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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Genetic Improvement for Fruits & Vegetables Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #380816
Research Project: Strawberry Crop Improvement through Genomics, Genetics, and Breeding

Location: Genetic Improvement for Fruits & Vegetables Laboratory

Title: ‘Cordial’ strawberry

Author
item Lewers, Kimberly
item ENNS, JOHN - Retired ARS Employee

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/24/2021
Publication Date: 1/10/2022
Citation: Lewers, K.S., Enns, J.M. 2022. ‘Cordial’ strawberry. HortScience. 57(2):231–235. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI15808-21.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI15808-21

Interpretive Summary: Strawberries are the most valuable annual food crop a farmer can grow on an acre of land, and they are the fourth most popular fruit with consumers. Long shelf life, great flavor, and reduced pesticide residue are very important to farmers and consumers alike. We developed a new variety of strawberry, named ‘Cordial’. ‘Cordial’, a late-season, “short-day” strawberry follows ‘Keepsake’, a mid-season strawberry, as the second cultivar resulting from a USDA-ARS effort at Beltsville, MD, to develop strawberries with increased shelf life. ‘Cordial’ and ‘Keepsake’ strawberries had similarly lower proportions of rot and degradation in two weeks of refrigerated storage, compared with other cultivars and breeding selections. ‘Cordial’ is resistant to many diseases and does not generally need to be sprayed with pesticides to produce many large, attractive berries. The name, ‘Cordial’, is in reference to the flavor being “friendly”, and not tart, even in rainy weather. ‘Cordial’ is expected to be adapted to the Mid-Atlantic and regions with similar climate. This research will benefit strawberry producers and consumers.

Technical Abstract: ‘Cordial’, a late-season, “short-day” strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa Duch. ex Rozier), follows ‘Keepsake’ as the second cultivar resulting from a USDA-ARS effort at Beltsville, MD, to develop strawberries with increased shelf life. ‘Cordial’ and ‘Keepsake’ strawberries had similarly low proportions of rot and degradation in two weeks of refrigerated storage, compared with other cultivars and breeding selections. ‘Cordial’ has consistently provided very high yields and very low rot with no fumigation or fungicides in annual plasticulture at Beltsville, MD. ‘Cordial’ strawberries are large and attractive, quite firm, and tough enough for handling. The name, ‘Cordial’, is in reference to the flavor being “friendly”, and not tart, even in rainy weather. ‘Cordial’ is expected to be adapted to the Mid-Atlantic and regions with similar climate.