Strawberry Production in Mild Climates of the World: A Review of Current Cultivar Use

Abstract

The supply of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) cultivars in the world can be restricted by several factors, such as environmental adaptation (mainly latitude), type of bearing (short-day and day-neutral cultivars), and industry strategies, among others. This review selected the area between the 42°north and south parallels as a production area of mild climates with somewhat similar conditions. A compilation was done about the current situation of the strawberry industry focusing on cultivar utilization in the U.S. (California and Florida), Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Morocco, Egypt, Turkey, China, Japan, and Australia. These countries represent over 85% of the world production. The day-neutral cultivar supply currently is very limited in comparison with short-day utilization. There is significant evidence of a successful utilization of cultivars, such as ‘Albion’, ‘Florida Festival’, ‘Florida Fortuna’, ‘Splendor’, and ‘Sabrosa’. Japanese cultivars have predominance in China and Japan.

Keywords:

• Fragaria
• small fruit
• short day
• day neutral
• varieties
• agro-environment

INTRODUCTION

Strawberry breeding is a very dynamic process. The development of new strawberry cultivars is one of the richest and most active breeding activities in fruit science. For instance, the Community Plant Variety Office has received 320 applications for fruit cultivars in the European Union during the last 16 years, and all of them have been for Fragaria spp. Currently, 60 breeders have applied for variety rights throughout the world and holder countries are Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, United Kingdom, and the U.S. The availability of certain strawberry cultivars could be restricted by a number of factors, including logistics and trade organization (i.e., breeder's presence, nursery organization, exclusive multiplication, and exploitation rights granted), agro-environmental adaptation of cultivars, cultivar types, and strategies of different strawberry industries.

Strawberry cultivars are very sensitive to diverse environmental conditions. In particular, latitude is an essential factor in strawberry adaptation. However, it is very difficult to establish a clear geographical border to separate large agro-climatic areas. The response to day length (photoperiod), to temperature, and the interaction between both main factors produces different cultivar types: mainly short-day (SD) and day-neutral (DN) cultivars. The former cultivars form flowering buds (induction, initiation, and differentiation) when the days become shorter and temperatures are low in late summer and early fall. It means that flowers initiate only when day length is below a critical point, called the induction point. A commonly suggested critical day length is somewhere below 13.5 hr/day. Once day length is below this critical point, plants of most SD cultivars begin to initiate flower primordia. On the other hand, DN cultivars are relatively unaffected by day length and temperatures. They bear fruit if temperatures are enough to maintain growth, and they essentially flower and produce fruit when temperatures are between a given range. In areas with mild winters and summers, DN cultivars are planted in spring for early production in summer, fall, and early winter.

CULTIVAR USE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD

Methodology and Countries for Study

A simple description of cultivar utilization in the main mild climate areas and countries of the world was conducted, focusing on acreage and utilization devoted to each strawberry cultivar. For this purpose, the majority of the countries described were between the 42° north and south parallels (with the exception of France and the northern part of Italy that have been included in this description). These data have been obtained from personal communications of important scientists and industry experts of each country. The consultations were made between June and December 2010. The countries under study were: the U.S., Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Morocco, Egypt, Turkey, China, Japan, and Australia. These areas of strawberry production represented over 85% of the world production. The situation of each country is presented below in alphabetical order.

