East Malling Research launched two new strawberry varieties, a new raspberry and a new cherry to the trade last week.
The four new lines, strawberries Fenella and Lucy, raspberry Autumn Treasure and cherry Zoë, were unveiled at the event.
The strawberry lines are being propagated by a consortium of nurseries and will go on sale to growers in the autumn.
Fenella is a mid- to late-season June-bearer first selected in 2001. The brightly coloured berries, with a blunt conic shape and waxy skin, have brix levels and shelf life similar to Elsanta, with a similar yield potential to Florence.
Lucy is a mid-season June-bearer with a complex pedigree that includes Honeoye, Selva and Rapella. The primary fruits can be very large with an irregular shape, but subsequent berries are heart-shaped. The high-yielding fruit, which is a mid-red colour and has a glossy skin finish, overlaps with Elsanta but peaks a week later.
Breeder Dr David Simpson, pictured, told FPJ: “It normally takes about seven to eight years to get to this stage. We start off by making crosses and raising seedlings every year, before narrowing them down to the most promising.
“Both strawberry varieties are suitable for a lower input system. Fenella has a lot of pest and disease resistance and can grow well in soils that have been used previously for strawberries and in second-hand table tops.
“Lucy does not have as much disease resistance, but it performs well in a 60-day cropping system.”
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