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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Citrus and Other Subtropical Products Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #400111
Research Project: Determination of Flavor and Healthful Benefits of Florida-Grown Fruits and Vegetables and Development of Postharvest Treatments to Optimize Shelf Life an Quality for Their Fresh and Processed Products

Location: Citrus and Other Subtropical Products Research

Title: Florida Pearl® ‘FL 16.78-109’ Pineberry

Author
item WHITAKER, VANCE - University Of Florida
item DALID, CHERYL - University Of Florida
item OSORIO, LUIS - University Of Florida
item PERES, NATALIA - University Of Florida
item VERMA, SUJEET - University Of Florida
item LEE, SEONGHEE - University Of Florida
item Plotto, Anne

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/18/2022
Publication Date: 1/4/2023
Citation: Whitaker, V., Dalid, C., Osorio, L., Peres, N., Verma, S., Lee, S., Plotto, A. 2023. Florida Pearl® ‘FL 16.78-109’ Pineberry. HortScience. 58:143-146. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI16951-22.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI16951-22

Interpretive Summary: White-fruited strawberries from Fragaria chiloensis have been cultivated by native people in South America for centuries. "Pineberries" are hybrids of F. chiloensis with the commercial F. x ananassa. University of Florida has released a new cultivar, Pearl® 'FL 16.78-109', obtained from multiple crosses of a pineberry with light red colored strawberries, F. x ananassa. Pearl® 'FL 16.78-109' is a medium-size fruit with attractive color, white with pink blush and red achenes (the seeds on a strawberry fruit). It has a pleasant sweet and fruity flavor, similar soluble solids but lower acidity than commercial strawberry cultivars.

Technical Abstract: The leading strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne ex Rozier) grown in Florida is currently ‘Florida Brilliance’, which accounted for approximately 55% of acreage in west-central Florida in 2022. There is a need in the U.S. market for specialty berries to complement the red strawberry. White-fruited strawberries have existed for centuries as white-fruited forms of Fragaria chiloensis cultivated by native peoples in South America. Hybrids of these forms with Fragaria x ananassa have been called “pineberries ”. The Florida Pearl® ‘FL 16.78-109’ pineberry has demonstrated attractive white color, with a pink blush and red achenes when fully-ripe, under a variety of commercial conditions. The fruit have a sweet taste and unique aroma that is sometimes reminiscent of apricot and pineapple. Replicated field trials at the University of Florida Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) (Wimauma, FL) have shown a yield slightly lower than current standard cultivars (Brilliance and FL17) but acceptable, and disease resistance profile similar to that of the two commercial standards.