Argentina

Information for Argentina was provided by D. Kirschbaum (personal communication). In 2010, the total acreage was approximately 1,700 ha, dispersed across very contrasting environments, from the warm region of Jujuy in the north of the country to the cold and windy sites of Patagonia (Tierra del Fuego province). The most important growing zones are the provinces of Tucuman and Santa Fe in the northern part of the country, followed by the province of Buenos Aires, in the center of the country. The northern part has about 1,200 ha of strawberries, mainly distributed among the provinces of Tucuman (550 ha), Santa Fe (500 ha), Jujuy (70 ha), and Corrientes (50 ha). The vast territory of the province of Buenos Aires includes the central strawberry production region in its continental part (300 ha) and a part of the southern production region in its Atlantic shores (110 ha). The southern production region is also integrated by the provinces of Mendoza (30 ha), Neuquen (15 ha), and Rio Negro (10 ha). About 70% of the strawberries produced in Tucuman are exported as frozen fruit, especially to the U.S. and Canada. Standard fresh plants are the propagation material predominantly used in Tucuman, although green transplants with leaves and tray plants are also used in the region. In the province of Santa Fe, ‘Coronda’ is the main strawberry production area with 60% of the berries sold in the fresh market. In the northern provinces, the predominant cultivars are SD type, while in the southern provinces most of the cultivars used are DN. Transplant production has also increased in Argentina in the last 10 years, with 200 ha of nurseries in 2010. Fresh plant nurseries are located in the Chubut, Santa Cruz, Mendoza, and Neuquen provinces. The importance of ‘Camarosa’ in the Argentine cultivar spectrum fell from 91% in 2006 to 67% in 2010 in the fresh plant segment, which involved a total of 50 million plants. The University of California's ‘Camino Real’, ‘Albion’ (DN), and ‘Ventana’ have a 25% participation in the market, while the rest, totaling 8%, is shared among ‘Florida Festival’, ‘Earlibight’, and ‘Candonga’.

Australia

Ullio (2010) indicated that plantings in Australia were about 72 million plants with a national average yield of 36 t/ha in 2008. Strawberries are grown in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and Western Australia from subtropical latitudes to temperate climates by around 540 growers. Also, these latitudes are further south than the ones considered for “off-season” low latitude production. However, some parts of the states of Queensland and Western Australia are in the southern border of this theoretical line (24° S). The planting dates in the colder climates are March to April, whereas in the other areas are between April and mid-May, with the maximum production period between October to January. So far, more than 20 cultivars are available and the main cultivars are ‘Albion’ (DN), ‘Camarosa’, and ‘Florida Festival’. The strawberry Australian breeding is very rich and active, but the percentage of national cultivars is between 10 and 15%. Important Australian cultivars are ‘Redlands Hope’, ‘Redlands Star‘, ‘Kabarla’, ‘DPI Rubygem’, ‘Kalinda (DN)’, ‘Kiewa’, ‘Lowanna’ (DN), and ‘Millewa’.

Brazil

The information for Brazil has been provided by L. Antunes and H. Costa (personal communication). The current estimation is that in 2010 there were 3,910 ha of strawberry in the country. There are diverse environments for strawberry production in Brazilian states. Minas Gerais has 1,700 ha, Sao Paulo 980 ha, Rio Grande do Sul 650 ha, Parana 270 ha, Santa Catarina 160 ha, and Espirito Santo 150 ha for a total of 3,910 ha. In Minas Gerais, the main cultivars are ‘Oso Grande’, followed by ‘Camarosa’, ‘Camino Real’, ‘Florida Festival’, ‘Campinas’, ‘Earlibrite’, ‘Galaxia’, ‘Candonga’, ‘Plarionfre’, and ‘Aleluia’. In São Paulo, the main cultivars are ‘Oso Grande’ followed by ‘Toyonoka’, ‘Campinas’, ‘Campi-Dover’, and ‘Aleluia’. In Rio Grande do Sul, ‘Camarosa’ is the main cultivar followed by ‘Aromas’ (DN), ‘Albion’ (DN), ‘Camino Real’, and ‘Ventana’. Finally, in Parana, Santa Catarina, and Espirito Santo, the planted cultivars are ‘Camarosa’, ‘Oso Grande’, ‘Aromas’ (DN), ‘Albion’ (DN), and ‘Diamante’ (DN).

