U.S. Patent PP30,385
Strawberry Plant
Description: ‘Florida Beauty’ is a joint release from the University of Florida and the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. ‘Florida Beauty’ demonstrates adaptation to early planting while maintaining excellent fruit quality and a yield distribution that complements current industry standard varieties.
During the 2015-2016 season, nearly 85% of the acreage in west-central Florida was planted in the two varieties ‘Florida Radiance’ (U.S. Patent PP20,363) and Sweet Sensation® brand ‘Florida127’ (U.S. Patent PP25,574). These two varieties exhibit many desirable plant and fruit characteristics, however, neither variety is well-adapted for early planting dates in west-central Florida. The planting window in west-central Florida has shifted earlier in recent years in an attempt to produce higher yields in late November and December when market prices tend to be highest. Thus, there is a need for additional cultivars that are adapted to early planting, when environmental conditions in west-central Florida are hot and unfavorable for flower initiation and desirable fruit shape.
Plants of ‘Florida Beauty’ are compact with open architecture, which allows air movement and easy visualization of the fruit. Like ‘Florida Radiance’, plants of ‘Florida Beauty’ have moderately long pedicels which allows the fruit to be easily harvested. Plants of ’Florida Beauty’ have a steady yield pattern throughout the season that is complementary to ‘Florida Radiance’ and ‘Florida 127’; plants produce high early yields in November and December, but are less productive than ’Florida Radiance’ in February.
Fruit of ‘Florida Beauty’ are medium sized, averaging between 19-22 g/fruit (average fruit weight is similar to ‘Florida Radiance’ but smaller than ‘Florida 127’). Fruit of ‘Florida Beauty’ display excellent, uniform shape throughout the season and do not produce elongated fruit early in the season. Fruit are firm and durable. Fruit of ‘Florida Beauty’ displayed similar post-harvest weight loss to ‘Florida Radiance’ and ‘Florida127’ when cold stored for 8-10 days.
Fruit of ‘Florida Beauty’ display excellent quality and flavor. In flavor evaluations conducted by a trained sensory panel (USDA/ARS Hort. Science Research Laboratory, Ft. Pierce, FL) at five different points throughout the season, fruit of ‘Florida Beauty’ consistently scored higher than ‘Florida Radiance’ in sweetness and “strawberry flavor” ratings. At most points throughout the season, the trained sensory panels’ ratings for ‘Florida Beauty’ were not significantly different from the ratings for ‘Florida127’.
Plants of ‘Florida Beauty’ are moderately susceptible to acutatum fruit rot. Plants are moderately resistant to Phytophthora root rot (plants of ’Florida Beauty’ had lower mortality rates due to phytophthora root rot than plants of ’Florida Radiance’).
The data for this description was produced and compiled by researchers at the University of Florida’s Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, Agri-Science Queensland, and the USDA/ARS. For more information on this cultivar, please contact Dr. Vance M. Whitaker.
License Availability: FFSP has exclusively licensed the following entity for the propagation of the ‘Florida Beauty’ Strawberry cultivar:
Florida Strawberry Patent Service Corporation
http://flastrawberry.com/