The 2012 ASHS Annual Conference

Strawberries are one of American’s favorite fruits and are available in grocery stores year round.  Given increased shipping and other associated costs as well as the opportunity to provide a fresh, nutritious local product, our research team is exploring the feasibility of growing strawberries during the winter in Nebraska.  Six cultivars plus two that were obtained as A+ grade crowns were potted up and grown on capillary mats in a double poly greenhouse.  There were two benches each with six replications for a total of 12 replications for up to 48 plants per cultivar.  Plants were potted in mid September and started flowering 8 days later (September 23), but by October 31, four cultivars showed fruit phylloidy.  At that time, all plants showing fruit phylloidy were discarded (22 pots of Portola, 8 pots of Seascape, 4 pots of Chandler, 1 pot of Albion).  Albion and Cavendish were the first to fruit with Albion peaking in early November and then not producing significant quantities until February.   Seascape A+ grade also followed a similar pattern.  At peak, the last week in November, Albion, Seascape A+, Evie-2 A+, Chandler, Cavendish and Portola produced approximately 1250 g.   However, the next week individual cultivar production dramatically decreased.  Evie-2 A+ grade started producing berries about mid-November and showed the best sustained production into January with about 230 g per week.  In late February production increased again with 3-4 kg and more harvested on a weekly basis. Of the 6 cultivars, Albion persistently produced runners rather than flowers.  Cavendish plants remained small and compact which supported repeated mite infestations. Individual cultivar weekly production patterns (mass and number) as well as °Brix will be presented in relation to which cultivar or cultivars are best suited for winter production.