Yield and Quality Performance of Italian and American Strawberry Genotypes in Brazil

Abstract

The strawberry cultivars show variation in agronomic performance when grown in different regions of the world, due to the genotype × environment interaction. The aim of the study was to evaluate the yield performance and quality of Italian and American strawberry cultivars. We evaluated the phyllochron, which measures the time required for the emission of successive leaves in a plant, the number and commercial and non-commercial fruit yield, titratable acidity and total soluble solids (obtained from evaluations of the Brix degree of the fruit). The experimental design was a randomized complete block with 11 treatments, which were composed of the Italian strawberry cultivars (CREA-FRF PIR 29, CREA-FRF PA3, CREA-FRF CE 51, CREA-FRF CE 56, CREA-FRF Jônica and CREA-FRF Pircinque) and American (Albion, Camarosa, San Andreas, Camino Real and Aromas), with four replications per treatment, eight plants per plot, giving a total 32 plants per cultivar. Analysis of variance showed differences for phyllochron, marketable fruits yield and total soluble solids content. The American cultivar Albion showed higher phyllochron, the cultivar CREA-FRF Pircinque the lowest phyllochron. The highest yields of marketable fruits were found in American cultivars Camino Real and CREA-FRF Pircinque. The higher solids soluble was observed in Italian cultivars. Thus, we highlight the Italian strawberry cultivars, because they reflect good yield when compared to the American cultivars.