The new strawberry variety, Jack, was introduced for the first time at the Strawberry and Asparagus Fair expoSE 2023 in Karlsruhe. "Jack is a competitor to the Malling Centenary, which is a very important variety for the UK. We hope to gain a significant market share there," says PD Dr. Klaus Olbricht from Hansabred & Co.
Jack more productive than Malling Centenary
"The Jack variety can yield significantly higher returns than the Malling Centenary. In substrate culture, a plant can produce up to 600 gr, which cannot be achieved with the Malling. High proportions of class I fruits are also achieved. The average fruit weight of Jack strawberries in previous trials was 21 to 35 gr, while the Brix value is comparable to that of the Malling Centenary. Jack also has a very balanced sugar-acid ratio, carries a very fresh-fruity aroma, and offers a good mouthfeel."
Suitable exclusively for substrate culture and protected cultivation
According to Dr. Olbricht, initial test results from Cologne, Hoogstraten, and English test stations in substrate culture are available. "In England, the variety is expected to go into production this year - a kind of 'pre-start.' In parallel, tunnel cultures are being tested in Germany. However, we mainly recommend the variety for substrate culture, although it is also suitable for tunnel production. We do not recommend it for open-field cultivation, as we could not achieve the necessary yields there. This variety has explicitly been developed for protected cultivation and is also recommended for rack cultivation."
It is primarily intended for early harvest. "Jack is a once-bearing variety. It ripens parallel to Clery and thus earlier than Malling, with the peak of the harvest just before Clery. Other characteristics of the fruit are the large, shiny, and uniformly shaped fruit body and the intense red color. With its good shelf life, it is suitable for the entire fresh market."
Protected cultivation on the rise
In Germany, the majority of strawberry cultivation areas are still found in open fields. "However, there has been an increasing trend towards protected cultivation in recent years due to predictability, fruit qualities, weather independence, and the ability to determine and possibly postpone harvest times. This development will continue to progress. The proportion in the protected area is already quite high in countries like England and the Benelux countries."
Tough competition in European strawberry breeding
The competition among strawberry breeding companies in Europe has intensified increasingly. Accordingly, the definition of variety characteristics is becoming more and more closely oriented toward existing assortments. This sometimes leads to new varieties that differ only slightly in their characteristics. At the same time, this narrows the breeding base in a genetic sense. There is little room for new developments. Desired variety characteristics are strongly oriented toward the yield situation, including fruit size, harvest period, fruit appearance, fruit firmness, and shelf life. Aroma and taste should not be neglected.
Hansabred is currently testing three clones that are in the middle and late harvest range and are located in European test stations. "The middle and late range are important sectors that many breeding companies have focused on in recent years because there are also gaps in the assortment here. We hope that we can set new standards with these developments."
For more information:
PD Dr. Klaus Olbricht
Hansabred GmbH & Co. KG
Radeburger Landstr. 12
01108 Dresden
Tel.: +49 174 3300761
Email: info@hansabred.org
www.hansabred.org