WHILE BOTH BREEDING WORK and commercial cultivation of the strawberry continued without interruption for a considerable period in England, much of the breeding work on the European Continent is rather recent, some beginning after early work by amateurs and private firms had largely ceased, as in the case of France, and some coming as a first attempt toward the origination of varieties adapted to a particular location, as in Italy. In Germany, continuous breeding dates back a hundred years. Of course, in the past France, Germany, and in fact all Europe, maintained an exchange of advances with England; each benefitting from the other's work, and each helping to stimulate it, but the European industry was to a large degree founded upon varieties imported from England. Now, the Continental industry and much of the breeding work, with only a few exceptions, is based upon varieties originated on the Continent. introductions from England and the United States have proved of great value as parents, but not many are in commercial use. Royal Sovereign, for instance, is now grown slightly in England and in France, but its present importance on the Continent comes from serving as a parent with Docteur Morere, of Madame Moutot. Redgauntlet, Talisman, Jucunda, Cambridge Favourite, and Cambridge Vigour have been imported from England and are grown in Holland, while Pocahontas, from the United States, and Regina, from Germany, are of some importance in Italy. Regina is also cultivated to a minor degree in France and Holland. Some of the more recent German work has utilized American varieties, namely Sharpless and Sparkle, but Siletz, Sharpless, Pocahontas and to a slight extent Redheart are the only American varieties which have proved at all useful on terms other than those of breeding material. Many of the German introductions are commercially important throughout Europe.
In his article published in 1960, entitled Basic Principles for Crossing for Long-continued Research, Dr. Friedrick Gruber called attention to the importance for European breeders of the crossing of European and American varieties and listed some varieties resulting from such crosses:
(1) GREAT BRITAIN: Royal Sovereign, Climax, Talisman, Redgauntlet;
(2) NETHERLANDS: Oranda, Glasa, Juspa;
(3) GERMANY: Oberschlesien, Sieger, Regina, Macherauchs Fruhernte, Senga-Sorten, Senga Sengana;
(4) DENMARK: Ydun;
(5) SWEDEN: Indra, Julia;
Others that could be listed are Cambridge Favourite and the other Cambridge varieties of England.
After 1900 the succession of varieties in France was still largely the result of work by amateur growers of seedlings, rather than that of systematic breeding. Three breeders, however, produced continuous work over a considerable length of time: Louis Gauthier, R. Chapron, and Charles Simmen. Louis Gauthier pursued his work well into the 1900's. He raised the Ville de Caen (Empereur de Maroc x Madame Moutot) in 1922. This variety was firm-fleshed, large, aromatic, and late, but it was subject to mildew and often fasciated. It now has been replaced. Noble from England, Sharpless from America, and Marguerite for main varieties of the early 1900's were soon largely replaced by new French varieties: Sharpless by Madame Moutot, soon after Madam Moutot's introduction about 1910, and Noble in part by various earlies and by Surprise des Halles, introduced in 1929.
Madame Moutot (also called Tomate, La France, Madame Kooi, etc., Plate 17-1a), was originated by Charles Moutot, gardener to M. Vanderbilt of Poissy. It came from the cross Docteur Morere x Royal Sovereign in 1906. Although it has great varieties in its ancestry, some like British Queen and Royal Sovereign of the highest flavor, it is of ordinary flavor in most of the areas where it is grown. Madame Moutot is still the most grown variety in France (60 percent) and in several other countries of Europe because of its size and productiveness, but it is being replaced widely by Senga Sengana, especially in the north, and to some extent by Cambridge Favourite and Talisman.
A really fine advance came when Guyot of Dijon raised Surprise des Halles (Plate 17-2b) about 1925 and introduced it in 1929. Surprise des Halles is the most cultivated early variety of France today (18 percent of total acreage) because of its earliness (twelve days before Madame Moutot), its rather large, fairly firm fruit, and its very productive plants. The plants, however, are subject to leaf spot. It is reported to be replacing Ladette in southeast France.
The work of R. Chapron of Caen resulted in a number of varieties, among them in 1930 the variety Fertilité, a cross of Empereur Nicolas x Leader. It is grown locally in the Paris area in Brittany, but is decreasing in importance. Chapron's Ville de Paris, originated in 1929, is not now productive and is passing out of cultivation. His Sans Rivale (1937, General de Castelman x Madame Raymond Poincaré) is now the leading everbearer of France. It is vigorous, very everbearing, large and of good quality. Madame Poincaré, one of the parents of Sans Rivale was St. Joseph x Lucie Boiselet, obtained in 1930. It is subject to leaf diseases. Chapron's Reine des Précoce (Madame Moutot x Noble, 1937) was a very early forcing variety.
In the Brest region, J. Le Gall originated the Général de Gaulle, a cross of Reine de Précoce x Fertilité, made about 1940 and introduced about 1947, that is a locally adapted, early variety, sensitive to virus and having only average flavor.
Charles Simmen of Montmorency, France, has been primarily interested in breeding everbearers. His Record, originated in 1931 (a non-everbearer x La France Pacifique) is an everbearer with exceptional vigor and very large fruit. He has introduced several varieties with musky flavor: Muscade (Tardive de Leopold x Madame Moutot), originated about 1940 but not very productive, and Hercule (Record x Muscade) about 1946. Hercule is very resistant to leaf spot, has large fruit of excellent flavor, but it not very productive. It bears a small second crop. Saint-Jean, which was introduced in 1945, was a rather unproductive everbearer said to be a cross of the musky moschata with an unknown variety. Regal is an early, aromatic productive sort obtained in 1936, but not attractive. Précose Musquée, a descendant of Muscade, was originated about 1950. It is very subject to mildew, but has a very musky flavor and fragrance. It is a home garden variety.
The Strawberry Industry
In recent years the strawberry crop of France has averaged about 22,240 acres (9000 ha) with an annual production of about 43,000 tons. The chief production areas of France are:
| Moselle (East) | 25% | Massif (Central) | 8.0% |
| Vaucluse (Southeast) | 16% | Loire Valley | 4.0% |
| South West | 15% | Paris area | 3.5% |
| Rhone Valley | 12% | Other areas | 5.5% |
| Finistere (Brittany) | 11% |
Before the last world war production was below 20,000 tons. Along with the increase in production there has been a decrease in export (22 percent in 1949 to 3 percent in 1960) and an increase in import.
Present varieties and the percentage each composed of the total acreage grown in 1963 were:
| Madame Moutot | 60.0% | Général de Gaulle | 4.0% |
| Surprise des Halles and Ladette | 18.0% | Fertilité | 1.0% |
| Royal Sovereign and Gauthier | 9.0% | Reine de Tardive | 0.5% |
| Saunier (St. Geniez) | 7.0% | Sieger | 0.5% |
Others grown slightly are Souvenir de Charles Machiroux, Talisman, Tardive de Leopold, and Vicomtesse Héricart de Thury; of the overbearing, Sans Rivale, Saint-Claude, Record, and Profusion; and of the vesca, La Brillante and Reine de Vallées (Alpine).
