Five-year Evaluation of Selected Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) Cultivars for Improved Sustainability of the Strawberry Industries in Alabama and the South Atlantic Region of the United States

Consumer awareness of the health promoting qualities of strawberries has sparked a nation-wide expansion in demand. The Alabama strawberry industry is a part of the South Atlantic Region (SAR), which is the third most productive region in the United States. While strawberry cultivar selection is crucial to the growth of this industry, the most productive cultivars used in SAR are from California breeding programs. Furthermore, there is little documented information concerning the performance and the antioxidant qualities of these strawberry cultivars in Alabama. The objective of this study was to determine the production potential and antioxidant concentration of selected strawberry cultivars produced in Alabama to enhance the sustainability of the strawberry industry in the state and the SAR. A strawberry cultivar evaluation was conducted in Central Alabama over a five-year period. Included in this trial were 'Albion', 'Camino Real', and 'Ruby June', the current market standard 'Camarosa' and the former market standard 'Chandler'. Plant size was smallest for 'Camino Real', offering an opportunity for producers to increase the number of plants per hectare. In contrast, 'Ruby June' produced fewer stolons per plant, thus reducing labor costs. Of the most recently developed cultivars 'Camino Real', 'Ruby June', and 'Albion', 'Camino Real' and 'Ruby June' were the most comparable to 'Camarosa' in both early and total yield. Both cultivars produced a significantly lower number of cull fruits per hectare. 'Albion' produced the largest individual fruit weight during the first season, but all cultivars were similar to the market standard 'Camarosa' in fruit weight in subsequent seasons. Soluble solids concentration (SSC) varied with season and cultivar. 'Ruby June' SSC was significantly higher than all other cultivars in 2018, and similar to 'Camarosa' in 2017. In contrast, 'Albion' and 'Camino Real' had the lowest SSC in 2018 and were similar to 'Camarosa' in 2019. Titratable acidity (Tacid) and SSC:Tacid ratio of 'Camino Real' tended to be numerically lower than other cultivars though differences were not statistically significant at the 5% level. Total monomeric anthocyanin and phenolic concentrations were consistently among the lowest for 'Ruby June' although SSC, pH, and titratable acidity indicate fruit were fully ripe. Plant and fruit qualities and yield potential indicate that 'Camino Real' can serve as a desirable cultivar to replace 'Camarosa' in the SAR.