Chile

Relevant information for Chile was provided by M. Gambardella (personal communication). Strawberry acreage is slightly higher than 2,000 ha with about 140 ha of nurseries. Current production is about 50,000 t per year. The destination of the production is over 50% for processing (i.e., juices, frozen, puree) and it is exported to the U.S., Canada, and China, whereas the remaining is fresh consumption. Because of the special geography of the country, strawberry is planted in very different environments in the north and south-central part of the country. Major production areas are concentrated in: (a) north area (La Serena-Ovalle, Coquimbo region), which uses about 100 ha of open fields and with yields around 40 t/ha a year, and 70% of the production is for fresh consumption; (b) central area (Valparaiso, Metropolitan, and Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins regions), which has a fresh biannual production with yields around 50 and 30 t/ha in the first and second year, respectively; (c) south-central area (Maule and Bio-Bio regions), which uses biannual production oriented for the processing market, and cumulative yields between 80 and 115 t/ha for both years; and (d) south area (Chanco and Curanipe, Maule region), which uses biannual production and has yields between 35 and 40 t/ha in the 1st year and 20 to 25 t/ha in the 2nd, with most of the berries used in equal parts for fresh and processing markets. The most planted cultivars are from the U.S., with ‘Camarosa’ occupying 45% of the area, followed by ‘Albion’ (DN) (40%), ‘Camino Real’ (10%), and others (5%) [‘Portolas’ (DN), ‘San Andreas’ (DN), ‘Monterrey’ (DN), ‘Sabrosa’ (also known as ‘Candonga’)].

China

Relevant information for China was provided by J. Lopez-Medina (personal communication). The strawberry industry here is located in 27 of the 34 Chinese provinces. The local non-verified statistics were 84,300 ha and a total production with very different estimates according to the sources of information. Chinese sources provide between 1.15 and 1.96 million t, whereas other estimates indicate 0.1 million t. Today China is the main strawberry producer in the world. Three provinces represent almost one-half of the Chinese industry: Hebei (15,500 ha, 493,000 t, and 18%), Shandong (12,700 ha, 398,100 t, and 15%), and Liaoning (11,100 ha, 278,100 t, and 13%). The majority of the production is for fresh market and it is carried out under high and small plastic tunnels and other kinds of covers, such as Chinese solar greenhouses. Production, whether it occurs under protective structures or not, is performed by a multitude of small growers and family farms with little mechanized operations. The estimates on the current cultivar use are not very accurate. There are more than 170 cultivars (33 of Chinese origin). Japanese cultivars are very dominant for fresh market destination (about 85% of the total), mainly ‘Toyonoka’, ‘Sachinoka’, ‘Akihime’, ‘Tochiotome’, ‘Benihoppe’, and others. For processing, the industry uses mainly European and North American cultivars (i.e., ‘Camarosa’, ‘Chandler’, ‘Darselect’, ‘Senga Sengana’, ‘Allstar’, and ‘Milsei’). Current research in strawberry breeding and genetic transformation is conducted by many Chinese universities and institutes, but few cultivars have been commercialized so far (Yin and Larson, 2009; Zhang et al., 2009).

Egypt

The relevant information for Egypt has been provided by S. Soliman (personal communication). Egypt is an important country in the production of strawberries because they can export fresh production to Europe during the cold season from mid-November to mid-February. Production is concentrated in the Nile Delta (parallel 30/32° N). The main limitation is the very hot weather during late summer and early fall that reduces flower induction and initiation of SD cultivars. However, the Egyptian strawberry industry is increasing very fast, although yields are decreasing due to the early plantings in September. To mitigate low yields, they have developed unique practices, such as extreme high densities (80,000 to 95,000 plants/ha).

