Strawberry breeding in Australia

Abstract

The development of fresh market strawberry cultivars adapted to production in sub-tropical and temperate areas of Australia has been supported by the Horticultural Research and Development Corporation from 1989. The main breeding objectives are improved fruit quality including flavour, increased pest and disease resistance, extension of the harvest season, resistance to rain damage, increased picking efficiency, and reliability of production. Cultivars named or released include Coogee, Mindarie, Adina, Tallara, Wonga, Euroka, Alinta and Lowanna from Agriculture Victoria Knoxfield, and Kabarla, Redlands Joy, Maroochy Flame, Maroochy Jewel, Maroochy Sundew, QHI Earliblush, QHI Earlibelle and QHI Earlimist from Queensland Horticulture Institute.