The official catalogue of strawberries for France recommends only four varieties: Cambridge Favourite (English), Madame Moutot, Surprise des Halles, and Talisman (Scottish), for main crops, and Sans Rivale for everbearing. Eighteen other non-everbearing and eight everbearing are in Class 2 (those of local or of special interest) and include for the non-everbearing:
Fertilite (Empereur Nicolas x Leader), grown near Paris
General de Gaulle, grown near Brest
Hercule (Record x Muscade), for gardeners
Huxley (= Nouveau Morere) (= American Ettersburg 80)
Ladette, early, being replaced by Surprise des Halles
Louis Gauthier, white, for amateurs only
Major
Pocahontas (a recent American), general culture
Reine de Carpentras
Saunier (Vicomtesse de Saint-Geniez), local in Lot Valley
Souvenir de Charles Machiroux (Belgian) (Tardive de Leopold x Ville de Paris), very large, general market
Supermonstrueuse Hative, an early
Surprise Vaucluse, early local at Vaucluse
Tardive de Leopold (German), female, very glossy, decreasing
Triomphe de Tihange
Vicometesse Hericart de Thury, too small, not productive now
Ydun (Danish) (Tardive de Leopold x Deutsch Evern), productive, large, not high flavored
Madame Moutot is still the most widely grown variety in France because of its productiveness, large size, and its good growth, but it is often mis-shapen, poorly colored, not of high flavor, and not suited for freezing and jam, although so used. Its plants are subject to variegation. Surprise des Halles is grown because it is early and produces best of early varieties, but its flavor is inferior to that of the early Glasa and Senga Précosa and its size in the later pickings is small. Cambridge Favourite, a relatively new variety but the chief one of England, ripens with Madame Moutot. It is large, orange-red, caps easily, is fairly firm, a good shipper, and good in flavor. Talisman, a new variety of Scotland, is large, bright red, a fairly good shipper, hard to cap but a good processor, and late. Resistant to red stele, Senga Gigana (the very large new German) was the most productive and most promising in southern France trials.
Official breeding work at present is carried on only at the Vaucluse Station at Montfavet by Miss Georgette Risser. It is directed toward obtaining an early variety adapted to the Montfavet region with its mild winters. A study of factors for earliness includes attention to the time of initiation of flower buds in autumn, the effect of winter cold on the development of inflorescences, their development in the spring, and the period from flowering to ripe fruit. Other work includes studies on methods of selecting varieties for intensive culture. Seed is sown in the greenhouse in March after treatment with sulfuric acid, and the seedlings are set in June so that they can each make at least six runner plants, considered a minimum for study of the fruit characters and of their susceptibility to mildew, leaf spot and botrytis. The next year the seedlings finally selected are planted in three plots of nine plants each, on three separate planting dates. Yields are obtained and the selections are compared in these plots. The first stage of selection is the most difficult because of the number of seedlings to be judged and the many characters to be observed. Successive elimination after noting each character is practiced. From 15,000 intervarietal hybrids since the start of the breeding work, 22 were tested for yield and one early and one late were considered worth further tests. Inbreeding decreased seedling vigor in the I1 and further inbreeding depressed vigor still more, so that fruit qualities could not be evaluated. Crossing I2 and I3 showed seedlings much more uniform than those of crosses between two varieties, making possible a study of inheritance of earliness and production.
In a study of factors that might affect the yield of selections in tests, virus-free plants for the first two crops yielded 126 percent more than virus-infested ones; plants set August 22 yielded 140 percent more than those set September 29; and a stand of 47,750 plants per acre yielded 77 percent more than a stand of 19,300 plants per acre.
A comparison of six early varieties set October 4 in cold frame culture showed Surprise des Halles as 70 percent more productive than the next, Deutsch Evern, but less attractive and less highly flavored than Glasa and Senga Précosa (G. Risser, 1963).
Non-everbearing varieties of strawberries registered in the catalogue of species and varieties, their identification and their description, Ann. Amelior, Pl. 1962, 142 pp., Brossier, J.0. This notable study, begun in 1953 at Versailles and continued at Montfavet in 1959, reports on observations for seven years on 53 varieties and includes keys for identifying varieties. It has been followed by a supplement by G. Risser (1963) with a description of 16 other varieties.
It is said that George II, King of Hanover, introduced the first large-fruited strawberries to Germany in 1751. Before that time no ananassa-forms were known; instead other species, mainly Fragaria moschata were cultivated. Some varieties of these species were grown even until the end of the 1930's in old growing areas, for instance "Vierlander Strawberries," but all varieties grown in Germany before 1870 originated in France and England.
The first German-bred varieties were introduced by Gottlieb Goeschke (Fig. 17-1), Köthen (Saxony-Anhalt), about 1870. Of the more than 20 varieties which he bred in the following years, the Hohenzollern and König Albert von Sachsen were known until the early 1950's. Beginning in 1902 Franz Goeschke (Fig. 17-2), son of Gottlieb Goeschke, continued the work until 1912 and produced about 30 varieties, of which Königin Luise (1905), Roter Elefant, Panther, Zarathustra (1926), Osterfee (1917), and Amazone were cultivated until the end of the 1950's.
These two, father and son, were comparable to Laxton and the Laxton Brothers of England. The father, Gottlieb, was the owner of a nursery in Köthen and did his breeding there. His more notable varieties were mostly those for amateurs. The son, Franz, was director of horticulture and lecturer at the horticultural school at Proskau. Königin Luise and Osterfee were widely grown commercially.
The introductions of Johannes Böttner (Fig. 17-3), a well-known nurseryman at Frankfort, Oder, were also important. The author of Gardening for Beginners, from 1866 on he was editor of the magazine Practical Advisor for Fruit Growing and Horticulture. His strawberry introductions began about 1897; his two most famous varieties being Sieger (1897) and Deutsch Evern (1902). The latter became the most important early variety of Germany and adjacent countries for the next five decades. Some other varieties originated by Böttner were: Aprikose (1897), Rotkäppchen (1910), Sauerling (1913), Flandern (1916), and Masuren.
Beginning in 1919 varieties originated by Prof. O. Schindler (Fig. 17-4) at Pillniz (Saxony) became very important. Until the end of the last war his Oberschlesien (1919) was a most notable variety for its high yield and its wide adaptability. Frau Mieze Schindler (1933) was very popular in home gardens because of its excellent flavor and good fruit quality. Schindler's varieties Johannes Müller, Herbstfreude, and Mathilde should also be mentioned.
Besides these varieties, French varieties played a significant part. The most important has been Madame Moutot, which for several decades was widely grown in the Rhineland and Southern Germany, and, in some old growing areas, even until the present, along with Madame Lefebre. Some varieties of other German breeders also came on the market, for instance (1904) Späte von Leopoldshall by E. Lierke, which was a notable variety with its late ripening season, and (1905) Hansa, originated by Buhk (Vierlanden near Hamburg). In the 1930's varieties produced by the nurseryman O. Macherauch and by P. Krechen deserve mention; Eva Macherauch was produced by the former in 1931 at Legefeld, near Weimar, while Prinz Julius Ernst was originated by Krechen in 1935 at Oberkrassel. During the second part of the 1930s at the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Institut fur Züchtungsforschung in Muncheberg (now Max-Planck-lnstitut fur Züchtungsforschung, Köln-Vogelsang) crossings were made, with the aim of producing new varieties for the early ripening season. Two early varieties resulted: Regina, which was introduced by the Fey nursery at Meckenheim near Bonn in 1951, and Macherauchs Frühernte, which was introduced by O. Macherauch also in 1951. Since 1948 at the Institute an objective has been the production of decaploids (Bauer), of which various types are existing. Macherauch later introduced the varieties Macherauchs Dauerernte, an everbearer (1956), Macherauchs Späternte, an extremely late ripening variety (1957), and Macherauchs Marieva (1962) a midseason one. In 1942 the variety Georg Soltwedel was introduced by the breeder, a nurseryman of same name, at Deutsch Evern near Lüneburg.