The size of the Egypt strawberry is a matter of discussion. The planted area using fresh plants was 3,420 ha in 2010, and they are set in September and harvested until May under high tunnels. The current acreage estimated for 2010 in Egypt is around 5,800 ha and the yields fluctuate between 38 and 57 t/ha depending on the type of transplant used. The main areas of production are Noubaria (Nubareya) (1,875 ha), Qalubia (Al Qalyubiyah) (1,093 ha), Beheira (444 ha), Ismailia (1,049 ha), Sharkia (Ash Sharqiyah) (1,067 ha), and Monoufia (172 ha). Cultivar utilization is based on ‘Florida Festival’ (50%), ‘Sweet Charlie’ (30%), and ‘Camarosa’ (10%). Others, such as ‘Tamar’, ‘Yael’, ‘Winter Dawn’, ‘Suzana’, ‘Red Merlin’, and several Driscoll's cultivars, comprise the remaining 10%.

France

Relevant information was provided by J. Pommier (personal communication) for France. Currently, the planted area with strawberries in France is 2,900 ha, which are mainly under high and small tunnels, and its total production is 45,000 t for the fresh market. Close to 25% of this area is under soilless culture. There are three major production areas in the country: southwest (Aquitaine and Midi-Pyrenees with approximately 1,000 ha and 20,000 t of fruit; southeast (Corse, Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes with 730 ha and 13,000 t of fruit), and central-west (Centre, Pays-de-la-Loire, Poitou-Charentes with 370 ha and 4,000 t of fruit). In 2010, the most used cultivars were ‘Gariguette’ (42%), ‘Darselect’ (18%), ‘Clery’ (13%), ‘Charlotte’ (DN) (10%), and ‘Ciflorette’ (7%). French-bred cultivars covered approximately 96% of the planted area.

Italy

Relevant information for Italy was provided by W. Faedi and G. Baruzzi (personal communication). From 2000 to 2010, the planted area of the Italian strawberry industry has decreased by about 35%. In 2010, the area was 3,500 ha with 44% of the production in northern areas and 56% in the south. The main areas of production in northern Italy are Trentino (Alto Adige), Veneto (Verona), Piemonte (Cuneo), and Emilia-Romagna (Cesena). In Trentino, there are 270 ha and the predominant cultivar is ‘Elsanta’. Soilless culture is popular in about 100 ha. Planting dates start in July until the end of September. In Veneto, there are 649 ha and the most used cultivars were ‘Eva’ (20%), ‘Roxana’ (17%), ‘Irma’ (DN) (13%), and ‘Alba’ (11%), among others. Nearly the totality of the surface is under protected culture. Fruiting starts in early October and ends around mid-December. Fall yields fluctuate from 10 to 20 t/ha. Plants are overwintered to obtain a second crop the following spring. In Piemonte, there are 135 ha of strawberries and the most important cultivars are ‘Alba’ (35%), ‘Arosa’ (28%), and ‘Clery’ (12%). Cold-stored plants of SD cultivars are planted in June and fruit ripening starts one year later at the beginning of June depending on the altitude. In contrast, DN cultivars are planted in spring (April to May) for summer fruit production obtained under tunnel culture to avoid fruit rot problems due to recurrent rainfall. In Emilia-Romagna, 283 ha are planted with the cultivars ‘Alba’ (38%), ‘Roxana’ (23%), ‘Onda’ (9%), ‘Clery’ (7%), and ‘Maya’ (6%), among others.

In the South, all of the planted area is under protected culture and fields are planted in the fall with bare-root fresh or plug plants. The most important areas of production are: Campania (Agroaversano, Piana del Sele), Basilicata (Metaponto), Calabria (Lamezia Terme), and Sicily (Marsala and other locations). In Campania, there are 754 ha planted with ‘Camarosa’ (69%), ‘Sabrosa’ (13%), ‘Ventana’ (8%), and ‘Tethis’ (5%). In Basilicata, 432 ha are established with ‘Sabrosa’ (68%), ‘Ventana’ (16%), and ‘Camarosa’ (11%). In Calabria, the planted area is approximately 257 ha and the main cultivars are ‘Camarosa’ and ‘Sabrosa’. In Sicily, the predominat cultivars are ‘Milsei’, ‘Sabrosa’, and ‘Florida Festival’ over 315 ha.

