STRAWBERRY BREEDING PROGRAM AT MARCHE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY

The strawberry breeding program at the Marche Polytechnic University (Ancona, IT) started in 1993, and after 10 years of evaluation 2 cultivars (‘Adria’ and ‘Sveva’) were released showing interesting agronomic characteristics associated with high adaptability to these cultivation conditions. In the last 5 years, 12460 seedlings were evaluated from which 44 selections are now under study, because they show interesting agronomic characteristics associated with high adaptability to these cultivation conditions and fruit quality. From all the program, the most advanced material is now represented by the following 4 selections: ‘AN99.78.51’ (‘95.617.1’ × ‘Darselect’); ‘AN00.235.52’ (‘Sveva’ × ‘Patty’); ‘AN97.120.52’ (‘91.143.5’ × ‘90.608.1’) and ‘AN01.211.51’ (‘CN 95.602.8’ × ‘CN 95.419.4’). Other two selections originated by Fragaria × ananassa and F. virginiana glauca (FVG), ‘AN94.414.51’ (‘Don’ × ‘FVG’) and ‘AN94.474.51’ (‘FVG’ × ‘Miss’) are considered of interest for the high fruit nutritional value.