A development, comparable to the breeding at U.S. experimental stations, arose in Germany in 1942, when Prof. von Sengbusch began to breed varieties, to meet the specific demands of the industry for freezing, which had developed at that time. The first results of breeding were introduced in 1951 as Senga-numbered-varieties, e.g., Senga 29, Senga 54, Senga 188, etc. All these varieties were replaced by the all-round variety Senga Sengana in 1954. From that year the strawberry work of von Sengbusch was continued at the Sengana GmbH., and the lines of breeding have been enlarged. In 1960, Senga Précosa was introduced as a very early ripening variety and in 1963 Senga Gigana, as a very large-fruited variety.
Some varieties of other breeders in recent years should be mentioned -- the Direktor Paul Wallbaum (by K.P. Thiele, Hanover) (1953), and Lihama (1960), Asieta (1960), and Vigerla (1963) (by M. Etscheidt), which were introduced by various nurseries.
From the beginning the everbearers were of importance for home gardens. The more important everbearers of recent years are, Ada Herzberg (1942), Heinemanns Underschopfliche (1943/44), and Herzbergs Triumph (1942), by G. Herzberg at Wefensleben, and Hummi Trisca (1961) by R. Hummel in Stuttgart.
Since the early 1950's the variety picture in Germany has been changed in character. Patented (copyrighted) varieties, "Hochzuchten", are becoming more important. For the encouragement of breeding new valuable varieties of crop plants, protection of variety is granted under certain conditions. In this way the breeder's title to his variety is protected and his private initiative is promoted. On the other hand the customers for seed and clone material, farmers and horticulturists, are protected from poor quality and untrue seed or clonal material. In 1953 a seed law was enacted for this purpose. Strawberries were not included. As similar regulations were needed for the private strawberry breeders and as biological protection was impossible because of its vegetative propagation, a system of propagation and distribution according to civil law was established, mainly at the initiative of Dr. R. von Sengbusch. It has been in operation successfully for about 10 years. Several legal steps are taken to guard the title of a variety; these involve a standard agreement for propagation and distribution and the obtaining of a licensed title, by which the costs of breeding are paid. Specifically, the following is done:
(1) PROTECTION OF VARIETY. Patents can be given for strawberry varieties. The variety name can be protected by trademark, and the design of package (in the case of commercial marketing) can be secured by legal protection. The law against unfair competition is used in general jurisdiction. Finally, the breeder is protected by Art. 14 of the constitution, which safeguards property, in this case intellectual property.
(2) SYSTEM OF PROPAGATION. The breeder enters into agreements concerning propagation with nurseries, farmers and so on, and only such firms are allowed to propagate the variety. Propagators are subject to fixed conditions, to keep the quality of plant material on a high level in accordance with the seed law. The breeder maintains the original stock. From this stock "Eliteplants" are sold to propagating firms, who propagate the "Elite" material once only to "Hochzucht," (highly selected) which is sold to customers. At all levels of propagation, that of the breeder as well as that of the propagating nurseries, the plants are tested by the agricultural department. All certified plant material is labeled.
(3) SYSTEM OF DISTRIBUTION. The breeder makes license agreements with distribution firms, chosen by him and only these are allowed to offer and sell plant material. The licensed firm is obligated to sell only certified plant material. In most cases rights for propagation and rights for distribution are given to the same nurseries. Breeders have in nearly all cases made a price maintenance agreement with reference to anti-trust law. All licensed nurseries therefore sell at the same price. They settle accounts for license with the breeder twice a year.
In other European countries somewhat similar systems are exercised so that by international trade marks and agreements with a general representative of other countries, the distribution of a variety is under control. Before a new copyright variety is released, it is tested by the Federal State Variety Office to ascertain whether it actually is a new variety.
Copyrighted varieties are: Asieta, Direktor Paul Wallbaum, Georg Soltwedel, Hummi Trisca, Lihama, Macherauchs Dauerente, Macherauchs Fruhernte, Macherauchs Marieva, Macherauchs Spaternte, Regina, Senga Gigana, Senga Précosa, Senga Sengana, Vigerla.
The principal strawberry varieties of the Federal Republic of Germany based on percentages of the commercial acreage in 1963 are:
| Variety | percent | |
| 1 | Senga Sengana | 56 |
| 2 | Senga Précosa | 10 |
| 3 | Oberschlesien | 8 |
| 4 | Regina | 6 |
| 5 | Madame Moutot | 6 |
| 6 | Macherauchs Fruhernte | 3 |
| 7 | George Softwedel | 2 |
| 8 | Direktor Paul Wallbaum | 1 |
| 9 | others1 | 8 |
| total | 100 |
Foreign varieties have been tried on countless occasions and a few have been grown for some years, but none of the newer introductions reached an importance comparable with the old Madame Moutot, though all were unpatented varieties.
Among such should be mentioned are: Auchincruive Climax, Talisman and Redgauntlet (all from Scotland), Cambridge Favourite, Cambridge Late Pine (both from England), Ydun and Xenion (both from Denmark), Siletz (from Oregon, U.S.A., the only U.S. variety with satisfying yield in Germany), Gorella (from the Netherlands).
The heaviest-producing areas are indicated on the map of Germany (Fig 17-5).
Senga Sengana (1954, Plate 17-2c). This early mid-season variety has good flavor, a hardy plant, and great adaptability. It is grown commercially for fresh market and especially for processing (deep freezing, canning, jam etc.), as well as for home gardens. It is grown not only in Germany, but in all north-central and north-western Europe, and to some extent further south. Though Madame Moutot is still most grown, Senga Sengana is rapidly becoming the most important European variety.
Fruits are large to medium, blunt conic to heart-shaped, dark red, firm flesh; medium acid, good capping quality, has averaged about 30 percent greater yield than the next German variety over three-year periods, and over 100 percent greater than the old variety Oberschlesien, in ten field trials (1952-1956). It is resistant to mildew, verticillium a nd insect infections, but susceptible to botrytis (Copyrighted).
Senga Precosa (1960, Plate 17-2a). This variety is very early ripening, three to four days earlier than Regina and Macherauchs Fruhernte and mainly grown for the early season in south and south-western Germany. Its berries are light to med ium red, blunt conic, medium firm, and sweet; it is not so susceptible to mildew as other early varieties; its capping quality very good, and its yield medium (Copyrighted).
Regina(syn.: Brandenburg, 1951). Macherauchs Fruhernte and Regina replaced Deutsch Evern as the standard early varieties until the introduction of Senga Précosa. Regina ripens about two days before Deutsch Evern; it is medium in size, light to medium red, and medium firm; its flavor is good, sweet to subacid; it is productive for an early variety, but is susceptible to mildew, and the very early blossoms and even the flower buds are endangered by late frost (Copyrighted).
Macherauchs Frühernte (syn.: Muncheberge Fruhe, 1951). This variety has the same parentage as Regina and has about the same qualities: medium large, soon becoming smaller, glossy, medium red, and blunt conic; its flowers are not so susceptible to frost as Regina's, but infection with mildew is much more severe than with Regina (Copyrighted).
