Article from
VSCNews, Vegetable and Specialty Crop News
Source: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
Aromatic Strawberry Variety Grows in South Florida
As National Strawberry Day approaches on Feb. 27, University of
Florida (UF) scientists have found another variety that can grow in
South Florida. It’s largely unknown to American consumers, it’s
temptingly tasty and it’s good for local markets, UF researchers say.
Fig. 1 
Alpine strawberry plants
Alan
Chambers, an assistant professor of horticultural sciences with the UF
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), led a team of
researchers that tested 16 types of Alpine strawberries in South
Florida recently to see how well they would grow.
Alpine strawberries produce gourmet, aromatic fruits, Chambers said.
Fig. 2
Examples of red and white Alpine strawberry fruit types. Some varieties
are naturally calyx-free when harvested. Note: 25 mm is ~1 inch.
“I
love the taste. The flavor is intense and desirable,” said Chambers, a
faculty member at the UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Extension Center in
Homestead, Florida. Alpine strawberries are too soft for long-distance
transportation, so farmers would be wise to sell them locally, Chambers
said. “I can see growers selling them directly to consumers and food
services in Miami, or wherever they’re grown.”
Alpine
strawberries grow in the wild throughout the Northern Hemisphere. A few
commercial growers in Europe produce the strawberry as well.
Chambers
and his team found the Alpine varieties that they tested grew well in
the winter in South Florida. After their initial trial in 2018,
researchers held a field day and gave seeds to interested growers,
Chambers said.
Strawberries, a $300 million-a-year industry in
Florida, are grown in many places in the state. But the bulk of the
fruit is produced in Central Florida.
South Florida strawberry
production is limited in part by land prices caused by close proximity
of farm land to urban areas. But the Alpine strawberries could offer a
new variety for farmers and local consumers, Chambers said.
Growers
maintain economic viability by targeting local markets and on-farm
experiences, according to a research paper led by Chambers. The
research is published in the journal HortScience. Chambers also
published a shorter version of his findings in this new UF/IFAS
Extension document.
Alpine
Strawberry as a Potential Niche Crop for Florida Growers and Homeowners,
University of Florida pdf
The next step is for UF/IFAS scientists to
meet with UF/IFAS Extension faculty in the fall to talk about the
Alpine’s potential and that of several other new specialty crops,
Chambers said.
“Some growers are constantly looking for
something exciting, new and profitable,” he said. “Alpine strawberries
are just one of many options that could help our growers provide
something delicious to today’s savvy consumer. Our work reduces risk
and shortens the learning curve for those interested in these novel
crops.”
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Bibliography
"Aromatic Strawberry Variety Grows in South Florida." Vegetable and Specialty Crop News, 20 Feb. 2019,
vscnews.com/uf-ifas-aromatic-strawberry-grows-south-florida/.
Accessed 18 Sept. 2019.
Photographs
Fig. 1 Chambers, Alan. "Alpine strawberry plants." University of Florida, IFAS Extension, VSCNews, vscnews.com/uf-ifas-aromatic-strawberry-grows-south-florida/.
Accessed 18 Sept. 2019.
Fig. 2
Chambers, Alan. "Examples of red and white Alpine strawberry fruit
types. Some varieties are naturally calyx-free when harvested. Note: 25
mm is ~1 inch." Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, IFAS Extension, AskIFAS, edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1326.
Accessed 18 Sept. 2019.
Published 18 Sept. 2019 LR. Last update 12 Feb. 2024 LR
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