Tailor-made for Florida: Higher quality and disease resistance drive growth for Encore and Ember strawberries

Florida’s strawberry season has started, and the University of Florida (UF) reports that fields across the state are filled with fresh, high-quality fruit just in time for the holidays.

According to Vance Whitaker, professor of horticulture at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), good weather allowed for early planting this season.

“We did not deal with a hurricane during planting, so growers planted from about September 25 to October 20,” Whitaker said. “So far this season, strawberry volumes have increased, and quality is better than last year.”

Early planting enabled farmers in Hillsborough, Manatee, and Polk counties to begin harvesting about 16,000 acres of strawberries on schedule, from December through March.

University of Florida strawberries: Encore and Ember

Florida strawberries generate around $500 million annually for the state, and the University of Florida has developed 88 percent of commercial varieties.

Last season, the university released two new cultivars: Ember and Encore.

During their first year, the varieties accounted for only 13 percent of planted acreage. This season, Ember and Encore account for over half of the planted Florida strawberry fields.

Ember’s acreage has increased by 35 percent and Encore’s by 18 percent, resulting in a combined 400 percent increase year-over-year, Whitaker said.

Tailor-made Florida strawberries

The academic explained that farmers selected Ember and Encore for their excellent flavor and shelf life. The cultivars have the additional advantage of producing robust plants that help produce high early yields in November and December.

“They also have better overall disease resistance than previous varieties, making them more sustainable to grow for our farmers,” Whitaker added.

Ember is bright red, unusually rain-resistant, and has a sweet strawberry flavor similar to Florida Medallion.

UF describes Encore as an improved version of the second-most-popular variety, Florida Brilliance, which accounts for about 27 percent of planted acreage. It is easy to grow, well-suited to sandy soils, and produces high early yields with a heavy fruit load.

Whitaker emphasizes that the two new cultivars also offer a great eating experience, adding that this season’s strawberries are higher quality than last year’s, with good texture and a sweet, slightly tangy flavor.

*All images courtesy of University of Florida

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