Georg Soltwedel (1942, Plate 17-1b). This midseason variety had wide distribution in the late 1940's and was preferred for fresh market; it has good flavor, glossy, bright red, large, wedged or blunt conic fruit; its first fruits are very large and irregular in shape: it is susceptible to red spider, and is high in ascorbic acid (Copyrighted).
Direktor Paul Wallbaum (1953, Pistillate). This is a late ripening berry of Mieze Schindler type and grown for its lateness and its good quality; it is medium red, large, rather uniform conic to round; its flowers are susceptible to frost, but the plants are hardy. This variety gives a medium yield (Copyrighted).
Oberschlesien (1919). This variety is medium late, and was the highest yielding variety for commercial growing until the early 1950's. Due to its good adaptability it was widely grown; its flavor is just passable; its berries are large to very large, medium red, uniform blunt conic shape, the first fruits being broad and wedged. For several decades previous to 1950, it was widely used for processing purposes and is still an important variety.
OTHER VARIETIES
Frau Mieze Schindler (1919, Pistillate). This is a notable older, late ripening variety; it is grown because of its good flavor; its fruits are medium size, round to kidney shape, deep red, firm; it is hardy but not productive; it is susceptible to Mycosphaerella.
Sieger (1898). This is an early variety, three to four days later than Deutsch Evern. Because of its sweet aromatic flavor it was popular for commercial and amateur growing, mainly in early growing areas; it shows higher yields than Deutsch Evern; its berries are light red, medium to large, round, and very soft. Its yield is only medium.
Deutsch Evern (1902). Until the introduction of Regina and Macherauchs Fruhernte, this variety was the standard early variety of northern Europe; and still is a major variety for forcing under glass (Plate 17-1d); its berries are long conic, light red, medium to small; its early blossoms are sometimes endangered by frost; it is susceptible to mildew.
Hansa (syn.: Schwarze Ananas, 1905). This is a mid-season variety, which before introduction of Senga varieties, was the best variety for preserving; its fruits are medium sized, round to broad round, dark brownish red, and rather firm, mildly subacid.
Asieta (1960). This is a medium late type, whose fruits are large, blunt conic to broadly round and wedged, deep dark red, very firm, and acid; it is susceptible to Diplocarpon (Copyrighted).
Macherauchs Marieva (1962). A medium early variety, this possesses fruits which are blunt conic, red, medium large, medium firm, and aromatic; it is susceptible to red spider and less susceptible to mildew, mites, and nematodes (Copyrighted).
Lihama (1960). This early variety has berries which are dark red, medium size, blunt conic, acid to subacid; it produces a good yield; it is susceptible Mycosphaerella (Copyrighted).
Macherauchs Dauerernte (1956). An everbearing type that resembles "Heinemanns Underschopfliche" in many ways; this variety is blunt conic, medium to dark red, subacid, and aromatic; it is susceptible to Diplocarpon and red spider and nematodes (Copyrighted).
Ada Herzberg (1942). This is an everbearing sort, similar to Miezc Schindler; its fruit is subacid; its yields are good for an everbearer, but about 30 percent lower than Junebearers; it is susceptible to Mycosphaerella, Diplocarpon, and red spider.
Hummi Trisca (1961). This is an important everbearer because of its large fruits, which are blunt conic, wedged, medium red, rather firm, and subacid; it is best adapted to southern Germany; it is susceptible to nematodes (Copyrighted).
Macherauchs Späternte (1957, Pistillate). A late ripening type, this form has berries medium red to red, often cat-faced because of non-pollination of its female flowers; it is susceptible to mildew (Copyrighted).
NEW INTRODUCTIONS OF 1963
Senga Gigana (Plate 17-3b). This is an early midseason type whose berries are extra large (average weight 30 grams, first fruits up to 55 grams), which is grown for fresh market and home gardens; its fruits are highly glossy, medium red, long conic, very attractive, medium firm, mildly subacid; it has a high yield, exceeding Senga Sengana in the first cropping year; it is susceptible to Botrytis but is resistant to other diseases; it prefers the drier soils (Copyrighted).
Vigerla. This is a medium early ripening variety with fruits, long conic, primaries wedged, bright medium red, medium sized, firm flesh, and subacid; it has high yield, and good capping quality but is susceptible to mildew (Copyrighted).
In 1942 Dr. R. v. Sengbusch contacted the newly developed deep-freezing industry, which was looking for vegetable as well as strawberry varieties suited to its purposes. None of the varieties grown at that time, so it seemed, met freezing requirements. With the financial support of Messrs. Andersen & Co., a sub-company of Ph. F. Reemtsma, strawberry breeding was started at Luckenwalde near Berlin. First v. Sengbusch tested the varieties used in the canning industry. One of these, named Markee (after the German village where it was grown) had an extremely firm flesh and kept its shape very well after thawing, but it was unsatisfactory in flavor and yield. This variety was crossed, therefore, with some well-flavored European varieties.
In 1944 an F1 generation of about 40,000 seedlings was planted to be used for selection. All plants weak or poor in yield were discarded. Then the berries of the about 10,000 remaining single plants were tested for deep freezing at -20°C. About 1500 were found to be good and were propagated in clones. In 1945 the first clones were tested. In order to extend the basis of selection, the selection work was done at three different localities:
Testing was very difficult because of the war. Luckenwalde itself was occupied by the Russian army in April, 1945, and the first testing of the clones was done under the Soviet-Russian soldiers' eyes. Even so, v. Sengbusch was able to select the numbered varieties 29, 54, 145, 188, and 242 from among the clones grown that summer. Since it was, of course, impossible to keep exact records of yields, simply the number of pickings was marked on labels, to obtain some records. By this method the high cropping of Senga 54 was noted in the first test year.
In 1948 transfer of the breeding material to Hamburg was started. Andersen & Co. arranged an experimental field at Wulfsdorf, just behind the Hamburg State border, to test the clones for freezing. In these tests Senga 29 and Senga 146 proved to be the most suitable. In the meantime the freezing industry was stopped as a consequence of the end of war and breeding work had to be directed to new objectives.
From 1950 on the emphasis was upon selection of types which had high market value. The aims were: high yield, good disease resistance, sufficient quality of berries, and above all, plants suitable for general cultivation. In 1949 there was a very heavy infection by mites (Tarsonemus pallidus). Since successful control of mites was not yet possible, all but three clones became stunted. These three were from the cross Markee x Sieger. In the second cropping year these three averaged over 5,000 kg. per one-fourth hectare. The heaviest bearer of these was propagated and half a hectare was planted in 1953. One year later it was introduced under the trade mark Senga Sengana.
In the same year, 1954, v. Sengbusch founded the Sengana GmbH. This company, of which v. Sengbusch became president, took over the strawberry work, especially the distribution of newly bred varieties. In 1955 Gerhard Mellenthin joined the company, and later he became head of the propagation and distribution section; in 1959 Walter H.J. Hondelmann joined and is now head of the breeding and research section. Greenhouses are available for crossing (Plate 17-3a). The breeding fields of Sengana GmbH now occupy seven hectares, the plantations for propagation sixty hectares; the first year of propagation is for runner production, the second and third for berry production.
