A new strawberry variety developed by Philippine researchers may be named after The Beatles in honour of their song ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’.
The strawberry, a promising cross between the Fern and Festival varieties, is currently unnamed. Lennon or Forever are two of the names that have been suggested, according to a report from the Inquirer.
The new strawberry in one of seven to come out of a project run by the Benguet State University (BSU) to develop new varieties suited to Philippine growing conditions, specifically in the Cordillera.
BSU’s breeding programme has worked on crosses between existing varieties like Sweet Charlie, Toyonaka, Selva, Fern, Festival and Nyoho, drawing on successful genetics from strawberry industries in Belgium, the US, Japan and South Korea.
The varieties boast mild resistance to strawberry mites and fruit rot, and are otherwise focused on increased sugar levels and yield.
In concert with the new varietal development, the project has also been working on integrated pest management programmes using a predatory mite, Amblyseius longispinosus, to combat spider mites.
Development of the domestic Philippine strawberry industry is aimed at displacing imports from China, Europe, North America and Australia, said Danilo Padua, project leader for the BSU strawberry programme.
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