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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » National Clonal Germplasm Repository » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #177440
Title: ITURUP AND SAKHALIN ISLAND STRAWBERRIES

Author
item Hummer, Kim
item SABITOV, ANDREY - FAR EAST EXP STATION
item DAVIS, TOM - U.OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/20/2005
Publication Date: 7/20/2005
Citation: Hummer, K.E., Sabitov, A., Davis, T. 2005. Iturup and sakhalin island strawberries [abstract]. Hortscience. 40(4):1127.

Interpretive Summary: A plant collecting expedition to Iturup and Sakhalin Islands, in Russia, occurred between 21 July and 12 September 2003. Hardy kiwifruit, raspberries, gooseberries and currants and blueberries, as well as seven examples of strawberries were collected. Among them, an unusual wild strawberry called Fragaria iturupensis Staudt, was collected half-way up the eastern slope of Atsonupuri Volcano on Iturup Island. This species was similar in habit, leaf color and overall appearance, to some of the wild strawberries of the eastern United States. Fruits were bright red, elongated-spherical, and were about the size of a thumbnail. The native distribution of this species was limited to the middle elevation of the slope of this volcano, and only on Iturup Island. Two other species of strawberries were collected at Kuibyshewskii Bay of Cape Otlivnoy, Iturup, near Ujno-Sakhalinsk City, Sakhalin Island and in Ogon'ki Village, Sakhalin Island. This report confirmed the existence of this Asian strawberry species which has 8 sets of chromosomes.

Technical Abstract: A plant collecting expedition to Iturup and Sakhalin Islands, Russian Federation, occurred between 21 July and 12 September 2003. Actinidia, Rubus, Ribes, and Vaccinium, as well as seven accessions of strawberries, Fragaria L., were collected. Among them, a wild strawberry, Fragaria iturupensis Staudt, was collected on the eastern slope of Atsonupuri Volcano, Iturup Island, at 630 and 650 m elevation. This species was similar in habit, leaf color and overall appearance to the American strawberry species, F. virginiana Mill. Fruits were bright red, oblate spherical, about 1.4 cm in diameter, and had exerted achenes. The native distribution of this species was limited to the middle elevation of the slope of this volcano, and only on Iturup Island. Chromosome counts indicated that these plants were octoploid. Initial DNA fingerprinting aligned this sample with other octoploid species. In addition to this species, F. yezoensis H. Hara (syn. F. nipponica Makino) were collected on Kuibyshewskii Bay of Cape Otlivnoy, Iturup, and near Ujno-Sakhalinsk City, Sakhalin Island. F. iinumae Makino was observed in Ogon'ki Village, Sakhalin Island. This report confirmed the existence of F. iturupensis, the only known native Asian octoploid strawberry, and documented its limited range. Seeds of these strawberry species are available for research by request from the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, National Clonal Germplasm Repository in Corvallis.