It soon became obvious that breeding strawberries with no support by industry or state was only possible by procuring a license and even this could only be profitable with a high price for plants. Since the commercial grower, after having bought a new variety, will at once propagate more plants for himself (at least in virus-free locations, such as northwestern Germany) -- and this is not liable to license -- new breeding objectives were given first consideration. These entailed breeding varieties for the home gardener, who prefers a change of plants and varieties more frequently than do commercial growers. The area set to strawberries in home and other private gardens in Germany is estimated to be twice as great as the commercial area, and is therefore of importance. The commercial area has been 3,000 hectares in the last few years and rather constant, so that the total growing area in the Federal Republic of Germany is about 10,000 hectares (24,700 acres, Fig. 17-5).
First results of the expanded work were Senga Précosa (1960), a very early ripening variety, and Senga Gigana (1963, Plate 17-3), an extremely large-fruited variety. At present, in the company three breeding lines are being carried on:
Within these three lines characters needed for growers and consumers may be seen in the following table:
Breeding lines and characteristics
| HOME GARDEN (PRIVATE GROWING) | FRESH MARKET (HORTICULTURAL COMMERCIAL GROWING) | PROCESSING (AGRICULTURAL COMMERCIAL GROWING) | |||
| grower | consumer | grower | consumer | grower | consumer |
| Different ripening seasons | Flavor | High yield. | Shape | High yield | Consistency of shape and color |
| Large fruits | Consistency of shape and color | Different ripening seasons | Color | Capping quality. | |
| Everbearers | Suitability for agric.growing | Suitability for agric. growing | Uniformity of fruits | ||
| Resistance | Shipping quality | Shipping quality | Juice keeping quality | ||
| Resistance | Resistance | Cooking quality | |||
| Self fertility | Fruit size | Flavor | |||
Tests at all levels of selection are continued for two years, since the performance of clones in the first cropping year is not correlated strongly enough with the second year, and the second year is the main cropping year. A sample of one year's work is about as follows:
Since their introduction, the Senga varieties have been maintained true to name. In 1962 the Federal Chambers of Agriculture decided that each new strawberry variety must be maintained on a four-year cycle. It starts with Maintenance A, next Maintenance B, then Super-elite and Elite to "Hochzucht." In each of the levels propagation is made in the ratio 1:10. Three years of running Super-elite is followed by a new Maintenance A in the fourth year. No clone has yet been discarded. The virus test is conducted by grafting on vesca indicator plants.
Hitherto no virus has been detected on the propagation fields of Sengana GmbH. This is due to the position of the fields in northern Germany (north and east of Hamburg), where the aphid vector (Pentatrichopus fragaefolii Cock.) cannot survive the winters and has not yet been found. This facilitates the breeding work considerably.
Besides the pure breeding, such problems of breeding research are studied as heritability, estimation of important economic traits, correlation between these and estimation of the relation of environmental variance to total genetic variance.
Hondelmann, W. "Investigations on breeding for yield in the strawberry Fragaria x ananassa Duch." Zeit. Pflanzenzuchtung 84, 1965. Investigations were carried out on F1-clones in connection with breeding for yield in the strawberry on the genetic potential, the variety-environment interaction and the inter-relationship between five characteristics which are important for yield.
The genetic potential (as expressed by the genetic variance, the coefficient of variation, heritability in the broad sense and the selection gain (S), is large for yield of fruit as well as for factors of yield: number of crowns, number of inflorescences on a crown, number of individual flowers on an inflorescence and size of fruit.
In the interaction of variety and environment (year and location), the relation of variety to year is the most important.
The relationship between the yield of fruit and the four other corresponding yield factors is analyzed by means of the path coefficient method. From this it appears that the number of individual flowers is the most important factor, followed by the size of fruit.
The conclusions for practical strawberry breeding are briefly discussed.
Since the west European sea climate of Holland has cool summers and mostly mild winters, very hardy strawberry varieties are not considered to be of foremost importance. Frosts occur in early May, so that frost injury to flowers may occur, but the hazard is a minor one. Strawberries are raised chiefly in the southern provinces, one center of production being in western Brabut, south of Breda. The production in 1964 was about 33,000 tons from field culture and about 1700 tons from glass houses. About 50 percent is consumed fresh and 50 percent processed, mainly for jam.
The steady growth of the industry in Holland is seen by the increase in acreage through the past fifty years.
The production in 1964 was about 3.5 tons per acre for fields in bearing.
Irrigation, control of pests and of weeds, and the use of clean plants (virus, nematode, and cyclamen mite-free) have in recent years improved the industry. Most strawberry fields are cultivated under the hill system, and fruit from about June 1 to July 15, while in glass houses and frames ripening starts about April 1 and continues to about June 1 (Plates 17-5a to e). Strawberries are grown in both heated and unheated greenhouses and in unheated glass frames (the so-called "Dutch lites"). Cloches (Plate 17-5b) are used in home gardens in all of northern Europe.
About 1948 the varieties grown were:
About 1955 there were four important varieties: Deutsch Evern, Auchincruive Climax, Oberschlesien, and Jucunda. Auchincruive Climax quickly disappeared after variegation appeared. Jucunda was grown for pulping and jam chiefly because it capped well, but its fruit is white inside and its flavor only fair. It is not suitable for freezing or canning.
Present varieties (1964, with an asterisk indicating the five most important) are:
Senga Sengana has become the dominant variety for field culture; it produces well, regularly, and has intense red color. Its limitations are that it has an unusual flavor, it is only fairly easily capped, and it is susceptible to Botrytis fruit-rot. It is eaten fresh and is processed. Large quantities are exported to Germany. Processed berries are capped in the field.
WAGENINGEN. The work at the Institute of Horticultural Plant Breeding was begun in 1946 by Miss Hester G. Kronenberg, assisted by L.M. Wassenaar, with the objectives of obtaining (1) easily capped, good colored preserving varieties; (2) varieties for the fresh market; and (3) everbearing varieties.
For the years 1960 to 1963 about 4,100 seedlings were raised annually and in 1964 about 24,000. Six varieties have been introduced:
The notable characters of the five varieties now grown are:
In 1952 Miss Kronenberg reported that selfed seedlings of Blakemore, Brightmore, and Temple did not show loss in vigor, but that seedlings of some others did. June yellows showed in Blakemore, Howard 17 (Premier), and Madame Moutot selfed seedlings (Kronenberg, 1952).
In 1955, crosses giving good results, except for flavor, were given as follows:
Jucunda is being used in breeding to combine its good capping qualities with other desirable ones.
ZALTBOMMEL. The work at the Experiment Station started in 1939, is under the close supervision of J.D. Gerritsen and is carried out by J. Blommers. The objectives are for fresh market varieties for field culture and under glass. The introductions are:
The number of seedlings grown was about 2,300 each- year, 1960 to 1963, 5,200 for 1964, and 7,000 for 1965.
MIDDELRODE, BERLICUM, AND NORTH BRABANT. The work at the Experiment Station here is done by G. Th. Op't Hoog under the supervision of H.J.A. Slits, with the objective of obtaining preserving varieties easily capped with good color. Six to eight thousand seedlings are grown annually. Several varieties were introduced but none is succeeding.
ALLIED RESEARCH. Extensive research was published in 1942 by E.W.B. van den Muyzenberg, Agricultural University, Wageningen, on the effect of external growing conditions on the periodic development of the Deutsch Evern variety. On the basis of the results of this research, he evolved growing methods making possible the production of ripe strawberries throughout the year.
