Strawberry Cultivar Evaluation in Central Alabama

Abstract

Strawberry production in Alabama is limited by cultivar performance and increasing disease pressure. A field evaluation of nineteen strawberry cultivars was conducted alongside a strawberry fruit rot disease survey in Central Alabama. Cultivars were trialed in a randomized complete block design, grown in raised bed covered with plastic mulch in the season of 2023-2024 (five cultivars) and 2024-2025 (sixteen cultivars). Cultivar showed differences among genotypes in yield, fruit quality, and vegetative growth. Across both seasons, Victor exhibited the strongest agronomic performance, achieving the highest yields, high survival rate, large berry size and vigorous plant growth, whereas Radiance (evaluated only in the 2023-2024 season) showed poor survival, low yield, and small berries. Fruit quality varied by year. For the 2023-2024 season, Ruby June and Camarosa had the highest °Brix (9.06 and 8.54, respectively) while in the 2024-2025 season, cultivars including Sensation, Mojo, Warrior, Felicity, and Surfline produced the sweetest berries (8.23, 8.03, 7.84, and 7.41, respectively). Across all cultivars, Victor consistently ranked at the top for yield in both years (282.13g in Year 1 and 435.73g in Year 2), and was among the top performers in survival rate (97% in Year 1 and 100% in Year 2), and berry weight (34.44 g and 30.12g) indicating reliable agronomic potential under Central Alabama conditions. In addition to Victor, several other cultivars showed excellent performance, including Sensation, which produced yield comparable to Victor with an yield per plant average of 376.28 g, as well as Felicity (361.73 g), Warrior (355.66), Royal Royce (351.9g), and Keystone (325.35g), highlighting multiple cultivars with promising yield potential for the region. The pathogen survey identified a complex, multi-pathogen landscape across Alabama strawberry fields sampled. From 32 symptomatic samples collected from four farms in Central Alabama, 52 isolates were obtained, which belonged to 18 different fungal and oomycete families and 19 genera. Neopestalotiopsis was the most frequent genus across farms Calvert Farm, Reeves Farm and Sugar Hill farm (CF, RF, SH), followed by Fusarium which occurred at E.V research Center (EV), CF, and RF. Phytophthora was restricted to EV during the sampling window. Co-infections were common, with many plants harboring two or more types of pathogens within the same lesion, reflecting the interaction of primary pathogens such as Neopestalotiopsis, Fusarium, Colletotrichum, Phytophthora and opportunistic colonizers such as Alternaria, Epicoccum, Cladosporium, Aerobasidium, and Mucor. Based on DNA sequence of the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region, our data confirmed that Neopestalotiopsis was present on commercial strawberry farms in Central and North Alabama, frequently accompanied by fruit and crown rot pathogens such as Fusarium and Phytophthora.