BREEDING STRAWBERRIES IN A SUBTRAPICAL ENVIRONMENT

Breeding strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa. Duch.) in a subtropical environment presents some serious challenges. Maintenance of healthy plants is currently the limiting factor in the University of Florida strawberry breeding program. Anthracnose crown not (caused by Colletotrichum spp.), leaf blight (caused by Phomopsis obscurans [Ell. & Ev.] Sutton), sting nematode (Belanolaimus longicaudatus Rau), and lack of a rest period have slowed progress toward developing cultivars with acceptable fruit quality. We have learned to deal reasonably well with sting nematodes and lack of a rest period, but leaf bright and anthracnose crown rot continue to inhibit plant growth and kill plants, limiting the propagation of some desirable genotypes.