ARS | Publication request: The 2011 North American strawberry symposium: an introduction

Submitted to: International Journal of Fruit Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: May 20, 2012
Publication Date: January 14, 2013
Citation: Takeda, F. 2013. The 2011 North American strawberry symposium: an introduction. International Journal of Fruit Science. 13:1-2.

Interpretive Summary: The U.S. strawberry growers and researchers need the latest scientific information from around the world to maintain profitability and provide guidance on production practices and variety selection, respectively. The author helped organize the 2011 North American Strawberry Symposium, held on 8-11 Feb. 2011, in Tampa, FL. He also edited 27 manuscripts received from the presenters which will be published in the International Journal of Fruit Science in late 2012. There were over 320 delegates from 25 countries. The scientific program was conducted over two days and featured global perspectives on strawberry production, emerging diseases and pests and management and control strategies, new paradigm for substrate culture, breeding and screening for fungal and bacterial disease, improvement in fruit quality through increasing nutritional content and evaluating for abiotic stress responses and postharvest decay. Meetings such as the 2011 North American Strawberry Symposium are important because they provide the scientific information to keep the U.S. strawberry industry remaining competitive in the global market place.

Technical Abstract: The 2011 Symposium was held in conjunction with the 32nd North American Strawberry Growers Association (NASGA) Annual Conference on 8-11 Feb. 2011, at the Doubletree Hotel in Tampa, FL. The scientific program was conducted over two days and featured five sessions of oral and poster presentations spanning global perspectives on strawberry production, emerging diseases and pests and management and control strategies, new paradigm for substrate culture, breeding and screening for fungal and bacterial disease, improvement in fruit quality through increasing nutritional content and evaluating for abiotic stress responses and postharvest decay. There were 320 delegates from 25 countries. The international contingents reflected the global interest in the strawberry research and industry organizations in North America. The subject of the 2011 meeting was "Sustaining strawberry production through science". The diverse presentations included global and North American perspectives on strawberry production, genetics, breeding, virology, germplasm enhancement, molecular biology, disease and pest management, propagation and nursery management, cultural practices, plant nutrition and water management, plant physiology, economics of production practices, postharvest fruit handling, and food safety.