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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #302342
Title: An evaluation of U.S. strawberry producers trait prioritization—evidence from audience clicker surveys

Author
item YUE, C - University Of Minnesota
item GALLARDO, R - Washington State University
item LUBY, J - University Of Minnesota
item KATARE, B - University Of Minnesota
item MCFERSON, J - Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission
item MCCRACKEN, V - Washington State University
item WHITAKER, V - University Of Florida
item Finn, Chad
item HANCOCK, J - Michigan State University
item WEEBADDE, C - Michigan State University
item SEBOLT, A - Michigan State University
item IEZZONI, A - Michigan State University

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/20/2013
Publication Date: 2/1/2014
Citation: Yue, C., Gallardo, R.K., Luby, J., Katare, B., Mcferson, J.R., Mccracken, V., Whitaker, V.M., Finn, C.E., Hancock, J.F., Weebadde, C., Sebolt, A., Iezzoni, A. 2014. An evaluation of U.S. strawberry producers trait prioritization—evidence from audience clicker surveys. HortScience. 49(2):188–193.

Interpretive Summary: Little is known about the importance of various strawberry fruit characteristics to US producers. The strawberry traits included in this study were fruit skin color, fruit size, fruit flavor, fruit firmness, shelf life at retail, open plant canopy, productivity, extended harvest season, root rot resistance, and other quality traits added by producers. "Clicker" surveys were conducted at four grower meetings across the US. Strawberry producers indicated that fruit firmness, fruit flavor and fruit shelf life at retail were the most important fruit/plant traits for a successful strawberry cultivar. Growing state and producers’ years involved in the decision making process of strawberry farms, impacted the relative importance of the fruit/plant traits. This study is a portion of a larger investigation of supply chain members’ trait preferences to provide Rosaceae fruit crop breeding programs with information to increase the likelihood of new cultivar adoption.

Technical Abstract: Studies evaluating the relative importance of strawberry traits to U.S. strawberry producers are limited. The strawberry traits included in this study were fruit skin color, fruit size, fruit flavor, fruit firmness, shelf life at retail, open plant canopy, productivity, extended harvest season, root rot resistance, and other quality traits added by producers. We conducted audience surveys at four strawberry producer meetings across the United States. Strawberry producers indicated that fruit firmness, fruit flavor and fruit shelf life at retail were the most important fruit/plant traits for a successful strawberry cultivar. Growing state and producers’ years involved in the decision making process of strawberry farms, impacted the relative importance of the fruit/plant traits. This study is a portion of a larger investigation of supply chain members’ trait preferences to provide Rosaceae fruit crop breeding programs with information to increase the likelihood of new cultivar adoption.