Strawberry fruit of 16 clones was harvested from 45 plots in 1997. Fruit from 35 plots, 12 of the clones sampled in 1997 plus four additional clones, was harvested in 1998. Fruit was harvested on three to five dates in 1997 and three to seven dates in 1998 with 160 samples in 1997 and 165 samples in 1998. Fruit firmness was determined for five fruit from each plot at each harvest with a penetrometer and fruit from the same harvest was sliced, sugared, and frozen. Drip loss was determined later for the frozen, sliced samples. There were statistically significant correlations between firmness and drip-loss (r = -0.27, n = 160, P < 0.01 in 1997 and r = -0.44, n = 165, P < 0.001 in 1998); however, firmness did not adequately predict drip-loss. There was considerable variation in drip loss from harvest to harvest, which was associated with weather conditions or precipitation/irrigation. The drip loss in 1997 was not significantly correlated with the drip loss for the same plots in 1998 (r = -0.26, n = 24, ns); however there was a significant correlation between firmness in 1997 and 1998 (r = 0.52, n = 24, P < 0.05). These findings have implications for evaluation of fruit in a strawberry breeding program for a processing industry.
USE OF PROGENY TESTING TO ASSESS FAMILY POTENTIAL IN THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA STRAWBERRY BREEDING PROGRAM