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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Poplarville, Mississippi » Southern Horticultural Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #87591

Title: 'PELICAN' STRAWBERRY

Author
item Smith, Barbara
item Gupton, Creighton
item Galletta, Gene
item Maas, John
item Enns, John
item BALLINGTON, JAMES - NC STATE UNIVERSITY
item CONSTANTIN, R - LA STATE UNIVERSITY
item DIVITTORIO, TONY - LA STATE UNIVERSITY
item HIMELRICK, DAVID - AUBURN UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/30/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Strawberry production in the eastern United States has been reduced due to anthracnose crown rot and fruit rot diseases. These diseases are caused by species of the fungus Colletotrichum, and are particular severe in hot, humid areas such as the southeastern United States. Chemical control of anthracnose has not been satisfactory. The United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, cooperatively with Louisiana State University Agricultural Center and North Carolina State University, has released the strawberry cultivar, Pelican, which is resistant to anthracnose diseases and to five races of the red-stele root-rot disease. This cultivar produces large fruit with good color and flavor. It is adapted to raised-bed, plasticulture production in the Southern Coastal Plain and lower Piedmont areas of the southeastern U. S. where it is as productive as 'Chandler'. 'Pelican' provides strawberry growers in the southeastern U. S. the option of growing a strawberry cultivar that is mor disease resistant than currently grown cultivars. Fewer fungicides will be required to produce this cultivar. Strawberry breeders will also benefit by the cultivar as a disease resistant parent.

Technical Abstract: The 'Pelican' strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.), resulting from an interregional effort to breed anthracnose-resistant strawberry cultivars for the southeastern United States (Galletta et al., 1993; Smith et al., 1996), was introduced for propagation to nurseries in 1996 by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), Louisiana State University, and North Carolina State University 'Pelican' was selected for its high plant vigor; attractive, symmetrical, and large fruit with good color and flavor; resistance to anthracnose (Colletotrichum acutatum Simmonds and C. fragariae Brooks) of the fruit, petioles, stolons, and plant crown; and for its adaptation to raised-bed plasticulture of the southeastern U.S. 'Pelican' also is resistant to at least five races of the red-stele root-rot disease (incited by Phytophthora fragariae Hickman var. fragariae). 'Pelican' yielded outstandingly in southern Mississippi compared to 'Sweet Charlie' and was as productive with fruit as large as those of 'Chandler' in North Carolina. Yields in Louisiana were high, but the fruit was subject to skin damage by rain. In Maryland 'Pelican' yielded as well as 'Chandler' on raised beds and made a productive matted row, although fruit from matted rows was rated less attractive. 'Pelican' seems best adapted to the southern Coastal Plain and lower Piedmont at the USDA hardiness zones 8 and 9, especially for fall-planting and winter to early spring fruit production.