Japan

The relevant information for Japan has been provided by T. Mochizuki (personal communication). The total acreage in 2010 was about 6,780 ha with a total production of about 190,600 t. The main industry in the country uses SD cultivars with production between November and June, and it is destined mostly for fresh markets. The areas where major production exists are Tochigi (650 ha), Fukuoka (500 ha), Kumamoto (410 ha), Shizuoka (360 ha), Aichi (320 ha), Saga (290 ha), Nagasaki (290 ha), Ibaraki (280 ha), Chiba (230 ha), and Hyogo (220 ha), among others. In Japanese production, flowering is induced by several methods (e.g., chilling) in the fall season and plants are grown under a heated greenhouse to avoid the induction of dormancy and dwarfing, and are kept in a non-dormant status to continue harvesting (Mochizuki et al., 2009). One small part of the industry uses DN cultivars. Most of the SD cultivars used come from national sources: ‘Tochiotome’ (33%), ‘Sagahonoka’ (15%), ‘Amaou’ (11%), ‘Sachinoka’ (11%), ‘Toyonoka’ (7%), ‘Akihime’ (6%), ‘Benihoppe’ (4%), and others comprise 12% of the planted area. On the other hand, the small DN-based industry is carried out with cultivars from private Japanese breeders, such as ‘Hohoemikazoku’, ‘Pechika’, ‘HS-138’, ‘Summer-Ruby’, and ‘Erran’. There are few specialized strawberry nurseries in Japan; consequently, most growers produce their own runner plants in summer to ensure fruit production in late fall to late spring (Watanabe et al., 2009).

Mexico: Baja California and Michoacán

Information for Mexico was provided by J. Estrada, E. Camargo, and E. Zamora (personal communication). Mexico is an important country in strawberry production. In 2010, the total production was close to 200,000 t over 6,000 ha. The most important growing areas are in Michoacán (3,389 ha and 100,983 t), Baja California (1,465 ha and 83,429 t), and Guanajuato. In Baja California, the strawberry industry is located mainly in San Quintin Valley. Some companies have developed high elevation nurseries near Ensenada. In this state, strawberry is grown in open fields with about 25 large farms, under intensive systems highly influenced by California technology. Most of this production is exported to the U.S. (Lopez-Aranda et al., 2010). In 2010, the planted area in the San Quintin Valley were ‘Splendor’ (38%), ‘Ventana’ (24%), ‘Albion’ (DN) (16%), ‘Commitment’ (12%), and ‘El Dorado’ (10%).

For Michoacán, the estimated area is conflictive, but it ranges between 3,215 and 4,500 ha. It is expected that Michoacán will grow strawberries and compete with southern California easier than Baja California for early fruit production, probably doubling its area under tunnels up to 4,000 ha over the next 5 to 6 years. In this state, the strawberry industry is located mainly in the Zamora and Tangancicuaro Valleys. Central Mexico (Michoacán and Jalisco) uses an “off-season,” low latitude system to produce the crop in high-elevation areas (1,800 to 2,000 m above sea level). This region is able to fill the production gap of fresh production from mid-November to mid-February to the western U.S. market, for instance. In this state, open-field and high tunnel production occupy approximately 2,150 and 1,539 ha, respectively, with yields ranging between 20 and 35 t/ha. Cultivar utilization in 2010 was as follows: ‘Florida Festival’ (48%), ‘Albion’ (DN) (18%), ‘Camino Real’ (15%), ‘Osceola’ (12%), ‘Camarillo’ (4%), and others (3%). There is small emerging production in Jocotepec, Tapalpa, Ciudad Guzman in Jalisco, and in Mazamitla, Michoacan.

