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Breeding Lessons

Breeding Lessons

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Dr. Mark HoffmannSmall Fruits Extension Specialist, Assistant Professor, Strawberry and Grape Call Dr. Mark E-mail Dr. MarkHorticultural Science
NC State Extension, NC State University

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Dr. Mark HoffmannSmall Fruits Extension Specialist, Assistant Professor, Strawberry and Grape

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Strawberry Growers Information

North Carolina ranks third in national production of fresh market strawberries with an estimated 2,000 acres of strawberry plasticulture production and a farm gate value of about 20 million dollars. The North Carolina strawberry industry is highly decentralized and is almost entirely based on small-to medium-size family farms, selling at U-pick and ready-pick roadside stands and in farmers markets in all 100 counties. North Carolina is a leading state in ‘direct marketing’ of strawberries, and has one acre of strawberries per 4,500 people. The majority of the strawberries produced in North Carolina are grown in an annual hill plasticulture system (called ‘plasticulture’) with less than 100 acres of the matted row system in the foothills and mountains of North Carolina. The advantages of strawberry plasticulture production and marketing include a 5-7 week harvest season in the spring compared to about 2-3 weeks for matted row. In addition, there is no longer a breeding program in North Carolina for the development of matted row varieties, but there is a very active strawberry breeding program for plasticulture varieties that is led by Dr. Gina Fernandez, Dept. of Horticultural Science.

The main plasticulture variety in the mountains and piedmont today is Chandler. This is a good all-round variety for direct marketing. The main variety grown in the Sandhills and Eastern NC is Camarosa. Camarosa is a larger berry than Chandler, and it also has better shelf-life and resistance to rain damage than Chandler. However, Camarosa is more cold sensitive than Chandler, and growers in the piedmont, foothills and mountain are strongly advised to the use winter row covers with Camarosa.

Extension agents and growers can find research-based information specific to North Carolina strawberry production on this site, whether the information originated in the Department of Horticultural Science, Agricultural and Resource Economics, Plant Pathology, Entomology or the State Climate Office. Success in agriculture requires a multidisciplinary approach. The goal in designing information portals is to save growers and Extension agents time and effort by creating a one-stop shop for a specific agricultural commodity, in this case, strawberries.

NC State University and N.C. A&T State University work in tandem, along with federal, state and local governments, to form a strategic partnership called N.C. Cooperative Extension, which staffs local offices in all 100 counties and with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

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