Cooperative Extension at Highmoor Farm

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Research - Strawberry Variety Trials in Maine

Strawberry Variety Trials in Maine: Results and Recommendations

Strawberry Variety Trials in Maine (PDF)

What Makes a Good Strawberry Variety?

Yield
Harvest season
Fruit quality
- Size
- Color
- Firmness
- Flavor
Durability
- Winter hardiness
- Disease resistance
- Longevity
Customer Appeal

Strawberry Variety Trial 2006-09

Highmoor Farm, Monmouth, Maine

Narrow matted row, raised bed
Trickle irrigation
Planted 2006, flowers removed
Plants 12” apart, 4.5’ between rows
Rows trained to 18” wide
Mulched for winter
Harvest 2007-2009
Note: flooding in springs of ’06, ‘08

The Best of 2007-2008
	Kg/Plot	Kg/Plot	g/fruit	g/fruit	% Cull	% Cull
Variety	2007	2008	2007	2008	2007	2008
Mesabi	27.6	17.1	10.8	10.9	18.1	38.0
Sable	20.7	21.1	10.5	10.3	13.2	31.3
Cavendish	20.0	21.5	13.6	14.0	18.3	33.7
Mira	18.4	21.1	11.1	10.7	15.0	27.4
Jewel	21.2	17.0	11.1	10.7	15.7	25.5
Wendy	14.4	22.3	13.1	12.8	11.7	29.1
Brunswick	18.6	16.6	13.5	11.4	14.3	29.0
Cabot	18.7	13.3	21.5	16.0	21.8	36.8
Darselect	16.6	11.7	13.1	9.8	19.7	28.1
Seneca	16.4	13.5	13.9	10.5	17.7	27.8
Annapolis	10.1	17.0	11.9	11.7	16.3	24.7
Honeoye	15.4	11.3	10.9	7.7	20.3	27.1
LSD 0.05	7.6	5.7	3.1	1.7	8.3	9.7

The Rest of 2007-2008
	Kg/Plot	Kg/Plot	g/fruit	g/fruit	% Cull	% Cull
Variety	2007	2008	2007	2008	2007	2008
Yamaska	12.4	14.0	15.6	9.35	27.0	20.7
Itasca	20.5	2.1	11.4	7.9	19.0	47.1
Ovation	10.4	11.5	16.2	12.2	35.2	32.2
Allstar	10.0	11.6	11.0	10.3	15.0	32.5
Orleans	14.5	6.4	12.5	9.88	18.7	25.2
Evangeline	10.1	9.5	9.7	7.6	11.3	31.1
Clancy	10.4	7.6	19.2	10.4	25.4	24.0
Canoga	10.5	4.9	12.7	9.2	20.3	34.5
St. Laurent	9.4	4.2	12.3	9.7	25.1	37.7
L’Amour	4.7	2.1	12.3	10.7	20.5	32.7
LSD 0.05	7.6	5.7	3.1	1.7	8.3	9.7

Harvest Season

Strawberry Variety Trial

Click on the images below to view enlargements.

Mesabi

Mid-season
Highest yielding
Fair fruit size
Good appearance
- Firm, glossy
Difficult to pick
- Hidden, hard pulling

Sable

Early season
High yielding
- Rank: 2nd
Fair-good fruit size
Good appearance
Fair cull rate (size)
Good flavor

Wendy

Early season
High yielding
- Rank: 6th
Fair-good fruit size
Very nice appearance
Low cull rate
Good flavor
- Sweet, lacks acid

Mira

Mid-late season
High yielding
- Rank: 4th
Good fruit size
Good appearance
- Light color
Low cull rate
Good flavor

Itsaca

Mid-early season
High yielding first year
- Two year rank: 13th
Fair-good fruit size
Good color (dull?)
Slightly soft
High cull rate (size, rot)
Bland, slightly acid flavor
2nd season disaster

Cabot

Late mid-season
Good yields
- Rank: 8th
Very large fruit
Rough appearance
- Nice color, stem & calyx
Fair cull rate
- Rot, splits, misshapen
Good flavor, soft
Large plant
- Supplemental N

Brunswick

Early mid-season
High yielding
- Rank: 7th
Good fruit size
Good appearance
- May be dark, soft
Few culls
Flavor issues?
Renovate lightly

Darselect

Mid-season
Good yields
- Rank: 10th
Nice appearance
- Uniform, fancy calyx
Fairly high cull rate
- Rot, size, misshapen
Good flavor, firmness
Large, floppy leaves
- Very susceptible to scorch
Winter tender?

Strawberry Variety Recommendations 2009

Early: Sable, Wendy, Annapolis, Honeoye
Early Mid-season: Brunswick, Cavendish, Itasca?
Mid-Season: Jewel, Mesabi, Mira, Darselect
Late: Cabot, Allstar, Clancy, Ovation?, Yamaska?

Day-Neutral Variety Observations

Evie-2 (UK)

Early
High yields
Good size, uniform, light color
Very soft, high cull %
Overall quality: Fair

Seascape (CA)

Mid-late
Large plants (Use wider spacing?)
High yields
Good size, nice appearance
Firm, good flavor
Overall quality: very good

Day-Neutral Variety Observations 2006

Albion (CA)

Late (many plants didn’t produce until late)
Good size, very nice appearance
Firm, good flavor
Overall quality: good

New Releases for 2010

Early: Galletta
Early Mid-season: Daroyal
Late: Valley Sunset, Record
Day Neutral: Portola, San Andreas

Strawberry Variety Trials

Test them yourself!
Always trial new varieties in small plantings (reduce risk)
Plant new varieties next to a standard for your area
Observe for at least two harvest seasons before “buying in”
Get customer feedback

Image Description: girl with fresh strawberries

Image Description: rows of strawberry plants

Image Description: chart showing Kg/plot and harvest dates for Sable, Mesabi, Cavendish, Mira, Jewel, and Ovation

Image Description: Mesabi strawberries

Image Description: thumbs up

Image Description: Sable strawberries

Image Description: thumbs up

Image Description: Wendy Strawberries

Image Description: thumbs up

Image Description: Mira strawberries

Image Description: Itasca strawberries

Image Description: thumbs up

Image Description: Cabot strawberries

Image Description: Brunswick strawberries

Image Description: Darselect strawberries

Image Description: Seascape strawberries

Image Description: Albion strawberries

Image Description: girl holds up a giant strawberry

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Contact Information

Cooperative Extension at Highmoor Farm
52 U.S. Route 202
Monmouth, Maine 04259-0179
Phone: 207.933.2100