UC Davis Releases Fusarium-resistant Strawberries
May 3, 2023| |
The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) announced the release of five new strawberry varieties with resistance to Fusarium wilt, high yield, and enhanced fruit quality. The varieties, known as UC Eclipse, UC Golden Gate, UC Keystone, UC Monarch, and UC Surfline, are available for purchase by California nurseries from Foundation Plant Services.
About 88% of the strawberries in the US come from California. One of the major causes of loss and death of strawberries is Fusarium wilt, but over half of the varieties do not have resistance to the disease. Historically, Fusarium wilt was not a major concern in strawberry crops. However, when methyl bromide was phased out of use in the US in 2005, Fusarium has become rampant in the soil, leading to concerns about a Fusarium wilt pandemic in strawberries.
“The disease has taken off fast and we need to react quickly to address the need,” said Glenn Cole, a breeder and field manager with the Strawberry Breeding Program. Thus, the breeders gathered the DNA of thousands of plants to design genetic tools to select and pick the genes for Fusarium resistance. “These tools have allowed us to sweep out the susceptibility and bring in resistance,” said Steve Knapp, Director of the UC Davis Strawberry Breeding Program.
Find out more from UC Davis.
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