Morocco

Relevant information for Morocco was provided by J. González and A. Arjona (personal communication). A modern Moroccan strawberry industry has been closely connected to the technology of the Spanish industry. Production systems (high and small tunnels, fresh plants, etc.) and the origin of the plant material are very similar. Traditionally, strawberry plants come every year from Spanish high-elevation nurseries. Therefore, the cultivar utilization in Morocco is clearly influenced by this strong connection between both strawberry industries. The estimates of plant material imports from Spain in the 2009 season indicated that around 150 million commercial plants of mainly ‘Florida Festival’ were planted in 95% of the area. ‘Camarosa’ and ‘Florida Fortuna’ are the other important cultivars in the country. The 2010 planted area in the country was around 2,500 ha of annual cultivation system and 250 ha of two-year cropping. These 2,750 ha are located on the Atlantic coastal area. The most relevant locations are Larache (20% of the surface), Moulay Bouselham (70%), and Kenitra (10%). The destination of fruit is 15 to 20% for Europe, 35 to 40% for local fresh markets, and the rest for fruit processing, which allows extending the season into the end of June and mid-July.

Portugal

Relevant information for Portugal was provided by M. Palha (personal communication). The strawberry industry is small in comparison with other European countries and the official statistics are not easy to find or are not updated. The estimation is that in 2010 there were approximately 1,000 ha of strawberries in the country, which produced about 20,000 t of fruit. The main areas of production are in Oeste (Torres Vedras, Mafra) with 30% of the national production area and are mostly small farms; Ribatejo (Almeirim, Alpiarça, Chamusca) covering 30% of the area and with medium to large strawberry farms; Alentejo litoral (Odemira, Santiago do Cacém) with 20% of the area; and Algarve (Campina de Faro, Olhao, Silves) with the remaining 20% of the area. The predominant cultivars are ‘Sabrosa’, ‘Camarosa’, ‘Diamante’ (DN), ‘Albion’ (DN), and ‘Selva’ (DN), ‘Chandler’, ‘Ventana’, ‘Chiflón’, ‘Irvine’ (DN), ‘Aromas’ (DN), ‘Seascape’ (DN), and some proprietary cultivars from Driscoll's.

Spain

The Spanish strawberry industry is 95% of fruit production and it is concentrated in the southwest province of Huelva. The current planted surface is about 6,500 ha and the total fruit production is 275,000 t. Most of the total planted area is under protective structures, namely high tunnels. Plantings with fresh transplants occur in October for harvesting between January and June. Organic and soilless cultivation systems are 3% of the total acreage. The main destination (about 60 to 80% of the production) is for European and local markets and the remaining is for processing (Lopez-Aranda et al., 2009).

Nurseries are mostly concentrated in the Castilla-León province in the north-central part of the country and they are located between 800 and 1,000 m above sea level, covering about 1,300 ha and producing more than 550 million plants per year (Martinez-Treceño et al., 2009). In 2010, the estimates of cultivar use were as follows: ‘Camarosa’ (35%), ‘Sabrosa’ (35%), ‘Splendor’ (15%), ‘Florida Fortuna’ (9%), and ‘Florida Festival’ (4%), among others.

Turkey

Relevant information for Turkey was provided by S. Paydas (personal communication). In Turkey, the structure of strawberry production varies depending on the ecological features and consumption habits of the region. Recently, an increasing demand for frozen fruits in domestic and export markets has led to an increase in strawberry production. In 2010, the area of Bursa is exporting around 41,000 t of frozen fruit for processing. Strawberry production is carried out in 67 different areas. However, the industry is concentrated only in a few regions of the country, due to the lack of high-quality strawberry runner plant production (Türkben, 2008). In 2009, there were 12,150 ha that produced about 292,000 t of fruit, which makes the Turkish strawberry industry third in the world (after China and the U.S.). For early and fresh market production, the most important locations are Anamur and Silifke (Mersin). In Silifke, current production (1,000 ha) is carried out under low tunnels that mainly produce for the eastern European countries, including Russia. In 2010, the estimates of cultivar utilization are ‘Camarosa’ (25%), ‘Sweet Charlie’ (10%), ‘Florida Festival’ (25%), ‘Florida Fortuna’ (15%), and ‘Rubygem’ (20%), among others.

