World outreach helps UF/IFAS strawberry breeding program

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences -bred strawberries are grown in over 70 countries across six continents. One of those countries, Egypt, ranks among the top strawberry-producing nations in the world. So, it seems fitting that an Egyptian-American scientist is leading an effort to facilitate the expansion of production of UF/IFAS-bred strawberries internationally. Behind the United States, which grew 1.6 billion pounds of strawberries in 2017, are Mexico, Egypt and Turkey. It’s a $300 million per year crop in Florida, primarily in the west-central part of the state. According to a news release, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) strawberries are adapted to the unique conditions of central Florida. As a result, they include low chilling, high early yield, excellent shelf life and outstanding flavor, Whitaker said. Those traits make these varieties useful outside of Florida, particularly in regions of the world ...