has shown that nursery region can influence production patterns of other strawberry cultivars through differences in photoperiod and temperature exposure. Transplants of `Sweet Charlie' strawberry (bareroot and plug plants) from sources representing northern (Canada, Massachusetts, Oregon), southern (Alabama, Florida) and mid latitude (North Carolina) transplant production regions were compared for plant vigor, production, and pest incidence at Dover, Fla. in 1995-96 and 1996-97. Total fruit production was not significantly different forplants among the plant source regions in 1995-96, but total yield from southern source plants in 1996-97 was significantly lower than northern and mid latitude plant sources. Monthly production of marketable fruits varied among the three plant source regions in December, January, and February, during which time market prices fell 46% in 1995-96 and 56% in 1996-97. Plants from northern and mid latitude sources produced significantly greater fruit yield in December than plants from southern sources. Differences among plant sources were detected for early flowering, initial crown size, incidence of foliar disease, arthropod pests, mortality, and fruit weight. Geographic location of strawberry transplant sources influenced fruiting patterns and other components that may affect profitability of `Sweet Charlie' strawberry production in west central Florida.