United States: California and Florida

Relevant information for California was provided by C. Winterbottom and O. Daugovich (personal communication). Strawberry in California is grown in multiple areas from San Diego County to the Watsonville/Salinas area of Santa Cruz County (Gaskell et al., 2009). In the 2009 season, acreage in California was 15,962 ha, the total production was around 485,660 t (75% for fresh market and 25% for processing). The California strawberry industry represents around 80% of production and 50% of acreage in the U.S. The acreage allocation by main districts is Watsonville/Salinas (5,653 ha), Santa Maria (3,911 ha), Oxnard (4,777 ha), Orange County/San Diego (537 ha), and San Joaquin Valley (73 ha). Total organic acreage reported for 2010 was approximately 670 ha.

Competition in California is intense and the cultivar situation is constantly changing. In 2010, University of California, which are public cultivars, represented 61% (9,090 ha) of the California acreage: ‘Albion’ (5,128 ha) (DN), ‘Camino Real’ (658 ha), ‘San Andreas’ (1,106 ha) (DN), ‘Ventana’ (1,301 ha), and others (897 ha) [‘Palomar’, ‘Portola’ (DN), ‘Monterey’ (DN), ‘Camarosa’, and ‘Chandler’]. Proprietary (private) cultivars represented the remaining area (5,861 ha). The breakdown is not available, although it is estimated that the most important cultivars from Driscoll's breeding program were ‘El Dorado’, ‘San Juan’, ‘Lanai’, ‘Agoura’, ‘Sisquoc’, and ‘Camarillo’. Recently-liberated cultivars by Driscoll's breeding program are ‘Anita’, ‘Del Rey’, ‘Adelaide’, ‘Magdalena’, ‘Fort Brooke’, and ‘Monarca’. From Berry Genetics/Plant Sciences breeding program come ‘Splendor’, ‘Virtue’, ‘PS-4634’, ‘PS-5298’, ‘Valor’, ‘Promise’, and ‘Commitment’, with the recent release of ‘PS-1049’, ‘PS-1703’, ‘PS-2430’, and ‘PS-2933’. In general, SD cultivars represent 70% of the total planted area.

There is a trend towards using more proprietary cultivars in southern California because the public cultivars may not be competitive enough. However, the new University of California materials ‘Benicia’ and ‘Mojave’ have been released for southern California conditions. ‘Albion’ continues to be very popular due to its fruit quality with acceptable yield. In terms of fruit quality, taste and overall fruit appearance have become two important traits in California. Also, DN cultivars, such as ‘Albion’ and ‘San Andreas’, normally associated with northern fruit production, are being planted more in the southern part of this state in the fall season. These cultivars produce fruit early in the season when prices are high and continue producing fruit into spring. Shifting from SD to DN cultivars, especially in the Santa Maria district, has broadened the California supply curve, leading to a more orderly flow of product into the markets.

In Florida, relevant information was provided by A. Whidden and B. Santos (personal communication). Florida is the major winter strawberry producer in the U.S., which supplies fruit to this country and Canada. Growing areas are located near Tampa and the planted area is about 3,600 ha. The production system is almost at sea level and in open fields, using the annual hill plasticulture system and fresh green plants transplants from Canada and North Carolina, U.S. nurseries that are set in late September and early October. Fruit harvest goes from late November to early April.

The predominant cultivars come from the strawberry breeding program of the University of Florida, which released ‘Sweet Charlie’, ‘Earlibrite’, ‘Carmine’, ‘Florida Festival’ (also known as ‘Strawberry Festival’), ‘Winter Dawn’, ‘Florida Fortuna’ (also known as ‘Florida Radiance’), and ‘Florida Elyana’ during the last two decades. One of the most important requirements for strawberry production in Florida is yield earliness, because it allows growers to have fruit when premium prices are available. In 2010, it was estimated that 65% of the area uses ‘Florida Festival’, 10% uses ‘Florida Fortuna’, and ‘Treasure’, ‘Camino Real’, and some Driscoll's cultivars are used for the remaining 25%.