L. Smeets at Wageningen, is studying the day-length-temperature effects on varieties from different regions.
According to Habran (1912), there were 6,175 acres (2,500 ha.) of strawberries grown in Belgium with several major centers of production, especially the Valley of the Meuse, the region of Tournai, in Brobaut, in Limbourg, and the region of Gent. In the north of Campine, about 2,000 acres (about 800 ha.) are grown for processing. Production under glass is decreasing. The varieties grown are:
| Early | 6. Ville de Paris |
| 1. Surprise des Halles | 7. Cambridge Favourite |
| 2. Mme. Lefebre | 8. Redgauntlet |
| 3. Regina | Late |
| Midseason | 9. Souvenir de Charles Machiroux |
| 4. Senga Sengana | 10. Talisman |
| 5. Triomphe de Tihange |
Souvenir de Charles Machiroux (Plate 17-4), a late Belgium variety of very large size, is the leading variety grown.
Breeding objectives given in the 1961 report of the Ministry of Agriculture have been to obtain varieties for the fresh fruit market and for processing -- large in size, productive, easily harvested, early where needed, tolerant to viruses.
Breeding began in 1952 and has continued since. As many as 5,493 seedlings had been raised in a year and 309 selections were under observation in 1960.
Lemaitra and Sirouval (1955) showed that by regulating the amount of supplemental light, berries could be matured by Christmas of Triomphe de Tihange, Deutsch Evern, and Surprise des Halles.
The principal variety of Switzerland is Madame Moutot. Other varieties grown are Wadenswil 6 (large, soft, high flavor, introduced about 1960) and Wadenswil 7, bred by the federal station at Wadenswil, and Senga Sengana, Senga Précosa, Senga Gigana, Macherauchs Fruhernte, Macherauchs Marieva, and Surprise des Halles. Nurseries are propagating virus-free plants for growers. Dr. F. Kobel bred the series of Wadenswil varieties but the breeding work is not being continued at present.
Wadenswil 1 was reported as Deutsch Evern x Ostersee, Waldenswil 2 as Wadenswil 1 x Hansen, and Wadenswil 3 as Tardive de Leopold x Wadenswil 1. Wadenswil 4 (released 1948) was introduced for its resistance to leaf spot and to drought and for its productiveness.
Senga Sengana is gradually replacing Madame Moutot in Switzerland.
The strawberry acreage in Denmark is about 3,700 acres (1,500 ha.). About half the crop is processed. The main crop varieties are Senga Sengana for late midseason and Dybdahl for early midseason. Early forcing varieties are Xenion, Senga Précosa, and Regina.
Dybdahl was bred by H.H. Larsen, Rislund, Aarhus, and introduced about 1909. It is large, bright red, mild, excellent in flavor, early midseason, average in yield, susceptible to mildew and gray mold.
Breeding at the State Experiment Station "Spangsberg" near Esberg began in 1919 with Edv. Christiansen and Akeel Henriksen. Four varieties, Spangsberg 5, Freja, Rubin, and Ydun, were introduced in 1948 from their breeding work, the last three resulting from the cross (Spate von Leopolshall x Deutsch Evern) x Culver. Ydun was the most productive and was grown extensively. It is bright deep-red, conical, tart, soft, large, and late. Freja is earlier and Rubin later than Ydun. Ydun has been largely replaced by Senga Sengana. Beginning in 1949, A. Thusen has had the breeding work and is assisted, since 1959, by Miss Madsen.
In 1960 Xenion (Deutsch Evern x Valentine) and in 1965 Zefyr (Valentine x Dybdahl), were introduced, being earlier than Deutsch Evern, good flavored and good for processing. At present, breeding work is directed toward easy capping varieties for processing, making diallel crosses of about 30 varieties.
Commercial production as known in the United States is new in Italy. In 1920 there was almost no commercial production except for local markets, but the acreage of strawberry plantings has increased rapidly in recent years. By 1940, about 1,500 acres were grown. After the war the acreage began to expand, especially for exports to West Germany and to Switzerland; in 1959 there were 13,813 acres, in 1960 16,158 acres, in 1961 17,848 acres, in 1962 19,815 acres, and in 1963 there were 21,102 acres. About 40 percent of the berries are exported, mostly to Germany (66 percent of exports) and Switzerland (29 percent of exports), where they arrive about a month before the varieties of those countries have ripened. The production in 1962 was about 56,500 tons, or about three tons per acre.
The largest areas are in the Northeast; 60 percent of the total acreage is in the Province of Emilia-Romagna and Veneto near Bologna, Ferrara, Forli, Ravenna, Modena and Verona; 18 percent in the Province of Lazio near Rome; 13 percent in Piemonte in the Northwest; and 9 percent in the other Provinces. Recently plantings have been made in the far south, in the Provinces of Puglia and Lucania. A non-everbearing variety of F. vesca and another of the musky moschata are grown in Tortona, Italy -- Magiostrina de Milano and Profumata di Tortona -- and each makes up about 10 percent of the production of that area. Magiostrina de Milano is quite large for a pure wood vesca and Profumata di Tortona is of good size, larger than the vesca.
In 1962 over half, or about 12,500 acres, were of the Madame Moutot variety. About 2,000 acres of Regina de Verona, an early variety (in part a German variety American Seedling II x Deutsch Evern), were grown, chiefly around Verona; about 2,000 acres of Souvenir de Charles Machiroux (very late, of large size), of Belgian origin, mostly in Emilia; and about 2,000 acres of Senga Sengana (midseason), of German origin, were also grown, along with a smaller acreage of Nobile (of England) and other varieties. In trials, Pocahontas from the United States is reported as productive and as good for shipping as Madame Moutot, and it is four days earlier, much more attractive, much better flavored and well adapted to processing.
From the report of Branzanti in L'Italia Agricola, the importance of the varieties in Italy changed from 1960 to 1964 as follows:
| 1960 percent | 1964 percent | |
| Madame Moutot | 61 | 42 |
| Souvenir de Charles Machiroux | 14 | 23 |
| Regina (Tredesca) | 9 | 15 |
| Nobile | 6 | 1 |
| Perla | 3 | -- |
| Senga Sengana | -- | 4 |
| Others | 7 | 15 |
Madame Moutot (of French origin). Though most grown (42 percent in 1963-1964) of all strawberry varieties in Italy, it is less important relatively than in 1960. It is grown because it is very productive and the berries are very large though rough. It is widely adapted. However, it is quite susceptible to virus. It is not very firm and must be picked when unripe to ship well. It is not very attractive, nor high in taste and aroma.
Souvenir de Charles Machiroux (of Belgian origin). Its production is increasing rapidly and it forms over 20 percent of the total production, mostly near Emilia. It is liked because of its productiveness (not equal to that of Madame Moutot in the first year), its good color, very large size, and good flavor. It is irregular in shape. It ripens about 4 days later than Madame Moutot.
Regina. There are two kinds grown, one originating in Germany, the other of unknown origin, but which is liked better. Both are early, seven days before Madame Moutot, and together are about 15 percent of the Italian production. The fruit is uniform in size and shape and its flavor is high, described as a mixed sweet-sour taste. It is susceptible to mildew and late frosts.
Senga Sengana (of German origin). This variety has been increasing, especially because of its processing quality and is about 4 percent of the total production. It begins to ripen about four days after Madame Moutot, is smoother, richer colored, with good red flesh and good flavor.
