USA: 4 emerging strawberry cultivars that have bright futures

Published 2024년 3월 30일

Tridge summary

Kim Lewers, a Research Plant Geneticist at USDA-ARS, has made significant strides in strawberry cultivation by developing new cultivars that enhance the fruit's quality, yield, and disease resistance. The early-season 'Lumina' is noted for its glossy look, early yield, and resistance to disease, with a release and patent planned for 2023. Midseason varieties like 'Flavorfest' and 'Keepsake' offer large fruit, disease resistance, and high yield, while the late-season 'Cordial' is celebrated for its large berries, high yield, and distinctive flavor. These innovations aim to prolong the strawberry season and offer growers more robust and attractive fruit options.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

When soft fruit breeder Kim Lewers talks about strawberries, her face lights up like one of her favorite new cultivars. “One thing I really love about ‘Lumina’ — it’s what I named it for — is its bright color and its high gloss,” Lewers says of the early-season strawberry cultivar. “It’s 1.5 times glossier than the average of all the genotypes I’ve tested.” Lewers, a Research Plant Geneticist with USDA-ARS, has seen her share of genotypes, cultivars, and varieties during 23 years with the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Maryland. Her department, the Genetic Improvement for Fruits and Vegetables Laboratory, develops improved cultivars of strawberry, blueberry, cranberry, potato, tomato, and pepper. ‘Lumina’ is one of those strawberry cultivars, several of which Lewers highlighted while speaking at the Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention in Hershey, PA. The cultivar was approved for release in 2023 and will soon be patented. Distribution during the life of the ...

Source: Growingproduce