Strawberry Cultivars for Matted-Row Production
Kathy Demchak, Department of Horticulture
The Pennsylvania State University

As you browse through plant catalogs, you might realize that every single cultivar described therein sounds great. In 2002, a strawberry cultivar trial was established at the PSU Horticulture Research Farm at Rock Springs, PA to evaluate some of the newer cultivars appearing on the market. Two years of yield data and three years of observations are completed. Here are some comments on the newer cultivars.

L'Amour (NYSAES-Geneva, Cornell University) is an early-mid season cultivar. No one characteristic jumped out; however, it probably would have been near the top (out of 28 cultivars and selections) for all-around good performance, with a nice size and conic shape, bright red color, well-balanced flavor, and decent (but not great) yields. It was resistant to fungal leaf diseases, and had a harvest season that was a few days longer than most.

Clancy, a mid-season berry from the same breeding program as L'Amour, didn't fare so well. Perhaps it just didn't like our environment, but it didn't fill in the rows very well, and yields were low. Color was dark (but not too dark) red, and size was good, but those two characteristics didn't make up for the low yields. It was very susceptible to fungal leaf diseases, and the berries were a bit wide for their height.

Ovation (USDA-Beltsville) gave new meaning to the term 'late season', being 4 to 5 days later than Jewel. Ovation was developed for use in plasticulture, but runnered well in this system. Plants were tall and bushy. Yields were low relative to the amount of foliage, but this is the best choice if you want to extend the season on the "back-end". Berries are conic, with an average size, medium-red color and good flavor.

Evangeline (AAFC-Nova Scotia) was a pretty little early-season berry, with good yields, beautiful conic shape, perfect caps, and deep red color, but unfortunately, the key word in all of that would be "little".

Cabot (AAFC-Nova Scotia) was the opposite of Evangeline. Berries are huge, and its king berries sported interesting features. I suppose this could be turned into a game on a pick-your-own farm. Maybe a contest for finding the berry that most resembles Richard Nixon, for example. At any rate, later berries were normally-shaped, but still very large. Color was medium red, yields were high, but berry centers are hollow. Some would suggest selling by volume, not weight. It fruited in mid-late season.

Darselect (Darbonne, France) produced mid-season, and had good flavor and a deep color, but average yields and berry size. It developed more fruit anthracnose than any other cultivar. Yields have been variable on growers' farms, and cultural difference may account for this.

Eros (HRI, U.K.) fruited mid-season, was a light red, and tended to be a bit soft and susceptible to fruit rots. Yields were variable across the field, but averaged out very high.

A sincere thanks is given to the Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association for funding this project.