Near Tortona in northwest Italy, about 10 percent of the production is a variety of vesca, called Magiostrina di Milano. It is supposed to come from the wild plants of the surrounding hills and is important in the Milan market. It is grown in matted rows. The plant is said to be resistant to drought and to disease. The fruit begins to ripen 3 to 4 days after Madame Moutot. It is small, scarlet, sweet, and aromatic.
A variety of moschata, the musky strawberry, called Profumata di Tortona is also grown around Tortona and occupies about 10 percent of the acreage. It has been cultivated a long time there. It is resistant to drought and to disease. It is a pistillate variety and has large flowers and large flower clusters. The fruit is small but about twice the size of the vesca, mostly spherical, reddish violet, very aromatic. It also begins to ripen just after Madame Moutot. It is quite productive and is used largely for ice cream flavoring.
Extensive research on all phases of strawberry culture is carried on at Bologna, Verona, Rome, Torina, Bari, and other research stations, and breeding for improved varieties adapted to the climate of Italy has recently been started at Bologna and at Rome. Virus-free stocks of 11 varieties are being increased at the Bologna and Verona centers.
The breeding work in Italy began about 1960; at Bologna it is under the Direction of Dr. Enrico Baldini, professor of horticulture at the University of Bologna, and that at Rome is under the direction of Dr. F. Lalatta, of the Institute for Fruit Culture. At the University of Bologna the varieties Director P. Walbaum, Machiroux Spaternte, Nobile, Prof. Dott Settgast, and Freja have been crossed with Cambridge Favourite, Madame Moutot, Redheart, Blakemore, and Pocahontas. At the Pomological Institute at Rome, beginning in 1960, Cambridge Favourite, Huxley (Ettersburg 80) and Climax have been intercrossed by Mrs. Maria de Ranieri and Mrs. Elisa Venezian to obtain new varieties -- firm, productive, and of good quality. About 110 selections were still under test in 1964. Six hundred inbreds have been raised. Three groups of runner plants have been exposed to 10,000 and 20,000 r of Cobalt 60 for twenty days in the period preceding flowering to obtain somatic mutations. The 700 seedlings raised in 1961 from this work were reduced by selection to 60 in 1964.
Notable recent publications are: (1) Report of the Second National Congress on the strawberry, June 1962, published by the Chamber of Commerce of Bologna. (2) A report of 150 pages on many phases of the strawberry industry in L'Italia Agricola 101:633-782, July 1964. Especially noteworthy are the two articles by Branzanti describing and illustrating in color the cultivated non-everbearing and the everbearing varieties of Italy and promising new sorts. (3) A monograph containing excellent colored illustrations and descriptions of the varieties tested and grown in Italy, by E. Baldini and E.C. Branzanti, and entitled Monografia Delle Principali Cultivar de Fragola Non Rifiorenti, Institute for Tree Culture, University Bologna 1964, p. 237. In this are shown some of the characters considered most useful in describing and identifying varieties.
The acreage of strawberries in Sweden for 1964 is estimated to be 8,645 acres, of which about 3,700 acres are commercial. Senga Sengana is the chief variety comprising more than 50 percent of the total, while Abundance remains the leading variety of northern Sweden. Talisman is increasing in popularity. Early ripening varieties such as Senga Précosa, Lihama, Regina and Macherauche Fruhernte have low yields and are grown but little.
Breeding work was started at Alnarp by Prof. C.G. Dahl and Dr. Emil Johansson early in the 1920's; the first variety to be named was Stella, raised in 1924 and followed by Silva in 1930, and Indra in 1936. Work at Alnarp was discontinued in 1962 when Dr. Johansson retired and since then all breeding work has been concentrated at Balsgard. E.J. Olden began breeding at Balsgard in 1959 and Miss A.L. Koch took over the work in 1960. About 100,000 seedlings have been grown there in 10 years. The 2 major objectives are (1) high yielding varieties for each region of Sweden and (2) varieties resistant to gray mold (Botrytis) which destroys over 50 percent of the crop in some years.
In cooperation with Dr. Bauer, of Germany, during 3 seasons 9 varieties have been intensively studied at Cologne and at Balsgard for their response to the different environments. Valentine has been a good source of resistance to gray mold (Botrytis), and resistant selections of Senga Sengana x Valentine are being studied. A performance index "yield capacity" is being used to evaluate varieties, seedlings, and selections. This is based on branch crowns per plant x number of flower clusters x number of fruits per cluster. This index was 63 for Sparkle, 164 for Abundance, and 264 for Senga Sengana. Punch cards are being used for the various characters. Valentine has proved to be an outstanding parent (Koch, 1963) for earliness and for resistance to Botrytis and mildew.
F1 and F2 clones are being used for selfing, backcrossing and sibling crosses in detailed programs, using mainly Senga Sengana, Valentine, Sparkle and Fairfax. Interspecific crosses using 4x F. vesca with cultivated varieties are being made in an attempt to transmit the vesca flavor into decaploids.
As in Italy, there has been a great expansion of strawberry production in Poland. The yield in 1964 is given as 60,000 tons as contrasted with 6,000 tons in 1954, and only 30,000 tons in 1961. Large exports go to West Germany, Sweden, England as well as to East Germany, Czechoslovakia and the U.S.S.R. The last report on acreage was about 31,000 acres for 1961. The varieties grown are:
| In the Older Plantings | In the Newer Plantings |
| Madame Moutot | Madame Moutot |
| Purpuratka | Purpuratka |
| Sharpless | Regina |
| Deutsch Evern | Macherauchs Fruhernte |
| Georg Soltwedel | |
| Talisman | |
| Ydun | |
| Cambridge Favourite |
Purpuratka, an old variety of unknown origin, is said to produce a superior frozen product because of its dark red flesh and because all berries are firm under their cool climate. The aphid that spreads most virus diseases is said not to survive in Poland.
Strawberry breeding has recently started at the Research Institute of Pomology, Skierniewice, Poland under K. Smolarz.
Inbreeding began in 1952. In 1963 Porpaczy and Szilagyi reported crossing inbred American and European varieties. The most productive hybrids (over two and one-half times Madame Moutot as standard) were from crosses between European) I1 (I=inbred) and I3 but highly productive selections were obtained also from American varieties x European I1 (over twice Madame Moutot as standard). In the final score the two top ranking selections were American varieties x European I1 inbred for one generation.
Yields were obtained from "KN" (clone square) plot tests which consisted in transplanting three plants per replication and allowing each to make four runner plants. A weighted evaluation considering fruit size, firmness, color, smoothness, and taste was used in scoring.
Simon in 1963 reported on the variety Katai (Brigaderos), a large-fruited everbearer of unknown origin which is highly variable in flower and fruit size and other characters. Its pollen mother cells had n = 7, 14, 21, and 28 chromosomes as well as aneuploids. Variable numbers were found at the two poles.
According to T.P. Filosofova (1962, pp. 104-105) strawberry breeding began in 1924 at the Moscow Station with the objective of hardier varieties in the central belt of the country. The varieties originated are said to constitute about 90 percent of the area of all plantings in the central regions and are grown in other zones as well. The best known are the four: Komsomolka, Mysovka, Pozdnyaya Zagorya, and Krasavitsa Zagorya. Many experiment stations have been breeding strawberries for diverse climatic zones. The stations in the Chernozem belt and in the Volga area have bred drought-resistant varieties and stations near Leningrad have bred hardy varieties.