Uruguay

Relevant information for Uruguay was provided by E. Vicente (personal communication). The strawberry industry in Uruguay is small, but significant from the point of view of national breeding. Its production area is about 120 ha, with 50% located in the northwest of the country near Salto and the rest south of the Montevideo, San Jose, and Canelones areas. In the northwest, production occurs under low and high tunnels, with about 70% of the area using low tunnels. Average yield is about 37 t/ha and there are about 160 growers. The main target of the 60 ha in the north is to supply to national fresh markets during winter and spring. Early SD cultivars from Florida and Uruguay are used for this purpose. In 2010, the cultivar use was as follows: ‘INIA Guenoa’ (50%), ‘Earlibrite’ (35%), ‘Florida Festival’ (10%), and others (5%). The 60 ha in the south use refrigerated transplants mainly from Spanish nurseries: ‘Aromas’ (DN) (30%), ‘Camino Real’ (25%), and ‘Camarosa’ (20%). In this production region, strawberry production occurs in open fields. Average yield is about 30 t/ha and there are about 70 growers. The main target of this region is to supply to national fresh markets during late spring, summer, and early fall.

SUMMARY

Based on the collected information, there is still a high predominance of SD cultivars versus DN ones. Moreover, DN cultivar supply is very limited. Among breeding programs and countries, it is important to indicate that public DN cultivars from the University of California (e.g., ‘Albion’, ‘San Andreas’, ‘Monterey’, and ‘Portola’) are being extensively used in the U.S. (California), Mexico (Baja California and Michoacan), Chile, Brazil, and Australia. Also, there are significant advances of utilization for the University of Florida cultivars (e.g., ‘Florida Festival’ and ‘Florida Fortuna’) in important parts of the world, such as the U.S. (Florida), Mexico (Michoacan), Spain, parts of South America, Morocco, Egypt, Turkey, and Australia. ‘Splendor’ from Plant Science/Berry Genetics is very visible in important parts of the world, such as the U.S. (California), Mexico (Baja California), Spain, Morocco, and Portugal. Some traditional cultivars, such as ‘Camarosa’ and ‘Ventana’, have been reduced in planted areas in the U.S. (California and Florida) and Spain. There has been a significant advance of ‘Sabrosa’ in Brazil, Argentina, Portugal, and Australia, and a great deal of predominance in Spain and southern Italy (mainly in Basilicata, Sicily, Campania, and Calabria). In the Asian basin, there is an absolute predominance of Japanese cultivars, specifically for China and Japan.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors wish to thank the following individuals for providing information: Cristopher Winterbottom, Sierra-Cascade Nursery, Inc.; Oleg Daugovish, University of California; José Francisco Estrada and Erick Ricardo Zamora, UNIDO/Mexico; Eduardo Camargo, Driscoll's Mexico; Marina Gambardella, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; Luis E.C. Antunes, Embrapa, Brazil; Helcio Costa, Incaper, Brazil; Daniel Kirschbaum, INTA, EEA Famaillá, Argentina; Esteban Vicente, INIA, Salto Grande, Uruguay; Maria Graça Palha, INIA, Oeiras, Portugal; Jaime González, Viveros Rio Eresma SL, Spain; Antonio Arjona Berral, Viveros California SL, Spain; Jean Jacques Pommier, Invenio, France; Walter Faedi and Gianluca Baruzzi, CRA, Forli, Italy; Sabry Soliman, University Ain Shams, Cairo, Egypt; Sevgi Paydas, University of Cukurova, Adana, Turkey; José López-Medina, University of Huelva, Spain; Tatsuya Mochizuki, National Institute of Vegetable and Tea Science, Japan; and Alicia Whidden, Hillsborough County Extension Service, University of Florida. This work was possible due to the financial support of the agreement IFAPA/INIA and FEDER funds.