The main breeding method has been repeated crossing between local varieties and then crossing with varieties from other climatic zones of the U.S.S.R., or of other countries. Crossing with varieties from other areas is emphasized. The Moscow Station had about 500 selections under test. For earliness, crossing the local early varieties Mysovka and Krasavitsa Zagorya with early varieties from the Ukraine had greatest promise; for lateness, the local Pozdnyaya Zagorya crossed with the German late ones, Georg Soltwedel and Frau Mieze Schindler, gave the most late selections. Large-fruited, high-yielding midseason selections came from Pozdnyaya Zagorya x Rozovaya.
Skvortzov (1929) described orientalis and illustrated its fruit.
Fedorova (1935) in 1930 obtained four hybrid seedlings from 5,430 seeds of the wood x musky (vesca 2x X moschata 6x) and in the second generation had seedlings 6x, 8x, 9x, 11x, 12x, and 14x, the 14x being the least vigorous and the 8x and 9x the most vigorous.
Petrov and Tukan (1937) noted that the diploids supposed to make up the tetraploid orientalis are perfect-flowered yet the orientalis has the sexes on separate plants; also, in the hexaploid moschata and in all octoploids the female is heterozygous for sex, yet in the tetraploid orientalis the male is heterozygous.
Dozadkina (1940) followed up the crosses of Fedorova of vesca (2x) x White Pineapple (8x), made in 1933. Four seedlings were obtained. All were pentaploid (5x) and some had 10 to 20 percent normal pollen. One set of vesca chromosomes paired with one set of the White Pineapple. Fedorova had crossed orientalis with moschata in 1932-33 both ways, and had suggested that orientalis was a link between diploid and hexaploid species. Dozadkina supported this from his studies and concludes that three sets of chromosomes of the cultivated strawberry are homologous and are closely related to those of vesca.
Sangin-Berezovsky (1963), among other species crosses, tried cultivated varieties x orientalis but obtained only one sterile hexaploid hybrid.
Philosophova (1941) suggested the use of moschata x vesca (neglecta) selections (2n = 28) to cross with the garden strawberry to get the desirable qualities of the musky and wood strawberry into the cultivated. Orientalis was crossed with F1 of moschata x vesca (= neglecta) and good fertility of seedlings resulted.
Lichovitzer, V.G. (1934) reported on hybrids of cultivated x moschata that had 44 and 46 chromosomes.
Smolyaninova (1946) stated that Michurin first attempted to cross the garden and the musky moschata strawberry, and that in 1927 Petrov succeeded, but that the hybrids were mostly sterile. Smolyaninova continued this crossing, beginning in 1938. The hybrids ranged from entirely sterile to fertile, had intermediate vegetative characters but the berries were like the musky. In the exception, Bakhimutka (a Virginian type) x musky the seedlings were like the seed parent.
Lebedov (1957) reported obtaining the variety Podmostovnaja from the cross Komsomol x moschata and stated that it produced well, had good flavor, and the aroma of moschata.
Saks (1961) in a test of 12 species and varieties noted that three cultivated varieties were salt tolerant, Aborigen Attaja, Kolhoznaja, and Sinena, and that orientalis and virginiana were also. In a test of frost resistance, orientalis, virginiana, vesca, and cultivated varieties Sejanee Komsomolki, and Kieoskaja raunjaja, moschata Milanskajo were the hardiest.
Reports from several research stations of U.S.S.R. describe new varieties and the best varieties, old and new, of their region. Transmontane Beauty, Virginian, and Taskent were reported the most resistant to Botrytis (gray mold). Katinskaja (1956) reported the variety Leningradskaja Pozdnjaja (Victor x Saxon) as resistant to Botrytis. Useful varieties were reported by Katinskaja (1963) as obtained from cultivated varieties x vesca, also x viridis and x moschata. The high yielding Festival was reported as drought-resistant by Gorustovic (1963). The average ascorbic acid content for 27 varieties for three years was 67.4 + 16.7 to 70.9 + 16.3 with the highest being Purpuratka 113.4.
In an experiment beginning in 1934 no strain of six inbred varieties was better than the parents (Duka and Sokolovsky, 1938).
Sbitnev (1960) reported that Neiscerpaemaja was the highest yielding everbearer.
Strawberry breeding in East Germany is carried on at present only at Muncheberg at the Institute for Field and Crop Breeding. A summary by Dr. Murawski in charge of work follows.
Summary (pp. 146-148)--53 combinations with 6207 seedlings were tested for their breeding values. The more important results were:
1. The combining ability of varieties differ. Some have specific characters for general combining ability; others have a special combining ability. From the present analyses Senga Sengana has the common or general combining ability for height of bloom and for fruit color; Sengana 29 for fruit color and number of fruits per plant. Most characters have a specific combination value. These include powdery mildew resistance, total fruit weight, fruit size, number of fruits per cluster, and fruit weight per cluster. Because the genetic value of a variety is judged by its most important characters, it is necessary to make continuous test crossing with the best combining partners.
Through analysis of selfed lines it may be possible to judge the genetic value of strawberry varieties and obtain at the same time more information on their combining value. More research on this is necessary.
2. Genetic analysis shows that the phenotypic characters are due to different genes. A few varieties possess a complex dominant gene for certain characters which reflects on the behavior of the selfed strawberries. General combining ability depends on favorable dominant genes, which show in crosses additive effects. It is possible that specific combining ability is determined by gene interaction and superdominence because the characters are distinguished in different crossings. Especially favorable further results in strawberry breeding are to be expected from the occurrence of transgressive segregation.
3. The results of regression analysis of tests showed that the total crop is determined mainly by the number of fruits. The exactness was B = 0.80 - 0.87. Also, the numbers of flower stems had great influence on the total yield; as measured it was B = 0.61-0.71. Individual fruit weight had a minor effect on total yield, B = 0.29. Research showed further that single fruit weight was not affected by number of flower stems nor was the number of fruits per plant affected by the number of fruits per flower stems. Repeated means of regression analysis likewise showed that the crop was determined mainly by the number of fruits per plant. Repeated regression coefficient determinations show little effect of single fruit weight on the total fruit weight per plant, on the number of flower stems, and on the number of fruits per flower stem. It is easier for the breeder to increase the crop per plant through increasing the fruit number than through individual fruit weight. Fruit size is inherited independently of fruit number. This makes it possible to select the best from a progeny having a high fruit number as well as acceptable fruit size. Thus, at present in strawberry breeding highest yields have not been reached.
4. The average rank of a few important characters was obtained for combinations that gave the best results. The value of new breeding was established for many characters. The appearance of seedlings with several good characters could be expected with high probability in combinations which show average performance in all important commercial characters. Combinations with very high rank may be lacking in value because of one inferior character. Of the 53 examined combinations, the following are of value for practical breeding:
For a practical breeding program, it is necessary to use only such varieties for crossing that have more than average breeding value for single or combining characters. The genetic divergency of the varieties for crossing has an important role. Among such genotypes are to be expected specific advantageous gene changes. Varieties of American origin are valued breeding parents for European varieties.
*Parentage of German varieties appears in the appendix, Section V.
*From Reports of the 16th International Congress of Horticulture. Moscow 1962.